Photos: The 50 Best Restaurants in the World 2014 Announced

If you’ve ever sighed happily over a trattoria’s perfect tagliatelle or bistro’s savory coq au van and declared, “That was the best meal ever!” the experts would respectfully disagree.
That is, unless, such a statement were made at Noma in Copenhagen, which was just awarded the top spot in the 2014 big reveal of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Selected by an influential group of more than 900 international leaders in the restaurant industry, the list is a who’s who in the global gastronomic scene, from Bilboa to Bangkok.
Known for its seasonal, Scandinavian innovations like sea urchin toast and caramelized milk and cod liver, Noma (overseen by chef-owner René Redzepi) reclaimed its top spot after being dethroned in 2013 by Spain’s El Celler De Can Roca (this year’s no. 2). In other words, 2014 is all about the Danish.
While a globe-trotting culinary jaunt sounds divine, there are plenty of World’s Best options to be sampled Stateside, including Coi in San Francisco (a newcomer at no. 49), The French Laundry in Yountville, Calif. (no. 44), and New York City’s Daniel (no. 40), Per Se (no. 30) and Le Bernardin (no. 21). Breaking into the top 10 are Alinea in Chicago (no. 9) and Eleven Madison Park in N.Y.C (at no. 4, it’s now the hottest restaurant in North America).
Check the list below, did your fave make it? Ever lunched or dined in any, tell us your experience.
Shocked and sad that no restaurant in Nigeria and the UAE made it!!!

1. Noma, Copenhagen

2. El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Catalonia, Spain

3. Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy

4. Eleven Madison Park, New York City

5. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London
6. Mugaritz, San Sebastián, Spain
7. D.O.M., Sao Paulo, Brazil
8. Arzak, San Sebastián, Spain
9. Alinea, Chicago
10. The Ledbury, London
11. Mirazur, Menton, France
12. Vendôme, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
13. Nahm, Bangkok, Thailand
14. Narisawa, Tokyo
15. Central, Lima, Peru
16. Steirereck, Vienna, Austria
17. Gaggan, Bangkok, Thailand
18. Astrid y Gaston, Lima, Peru
19. Fäviken, Järpen, Sweden
20. Pujol, Mexico City, Mexico
21. Le Bernardin, New York City
22. Vila Joya, Albufeira, Portugal
23. Restaurant Frantzén, Stockholm, Sweden
24. Amber, Hong Kong
25. L’Arpege, Paris
26. Azurmendi, Larrabetzu, Spain
27. Le Chateaubriand, Paris
28. Aqua, Wolfsburg, Germany
29. De Librije, Zwolle, Netherlands
30. Per Se, New York City
31. L’Atelier Saint-Germain de Joel Robuchon, Paris
32. Attica, Melbourne, Australia
33. Nihonryori RyuGin, Tokyo
34. Asador Etxebarri, Atxondo, Spain
35. Martin Berasategui, Lasarte-Oria, Spain
36. Maní, Sao Paolo, Brazil
37. Restaurant Andre, Singapore
38. L’Astrance, Paris
39. Piazza Duomo, Alba, Italy
40. Daniel, New York City
41. Quique Dacosta, Dénia, Spain
42. Geranium, Copenhagen, Denmark
43. Schloss Schauenstein, Fürstenau, Switzerland
44. French Laundry, Yountville, California
45. Hof Van Cleeve, Kruishoutem
46. Le Calandre, Rubano, Italy
47. The Fat Duck, Bray, UK
48. The Test Kitchen, Cape Town, South Africa
49. Coi, San Francisco
50. Waku Ghin, Singapore