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Restaurant Magazine announced today the list of the S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants. 

It is no surprise that El Bulli is in the #1 slot for the third year in a row. Americanos will be happy to know eight restaurants here made the list: French Laundry, Per Se, Jean-Geroges, Le Bernardin, Alinea, Chez Panisse, charlie Trotter’s and Daniel.

Click through for the complete list and official press release. 

Restaurant Magazine announces the list of The S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2008

El Bulli Number 1

For the third year in a row Ferran Adrià has topped a world-wide poll of industry experts. Similarly stalwart are Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck in second place and Pierre Gagnaire’s eponymous Parisian restaurant, third.

Chefs’ Choice Mugaritz attains its highest ever position, finding itself at number 4 this year. Mugaritz first charted in 2006 at an impressive 10th place. Last year it climbed to 7th position. This year shows its reputation is increasing internationally and now Andoni Luis Aduriz is clearly snapping at the heels of the three culinary legends ahead of him.

36 year old Aduriz is just one of the young chefs who has gained the respect of his former masters. Another is Grant Achatz of Alinea who at 33 was not only the highest new entry last year but has risen 15 places to 21st position.

Highest new entry Vendome has Joachim Wissler at its formidable helm. Considered Germany’s foremost culinary pioneer, Wissler appears on the list alongside fellow countrymen Hans Haas of Tantris and Harald Wohlfahrt of Die Schwarzwaldstube.

The other new, hallowed, restaurant is Asador Etxebarri in Spain owned by chef Victor Arguinzoniz. In complete contrast to the high tech gadget loving maestros that dominate the top of the chart, this self-taught chef has elevated cooking over an open flame to new heights. He calls it “primitive cooking”.

Perennially popular (it has appeared on the past 6 lists) Fergus Henderson’s St John, is this year’s highest climber and the must-visit restaurant for the “50 Best” chefs attending the event. Last year Sydney chef Tetsuya, Thomas Keller of the French Laundry and Per Se and Fulvio Pierangelini of Gambero Rosso were amongst those who heartily tucked into a “chefs only” feast of boiled ham, whole carrots and doughnuts.

The restaurant tipped to break through into the top 50 in 2009 is the Parisian neo-bistro Le Chateaubriand owned by young Basque chef Inaki Aizpitarte. Is it something in the water that makes the Basque region such fertile culinary ground?

Perhaps the Lake District will be the next culinary spawning ground,for it is on the southern edge of this picturesque English region that Simon Rogan’s contemporary restaurant L’enclume, winner of the 2008 Readers’ Choice award, can be found.

A restaurant’s ranking on the S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants list is decided purely on the votes of a large panel of well respected international judges collectively called The Nespresso World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy. The Academy comprises just fewer than 700 chefs, restaurateurs, food writers and restaurant critics, 200 of whom are voting for the first time.

Regional Recommendations 2008

In a separate poll, the Nespresso World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy was asked to name their regional recommendations. Each judge belongs to one of 23 regions. None of these gastronomic hot tips appears in either the 1 – 50 or 51 – 100 list.

The list of S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants follows. The restaurants ranking 51 – 100 are also available.

1          El Bulli SPAIN

            +34 972 150457  http://www.elbulli.com

2          The Fat Duck UK

            +44 (0)1628 580 333  http://www.fatduck.co.uk

3          Pierre Gagnaire FRANCE

            +33 (0)1 5836 1250  http://www.pierre-gagnaire.com

4          Mugaritz SPAIN

            +34 943 522 455  http://www.mugaritz.com

5          The French Laundry USA

            +1 707 944 2380  http://www.frenchlaundry.com

6          Per Se USA

            +1 212 823 9335  http://www.perseny.com

7          Bras FRANCE

            +33 (0)5 65 51 18 20  http://www.michel-bras.com

8          Arzak SPAIN

            +34 943 278465  http://www.arzak.es

9          Tetsuya’s AUSTRALIA

            +61 2 9267 2900  http://www.tetsuyas.com

10        Noma DENMARK

            +45 3296 3297  http://www.noma.dk

11        L’Astrance FRANCE

            +33 (0)1 40 50 84 40

12        Gambero Rosso ITALY

            +39 (0)5 6570 1021  http://www.gamberorosso.it

13        Restaurant Gordon Ramsay UK

            +44 (0)20 7352 4441  http://www.gordonramsay.com

14        L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Paris FRANCE

            +33 (0)1 42 22 56 56  http://www.joel-robuchon.com

15        Le Louis XV MONACO

            +377 98 068864  http://www.alain-ducasse.com

16        St John UK

            +44 (0)20 7251 0848  http://www.stjohnrestaurant.co.uk

17        Jean Georges USA

            +212 299 3900  http://www.jean-georges.com

18        Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée FRANCE

            +33 (0)1 53 67 65 00  http://www.alain-ducasse.com

19        Hakkasan UK

            + 44 (0)20 7927 7000

20        Le Bernardin USA

            +1 212 554 1515  http://www.le-bernardin.com

21        Alinea USA

            +1 312 8670110  http://www.alinearestaurant.com

22        Le Gavroche UK

            +44 (0)20 7408 0881  http://www.le-gavroche.co.uk

23        Dal Pescatore ITALY

            +39 (0)37 6723001  http://www.dalpescatore.com

24        Le Cinq FRANCE

            +33 (0)1 4952 7000  http://www.fourseasons.com/paris

25        Troisgros FRANCE

            +33 (0)4 7771 6697  http://www.troisgros.fr

26        El Celler de Can Roca SPAIN

            +34 972 222 157  http://www.cellercanroca.com

27        Restaurant de l’Hôtel de Ville SWITZERLAND

            +41 21 634 0505  http://www.philippe-rochat.ch

28        Hof Van Cleve BELGIUM

            +32 (0)9 3835 848  http://www.hofvancleve.com

29        Martin Berasategui SPAIN

            +34 943 366 471  http://www.martinberasategui.com

30        Nobu London UK

            +44 (0)20 7447 4747  http://www.noburestaurants.com

31        Can Fabes SPAIN

            +34 938 672 851  http://www.canfabes.com

32        Enoteca Pinchiorri ITALY

            +39 (0)55 242757  http://www.enotecapinchiorri.com

33        Restaurant le Meurice FRANCE

            +33 (0)1 4458 1010  http://www.lemeurice.com

34        Vendôme GERMANY

            +49 (0)2204 420  http://www.schlossbensberg.com

35        Die Schwarzwaldstube GERMANY

            +49 (0)7442 492665  http://www.traube-tonbach.de

36        Le Calandre ITALY

            +39 (0)49 630303  http://www.calandre.com

37        Chez Panisse USA

            +1 510 548 5525  http://www.chezpanisse.com

38        Charlie Trotter’s USA

            +1 773 2486228  http://www.charlietrotters.com

39        Chez Dominique FINLAND

            +358 (0)9 612 7393  http://www.chezdominique.fi

40        D.O.M. BRAZIL

            +55 11 30880761  http://www.domrestaurante.com.br

41        Daniel USA

            +1 212 288 0033  http://www.danielnyc.com

42        Oud Sluis NETHERLANDS

            +31 (0)117 461269  http://www.oudsluis.nl

43        Ristorante Cracco ITALY

            +39 (0)2 876774

44        Asador Etxebarri SPAIN

            +34 94 6583042  http://www.asadoretxebarri.com

45        Les Ambassadeurs FRANCE

            +33 (0)1 4471 1616  http://www.crillon.com

46        L’Arpege FRANCE

            +33 (0)1 4705 0906  http://www.alain-passard.com

47        Tantris GERMANY

            +49 (0)89 36 19 59 0  http://www.tantris.de

48        Oaxen Skärgårdskrog SWEDEN

            +46 (0)8 5515 3105  http://www.oaxenkrog.se

49        Rockpool (fish) AUSTRALIA

            +612 9 2521 888  http://www.rockpoolsydney.com

50        Le Quartier Francais SOUTH AFRICA

            +27 21 876 2151  http://www.lequartier.co.za