Time to feast your eyes on our selection of the best fine dining experiences in the world. If you’re a foodie, then you’re not going to want to leave these places. These restaurants are award-winning with amazing reviews and an incredible atmosphere. What more could you possibly want? Read on to discover our city guide to fine dining. So wherever you are in the world, you can enjoy a delicious meal!
Disfrutar, Barcelona, Spain
Disfrutar, which translates as “enjoy”, is in the heart of Barcelona. The beautiful white decor gives it a real Mediterranean feel all while remaining minimalistic and chic. The restaurant opened in 2015, and within a year, it received its first Michelin star. It also received a prize from the Catalan Academy of Gastronomy and Nutrition for being the “restaurant of the year”.
Their chefs, Oriol Castro, Mateu Casañas and Eduad Xatruch, have received multiple awards and recognition over the years. They previously worked for a highly-acclaimed restaurant called El Bulli. After the legendary restaurant closed in 2011, they collaborated to open several restaurants, one of them being Disfrutar.
The concept of the restaurant is the element of surprise. They really want you to experience the menu. This is why it is so mysterious, and is made up of tasting experiences. You can opt for their classics, available all year round. Or you can choose a tasting menu with their seasonal dishes, that changes regularly. This menu, also known as the “Festival Menu”, has 25 courses for you to discover. It’s time you got those taste buds tingling!
Frantzén, Stockholm, Sweden
Frantzén will give you a one-of-a-kind fine dining experience. The food is presented spectacularly. It’s almost too pretty to eat! Originally a bijou dining room in Stockholm’s old town, they relocated in 2016 to larger premises and came back with a bang!
The experimental 10-course menu sees guests travel through the restaurant to discover all the different flavors, and takes several hours to get through. Make sure you have time to thoroughly enjoy the experience.
Head chef Björn Frantzén was a chef in the Swedish army before working in some of the world’s fanciest restaurants. He then decided to fly solo and work on his own projects. His food is the dream combination of Nordic cuisine with a splash of Asian influences. Frantzén has continued to collect Michelin stars since the restaurant’s launch, and it’s hardly surprising.
The experience is luxurious. You are greeted in a stunning penthouse lounge by the restaurant manager, and if you want to smoke, they even offer you a Tiger of Sweden robe if the temperatures are low. You can even enjoy a glass of champagne on the balcony and admire Stockholm’s scenery.
Ikoyi, London, UK
Via Ikoyi Instagram
Ikoyi is a stunning and modern restaurant in the chic St James’ part of central London. Its luxurious exterior really represents the experience. You will be enchanted by its West African influences that will stay on your mind for a long time. The British-meets-West-African style is an eclectic mix that perfectly reflects London as a whole.
Ikoyi has worked closely with Max and Noel Venning from the iconic Three Sheets Bar to concoct unique drinks that will suit the food you have chosen. Furthermore, Michelin guide inspectors have said that this is “one of the most innovative and original restaurants to open in the capital in recent times”.
On a budget? Opt for the three course £35 menu that will still allow you to get your taste buds fired up. If you’re feeling like splashing the cash, then you can choose the nine-course blind tasting menu with paired wines, adding the element of surprise to your dinner.
The Chairman, Hong Kong
The Chairman is one of Asia’s top 50 restaurants, so it’s definitely one to check out on your travels. Its concept? It is an ingredient-driven restaurant, innovating Cantonese cuisine. They cook with locally-sourced ingredients and seafood from local fishermen. Their taste sensations and the attention to detail will capture your heart.
We recommend you book a table, because since being named one of Asia’s best 50 restaurants, people have been flocking to taste the incredible menu. One of its most famous dishes? The steamed flower crab. Foodies all over the world adore this dish! The restaurant has also won other titles such as Restaurant of the Year and Local Champion in 2020.
You’ll fall for The Chairman’s elegant creations, and be sure to ask staff about the daily specials that aren’t mentioned on the menu. Its interior is retro-inspired, and is spread across two floors with private rooms so you can enjoy your amazing meal in your own space.
Geranium, Copenhagen, Denmark
Geranium boasts high-concept cooking with beautiful presentation. Here, you can enjoy multiple course tasting menus with a view from the panoramic 8th floor. The menus change according to the seasons, and you can enjoy local seafood and produce. Chef Rasmus Kofoed’s love for sea-foraging is reflected brilliantly through the delicious dishes. He is an award-winner, being the first chef in Denmark to be awarded three Michelin stars. So you know that while exploring the beautiful city of Copenhagen, you have to find out what the hype is about. Kofoed is also renowned for having a gift of impeccable presentation. Everything almost looks too good to eat at Geranium!
The restaurant is located near Denmark’s national soccer stadium. This may seem like a strange choice at first, but you can get incredible views over the lush green pitches. The views will whisk you away from the hustle and bustle of Copenhagen. You can ask for a kitchen tour to really take in the views and of course, see the chef in action.
Boragó, Santiago, Chile
Via Boragó Instagram
Boragó in Santiago, Chile, will give you a unique fine dining experience. Named as one of the world’s best restaurants in 2018, it is really a feast for your eyes. Chef Rodolfo Guzmán sources his ingredients from the northern Atacama desert and Patagonia. He also works with 200 foraging communities and small producers to ensure his ingredients are locally-sourced and seasonal. Guzmán even grows the vegetables in his own orchard, just 30 minutes from the restaurant. Boragó changed locations in 2019 and now has scenic views of the mountain Cerro Manquehue, which is Santiago’s highest mountain.
Each dish is presented with beautiful flowers for a picture-perfect meal. The wine pairings are divine. However, non alcoholic pairings are available to still have that incredible taste experience. Enjoy your 17-course tasting experience and enjoy juice pairings that will still compliment your meal.
Maaemo, Oslo, Norway
Maaemo, meaning “Mother Earth”, is the first Nordic restaurant to have been awarded two Michelin stars in its first mention in the guide. Its head chef is the world-renowned Esben Holmboe Bang. The restaurant offers an incredible 20-course tasting menu with locally-sourced produce taken from the icy waters or grown just outside of Oslo. Today, it’s Oslo’s only three Michelin star dining room, so it’s the place to be in Norway!
“We try to give people an emotional experience,” Holmboe Bang told CNN Travel. “Coming to a restaurant is one of the single most beautiful things in the world. We get to hold people’s hearts for three and a half hours and completely control their experience. It’s all about reading the guest and trying to see what are their expectations.”
The restaurant recently moved locations, leaving Schweigaardsgate, which was too small for the restaurant’s popularity. They relocated 300 meters away to overlook the tracks leading into Oslo central station. Guests announce their arrival by ringing the doorbell and restaurant manager, Niklas Johansson, welcomes you into the spellbinding restaurant. A sommelier will great you at your table and offer drink pairings (alcoholic or not), or even some champagne to set the mood for the evening.
Bon-Bon, Brussels, Belgium
Bon-Bon had very humble beginnings back at its launch in 2001, when it had nothing more than a stove and a dishwasher. Since then, Bon-Bon’s popularity has soared through the roof. It is one of the leaders in fine dining. Today they are all about innovation, they even have an app to tell you all about their latest news and events. Its decor has a 60s’ vibe and its food is the perfect match between traditional Belgian cuisine with a contemporary twist. Today, Bon-Bon has 2 Michelin stars, and is known as the fine dining experience to try in Belgium. Christophe Hardiquest is their head chef, who is known and celebrated for his bold cuisine.
When you arrive at Bon-Bon, you’ll see a striking white villa. There is even a garden terrace where you can enjoy the views in the warmer months. It also has a lot of vegetarian options, meaning that no one has to miss out on the incredible food. They take their food and wine seriously, so expect some amazing wine pairings along the way.
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