Le Calandre - Rubano
An amazing risotto is only one reason among many to visit this excellent modern Italian restaurant near Padua. A choice of several tasting menus and great service make one want to return
Osteria Francescana - Modena
One of the most famous fine-dining restaurants in the world. Unfortunately, an overuse of culinary trickery felt a bit forced, and led to a meal that was more experimental than delicious
Reale - Castel di Sangro
A vegetarian tasting menu full of unusual dishes. Sadly, for the most part weirdness trumped tastiness
Arpège - Paris
Amazing mostly vegetarian French cuisine, creatively reinterpreting classic dishes. Ironically, the single non-vegetarian dish was the high-point of an excellent lunch
Atelier Crenn - San Francisco
French-Californian cuisine that stays fresh with inventive dishes, most of them superb
Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen - Paris
A beautiful setting in the middle of Paris with solid modern French cuisine that occasionally is a bit heavy
AM par Alexandre Mazzia - Marseille
A firework of spices and flavors, but also uneven and an overwhelming number of dishes. Not your typical French fine-dining restaurant
Frantzén - Stockholm
Delicious tasting menu with Swedish and Japanese influences, and a well-thought-out overall experience
Noma - Copenhagen
Tasting menu at the “world’s best restaurant” that’s amazing technically, but sometimes at the expense of deliciousness
Flocons de Sel - Megève
Cooking inspired by the beautiful mountain setting, but thoroughly novel
Épicure - Paris
Fancy, high-end French cuisine in a fancy, high-end hotel. Great service, but only a few standout dishes
Schloss Schauenstein - Fürstenau
A tour-de-force of bold flavors and technically precise cooking - a near-perfect dinner. Utterly mind-blowing to accomplish this while using only local ingredients from the Swiss Alps in the middle of winter
DiverXO - Madrid
Very creative cooking, riffing on dishes from all over the world. Not everything succeeds, but this was a fun ride
El Celler de Can Roca - Girona
Playful and inventive, this was for the most part a delicious lunch. Worth the trip from Barcelona if you can get a reservation