Le Quartier Francais has secured a spot again in this year’s S Pellegrino Worlds 50 Best Restaurants Awards, held in London’s Science Museum on April 23.

Although sliding down the list slightly (from number 38 in 2006 to number 47 this year), Le Quartier Francais in Franschhoek, is still known as one of the world’s best restaurants – a definite cause for celebration amongst proud SA foodies!

Other SA contender, La Colombe restaurant in Constantia Uitsig, after coming in at number 28 last year, has fallen off the list completely coinciding with the departure of legendary chef Franck Dangereux.

Internationally, last year’s top two winners cinched their titles again this year, with El Bulli in Spain coming in first (again!) and The Fat Duck in the UK coming in second.

The top five for Africa and Middle East are all from South Africa:
1. Le Quartier Francais
2. Bosmans
3. Jardine
4. Aubergine
5. Reubens

The awards, held in conjunction with the UK’s Restaurant magazine, showed a definite trend towards Ferran Adria (of El Bulli) followers, with many of the top restaurants such as Alinea in Chicago, Noma in Copenhagen and The Fat Duck in the UK showing direct inspiration from the legendary culinary master.

France dominated the list, with the top number of restaurants included. Then came the US, the UK and Spain and Italy, which tied at fourth place.

The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Alice Waters, the founder of Chez Panisse, in Berkeley, California.

Restaurant magazine editor, Joe Warwick, calls Waters the ‘founding mother of modern American gastronomy’.

‘Her local produce-focused, environmentally-conscious approach to gastronomy is still influencing the thinking of chefs worldwide’.

The restaurants are picked by 22 panels of food writers, critics and chefs.

Full list – Worlds 50 Best Restaurants 2007

1. El Bulli Spain
2. The Fat Duck UK
3. Pierre Gagnaire France
4. The French Laundry US
5. Tetsuyas Australia
6. Bras France
7. Mugaritz Spain
8. Le Louis XV Monaco
9. Per Se US
10. Arzak Spain
11. El Celler de Can Roca Spain
12. Gambero Rosso Italy
13. LAtelier de Joel Robuchon France
14. Hof van Cleve Belgium
15. Noma Denmark
16. Le Calandre Italy
17. Nobu London UK
18. Jean Georges US
19. Hakkasan UK
20. Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee France
21. LAstrance France
22. Can Fabes Spain
23. LAmbroisie France
24. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay UK
25. Troisgros France
26. Le Bernardin US
27. Martin Berasategui Spain
28. Le Gavroche UK
29. Le Cinq France
30. Charlie Trotters US
31. Dal Pescatore Italy
32. Daniel US
33. Rockpool Australia
34. St. John UK
35. Chez Dominique Finland
36. Alinea US
37. Bukhara India
38. DOM Brazil
39. Oaxen Skaergaardskrog Sweden
40. Chez Panisse US
41. Enoteca Pinchiorri Italy
42. Cracco Peck Italy
43. LArpege France
44. The River Cafe UK
45. Oud Sluis The Netherlands
46. Combal Zero Italy
47. Le Quartier Francais South Africa
48. Taillevent France
49. Bocuse France
50. Les Ambassadeurs France


Lifetime Achievement Alice Waters
Breakthrough Award Maze, London
Readers Choice Pied a Terre, London

www.theworlds50best.com