Two Cape Town restaurants make world’s 100 best list

The Taste Kitchen in Cape Town has been voted among the top 50 restaurants in the world according to a new list for 2015, sponsored by S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna.

Spanish restaurant El Celler de Can Roca regained its title as The S.Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurant. Previously the No.1 in 2013, the Roca brothers’  restaurant has continued   to  gain global   recognition   for  its gastronomic prowess.

Featuring restaurants from 21 countries around the world across six continents, the list provides an annual barometer of the greatest gastronomic experiences across the globe.

El Celler de Can Roca was opened in 1986 by brothers Joan and Josep alongside their  parents’ simple restaurant in Girona.  In 2007, younger brother Jordi  completed the trio that has since created a  gastronomic phenomenon.

With seven restaurants in the 50 Best list, Spain has more than one reason to  celebrate  with  Mugaritz remaining at No.6 and Tickets in Barcelona making its first appearance in the list at No.42.

France boasts five restaurants in the 50 Best with Mirazur remaining at No.11 for the second year running, followed by L’Arpege in Paris which has climbed 13 places in 2015.

Top of the 2014 list, Noma, a four-time Danish winner, was bumped down to third to make way for an Italian runner-up, Modena’s Osteria Francescana.

Eight new restaurants gain a place in the 50 Best list, which has been published  since  2002.

The list is created from the votes of  The  Diners Club World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, an influential group of almost 1,000 international leaders in the restaurant community.

South Africa had two restaurants in the top 100, with The Test Kitchen in Cape Town ranked highest at 28th – up from 48th on the list in 2014.

The Test Kitchen, which opened in November 2010, is headed by Luke Dale-Roberts, who places a big focus on flavour.

“The most important thing is flavour, and layers of flavour,” Dale-Roberts said.

The British-born chef trained in Switzerland and England before heading to Asia for a five year stint, launching several restaurants in Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and the Philippines.

The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français in Franschoek is the only other showing by South Africa on the list, which was ranked 88th, overall, down from 72nd place in 2014.

Top 50 restaurants in the world

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