World's Most Romantic Restaurants

ry to what your eighth-grade girlfriend may have told you, romance isn't all about flowers and heart-shaped candies. But the word "romantic" has become so sappy and overmarketed that it's often tough to remember its actual meaning (we prefer the Byronic sense of "remote, adventurous, mysterious"). And sadly, many so-called romantic restaurants rely on the same clichéd formulas whether you're in Mexico or Manhattan: bland decor, food-as-afterthought, stuffy waiters, and the inescapable strolling violinist/guitarist/accordionist (does anyone actually enjoy that?). So this year, we'll help you reclaim romance, one mesmerizing meal at a time. Our 12 restaurant picks from around the world have all the right elements—a seductive view, an unhurried atmosphere, terrific food—but never veer into sentimentality. Because style mixed with subtlety is a more potent aphrodisiac than straight saccharine.

Top 50 Best Restaurants in the World

First published by Restaurant magazine in 2002 and now in its seventh year, The S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants is recognized around the world as the most credible indicator of the best places to eat on Earth. It stimulates fervent debate and sometimes controversy, but the excitement it generates amongst those who aspire to make the list, and the massive interest it brings to the restaurant industry in general, have seen it grow into an eagerly anticipated, internationally influential event.

The list is compiled by The Nespresso World’s 50 Best Academy, a group of prominent food writers, critics, publishers and commentators, who each represent a different global region and chair a carefully selected voting panel for that region. This ensures a truly authoritative list and one which is becoming more and more globally representative each year.

Well, despite the fact there is not one single Toronto Restauranton the list, here are the Worlds 50 best from 2007:

The 50 best rankings and a full list of award winners for 2007 are shown below:

1. El Bulli, Montjoi, Roses, Spain (Nr. Barcelona) — World’s Best Restaurant, Best Restaurant in Europe
2. The Fat Duck, Bray, Berkshire, U.K. (Nr. London) — Chef’s Choice (voted for by last year’s 50 Best)
3. Pierre Gagnaire, Paris, France
4. French Laundry, Yountville, California, USA — Best Restaurant in the Americas
5. Tetsuya’s, Sydney, Australia — Best Restaurant in Australasia
6. Bras, Laguiole, France
7. Mugaritz, Gipuzko, Spain (Nr. San Sebastian)
8. Restaurant Le Louis XV, Monte Carlo, Monaco
9. Per Se, New York, New York, USA
10. Restaurante Arzak, San Sebastian, Spain
11. El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain
12. Gambero Rosso, San Vincenzo, Livorno, Italy
13. L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Paris, France
14. Hof van Cleve, Kruishoutem, Belgium
15. Noma, Copenhagen, Denmark — Highest Climber
16. Le Calandre, Sarmelo di Rubano, Italy
17. Nobu, London, U.K.
18. Jean Georges, New York, New York, USA
19. Hakkasan, London, U.K.
20. Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, Paris, France
21. L’Astrance, Paris, France
22. Can Fabes, Barcelona, Saint Celoni, Spain
23. L’Ambroisie, Paris, France
24. Gordon Ramsay, London, U.K. (Royal Hospital Road)
25. La Maison Troisgros, Roanne, France
26. Le Bernardin, New York, New York, USA
27. Martin Berasategui, Gipuzkoa, Spain
28. Le Gavroche, London, U.K.
29. Le Cinq, Paris, France
30. Charlie Trotter’s, Chicago, Illinois, USA
31. Dal Pescatore, Mantova, Italy
32. Daniel, New York, New York, USA
33. Rockpool, Sydney, Australia
34. St. John, London, U.K.
35. Chez Dominique, Helsinki, Finland
36. Alinea, Chicago, Illinois, USA — Highest New Entry
37. Bukhara, New Delhi, India — Best Restaurant in Asia
38. Dom, Sao Paolo, Brazil
39. Oaxen, Holo, Sweden
40. Chez Panisse, Berkeley, California, USA
41. Enoteca Pinchiorri, Florence, Italy
42. Cracco Peck, Milan, Italy
43. L’Arpege, Paris, France
44. The River Café, London, U.K.
45. Oud Sluis, Sluis, The Netherlands
46. Combal Zero, Turin, Italy
47. Le Quartier Francais, Franschoek, Western Cape, South Africa — Best Restaurant in the Middle East & Africa
48. Taillevent, Paris, France
49. Bocuse, Collonges-Au-Mont-D’Or, France
50. Les Ambassadeurs, Paris, France

(Restaurant Magazine recently revealed the 50 Best Restaurants in the World for 2007.

Despite the fact that half the 651 voting panel members were new this year, and that twice as many came from Asian voting regions, consensus of opinion as to the world’s best restaurants has changed little since 2006.

With double the voting regions in Asia and thus two times as many eligible voters compared to last year (rules allow for only two of the five votes to be within a home region), it is more than surprising that only one restaurant from that seemingly culinary-wealthy area made it into the top 50. The Best Restaurant in Asia (a new category this year) went to Bukhara, in New Delhi, India.)

Best Restaurants in France:

Pierre Gagnaire, Paris
Bras, Laguiole
L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Paris
Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, Paris
L’Astrance, Paris
L’Ambroisie, Paris
La Maison Troisgros, Roanne
Le Cinq, Paris
L’Arpege, Paris
Taillevent, Paris
Bocuse, Collonges-Au-Mont-D’Or
Les Ambassadeurs, Paris

Best Restaurants in the United States:

French Laundry, Yountville, California — Best Restaurant in the Americas
Per Se, New York, New York
Jean Georges, New York, New York
Le Bernardin, New York, New York
Charlie Trotter’s, Chicago, Illinois
Daniel, New York, New York
Alinea, Chicago, Illinois - Highest New Entry
Chez Panisse, Berkeley, California

Best Restaurants in the U.K.:

The Fat Duck, Bray, Berkshire
Nobu, London
Hakkasan, London
Gordon Ramsay, London
Le Gavroche, London
St. John, London
The River Café, London

Best Restaurants in Spain:

El Bulli, Montjoi — World’s Best Restaurant, Best Restaurant in Europe
Mugaritz, San Sebastian
Restaurante Arzak, San Sebastian
El Celler de Can Roca, Gerona
Can Fabes, Barcelona
Martin Berasategui, Lasarte-Oria

Best Restaurants in Italy:

Gambero Rosso, San Vincenzo, Livorno
Le Calandre, Sarmelo di Rubano
Dal Pescatore, Mantova
Enoteca Pinchiorri, Florence
Cracco Peck, Milan
Combal Zero, Turin

Additional Award Winners

Reader’s Choice: Pied a’ Terre, London

Chef’s Choice: The Fat Duck, Bray, Berkshire

Breakthrough Restaurant: Maze, London

Lifetime Achievement Award: Alice Waters, the founder of Chez Panisse, USA