The UK had a bad night at The S. Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2010. In a glamorous if cacophonous countdown at Guildhall in the City of London, just 3 British restaurants heard their names called. Hibiscus (London) slipped in at 49; St John (London) got its tail in the door at 43; and 2005 winner The Fat Duck (Bray) was demoted from 2nd to 3rd best, behind El Bulli and Noma, the first-time champion from Copenhagen.

With New York placing 6 of its restaurants in the top 50 and Paris 5, proud locals who were calling London the number one restaurant city only yesterday may have been having second thoughts this morning. I too found myself reassessing my position on the matter, only from the opposite perspective: last night was the first time since moving to London 5 years ago I felt inclined to place it above Paris and New York, my prior cities of residence, as the world’s gastronomic capital. [Read more...]