My TOP 10 RESTAURANTS of 2023 (Out of 70+ Restaurants Across 4 Continents)

I’ve been to more than 70 restaurants this year, and now, at the end of the year, I’m going to pick my favorite places. In the end, I was able to choose 10 restaurants that were unforgettable.
Ranking them, was another story, because each one inspired me for different reasons.
So I present to you, in no particular order, my Top 10 favorite restaurants of the year.

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Follow my journey on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandertheguest

My name is Alexander. I’m the co-owner of a ONE Michelin star restaurant, and I’m on a mission – to find inspiration in gastronomy. I love fine dining, good wine and sharing what I know with other people.

Check out my restaurant:
https://www.instagram.com/42restaurant/

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Boury – Roeselare, Belgium – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53iAu9_wsvI
Plénitude – Paris, France – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm5DIoPvkJE
L’Assiette Champenoise – Reims, France – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZCfyOcYjM4
Iris – Rosendal, Norway – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh1iVEDisD0
Piazza Duomo – Alba, Italy – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tdrMksmbZ0
Alchemist – Copenhagen, Denmark – Coming up in January!
DiverXO – Madrid, Spain – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4Z_5Ky3mZc
Trésind Studio – Dubai, United Arab Emirates – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g6cR78vgVY
Am Par Alexandre Mazzia – Marseille, France – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrRRZxBZGik
Frantzén – Stockholm, Sweden – https://youtu.be/ZV7cUsG13x4?si=Orf0bbTPnxUItecE
Zén – Singapore – https://youtu.be/SneEz9TFfAw?si=s144LKMcvee8i-Y2
Central – Lima, Peru – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6z2s0IzJcU
Fat Duck – Bray, United Kingdom – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk9xOktLCqk
Taian Table – Shanghai, China – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FbSPG4We0M

2023 was GREAT. We launched this channel and  took you around the world searching for inspiration in gastronomy. Over 180,000 of you subscribed and you  watched our videos more than 14 million times. For that, a huge thank you. I’m so happy you liked it. Today, we are serving up something different.

I’ve been to more than 70 restaurants this year And now, at the end of the year, I’m going to pick my favorite places. How do I decide which of  these will make the top 10? It’s a lot more than nice wine and fancy food, at least for me. Of course, these things matter.

Along with the plates, the decor,  the service and the atmosphere. But in any Michelin 3 star restaurant, you can bet all those things  are going to be amazing. For me, what makes a restaurant  really great, is what you can’t see. It’s the energy. The connection. The originality. The characters.

These are things you can’t measure. It’s the human side. You just feel it, or you don’t. In the end, I was able to choose 10 restaurants  that i’d like to visit again and again. Ranking them, was another story, because each one inspired  me for different reasons.

So I present to you, in no particular order,  my Top 10 favorite restaurants of the year. Boury This place is outstanding. A beautiful family business, where Chef Tim,   his Brother Ben and Tim’s wife, Inge, leads a smartly-dressed service  team where nothing is overlooked.

Their 1950’s villa with a gorgeous garden  is like an oasis in the countryside, a perfect example of Belgium’s beauty. Our meal was bursting with creativity and  delicate flavors plated with surgical precision. The wine pairings created by  Sommelier Mathieu were spot on.

I know it is a cliché thing to say,  but when you do something with heart, it shows up in the results. Here, they pour their hearts into everything. Boury is full of passion and joy, with people,  who are strongly dedicated to their profession.

In my humble opinion, this  Belgian pearl goes beyond 3 stars. Coming up next, restaurant  experience that took all the metrics and cranked them up to eleven. I’m talking about Plenitude. The one inside the brand new  Cheval Blanc Hotel Paris. This place is great destination if you  like an elegant, sophisticated environment

With amazing dishes that lead you along  with a creative concept of unique sauces, on the highest levels of french  cuisine and of french delicacy. And it’s all brought to you  by two mega-talented chefs: Arnaud Donkelle and Maxime Frederic. I remember when we sat at the chef’s table,

And how passionate chef Arnaud was about the food. I enjoyed every single moment of it. A fabulous wine selection adds  another dimension to the experience. How fabulous? There’s a 50 year old Bordeaux in the pairing. C’mon! The wine cave, the cheese closet,  and the best bread of my life.

All of it, dropped into the heart of Paris. No surprise they got all 3  Michelin stars in just 7 months. If you woke me from a deep sleep and gave  me one second to choose a restaurant, there is a really good  chance you would hear me say: Plenitude. L’Assiette Champenoise

Few things I love more than champagne, so for me, going to Reims made  me feel like a kid at DisneyLand. Reims is the birthplace of bubbly, so you better believe the only 3 Michelin star  restaurant in the region has a great selection.

However, what really took me by surprise, was not the stellar champagne list by the glass, the beautiful gardens, the charming  atmosphere or the fancy menu holder. It was the freight train of flavors. It’s really hard to remember every dish  from every restaurant, for me at least.

Of all the places I’ve been to this year, this is the one where my memory  of the food is crystal clear. Best opening dish of all time, and many others with just as much power. I honestly love how the  Chef approaches the cooking. Unforgettable.

The acidity, the textures, the aromatics,  the sensations are all in the right place. My favorite champagnes were only supporting  characters in this powerhouse performance. This is the place where I took my  wife to celebrate our anniversary. A place to remember, a place to go back.

Next is a place that created a league  of their own with something they call ‘Expedition Dining’ Iris I was so curious, I dropped everything  to be one of the first to try it. It’s a journey on a fjord, stopping  at an island to build excitement, and then the main event.

It might bring back memories  of the movie The Menu, but in reality, Iris is nothing  like that. Or anything else. It’s literally an eyeball,  floating in the middle of the sea. Chef Anika opened my tastebuds  with some of the best  and the most interesting cuisine I’ve had.

When you are invited for a grill party  on a terrace in the middle of the meal, while enjoying the fresh nordic air  with an ice cold beer in your hand that feeling is priceless. Especially at a place like this. I’d be surprised if this restaurant didn’t  reach great heights in the gastronomy world.

Iris definitely deserves  every attention it gets now. Let’s go back to Piedmont for  one of my absolute favorites Piazza Duomo With the mastery of Chef Enrico  Crippa and his fantastic service team. Inside the big red door, the  interior is the perfect backdrop   for the rollercoaster ride of flavor and texture.

When I think about the stream of plates  coming to the table, I still get excited. Salata 21,31,41, 51 will forever  live rent free in my head. Crippa is simply amazing with  his Japanese-inspired style. Obviously, this environment can’t really be homey But this place isn’t about that anyway. It’s a soft, gorgeous, elegant world,

And your focus goes specifically on the food, and the incredible by-the-glass wine offers. The service is top notch as well. Real gentlemen, immaculate, professional work, and the amount of grace that goes into every  of their movements is simply beautiful.

In 3 hours, Chef Crippa and Piazza  Duomo raised the bar and put on a show. In my opinion, the best you will find in  Italy and one of the best of this channel. We have reached the half-way  point on the top 10 list.

It’s easy to describe this next  one, we can do it in just one word Crazy. A 50 course, seven hour whirlwind  experience like nothing else. The one and only Alchemist. You couldn’t see the video about it yet,  but stay tuned, it’s coming up in January.

Now is the perfect time to  subscribe! So you won’t miss a thing! What can I highlight? The dome, the dance, the freedom room, the list goes on and on. and I haven’t even gotten to the food yet. Chef Rasmus Munk’s quest  to evolve through research

But stay grounded in classic techniques  gives us the best of both worlds. Combine this with an outstanding  service team and a sommelier, who went an extra mile with a nice gesture  and we have fond memories for life. No wonder this place sells out  faster than a Broadway musical.

This is a must have experience, and definitely a top10 for me. DiverXO Unmatched in many perspectives. It is really hard to do truly outstanding  and unique things in the  culinary world these days, but it looks like DiverXO does it effortlessly. This is a formbreaker restaurant in many ways,

Starting with the crazy interior and  finishing with the mind blowing food. It’s like an insane professor  took over the kitchen, like a punk who said “fck  y’all, I’m gonna do it my way”. And the staff just follows him. Everyone is chill, cheerful but  professional at the same time.

The waving pigs and marching ants  may take away some seriousness, but trust me, it all goes  into the quality and flavors. Because these are things they don’t joke about. Chef Dabiz’s unique menu was mind blowing  in creativity and mouth watering in taste.

Sommelier Miguel Ángel Milán won the  World’s Best Sommelier Award in 2023 at the 50 Best Restaurants  awards, and I can clearly see why. He is so enthusiastic and passionate about wine. He’s taking you on a joyride. And that’s exactly what the  DiverXO experience feels like: A joyride.

DiverXO is not a YES in my Top 10. It’s a HELL yes. Next stop is a restaurant where the Guest is God. Indian fine dining in the luxury of Dubai. It is called: Trésind Studio I’ve been here twice already, and I’ve already signed up for my third trip.

Chef Saini takes you on a 17-course  tour of the Indian subcontinent. At each stop, serving up creative  twists on the food from each region. Using modern techniques and the best ingredients, some of which grow in the rooftop garden. The 20 seat restaurant has  a confident but humble staff

Who are ultra professional  in their approach to service. The cultural journey, the magical  flavors, the harvest celebration, the really fabulous drink pairing earns  Tresind Studio a place on my Top 10. Am Par Alexandre Mazzia Next, a restaurant that is  near and dear to my heart.

It was the very first restaurant  we showcased on this channel, and it made a huge impact on me. The atmosphere is cozy, with an  open kitchen and rustic design. The menu was fantastic. The two-hour meal saw over 20  plates come across the table. Each one told part of a story.

Like a poem, with every  dish rhyming with the next. Here we don’t find traditional luxury dining – there is no gold leaf,  crystal chandeliers or  Limoges tableware to speak of. Instead we have all-natural  elements hand-made with pride. And this was one of the secret  elements of Am par Alexandre Mazzia. The human side.

When you meet someone, like the  chef, the sommelier, the headwaiter, With interesting characters that  breathe life into the experience. I had a really nice time  in Singapore and Stockholm, and two restaurants played a huge role in it. Frantzén and Zén. Both places are very similar in many ways,

Since they both belong under  Björn Frantzén’s wings. So I’m going to talk about these two as one. Arriving here instantly felt that  this was going to be something else. And it was. As I see, this might  be the future of fine dining.

The twin towers of the Zens broke tides  with the old timer aristocratic tightness, and introduced me to a more light, chill  and uplifting experience in dining. We’ve been moving from floor to floor, from the living room to the  dining room and to the balcony.

The waiters were squatting near the tables,  the chef sometimes sat with the guests. It was almost like coming to  someone’s home for a solid party, where Guns and Roses and the Cure  painted the vibe of the night. And all this didn’t take  anything from the professionalism 

And the quality of the food or the service. I remember how I was laughing with  the lady of the house at Singapore, How chill and cheerful was the team, And of course: How amazing the food was. The asian and nordic mentality  is close to my heart.

They have pretty much common  virtues which I admire. So the marriage of these two is  unsurprisingly a big joy for me. Sometimes stars don’t reflect the true  quality that lies in a restaurant, And sometimes 10 is a too low number  for everything I want to highlight.

So I’m going to talk a bit more. Sorry. What is it like, when you have a true,  genuine cause which you are devoted to? The first to answer this, is Central in Peru. This restaurant is not so much a  restaurant as it is an institution. It’s a church.

It’s unique, genuine and so much more  than the world’s best restaurant. Spending time with Chef Virgilio  was like a spiritual cleanse. His team’s commitment to preserving  Peruvian culture and tradition is moving. It feels amazing to just be next to  these passionate, talented people who have devoted themselves to their cause.

The menu explores the biodiversity  of Peru and its vibrant history. Central and its sister restaurant  MIL are unique to say the least. This trip felt more like a culinary pilgrimage. It was inspiring and revitalizing,  and had a huge impact on me. A really special place, and for a good reason,

And it doesn’t even need stars  to be the best in the world. If I would like to quote one  of the Michelin guide’s lines: It’s worth a special journey. Leadership out of many virtues  is the one I admire the most. And there’s a place where I found  leadership to be truly mesmerizing.

It’s the Taian Table. The last people I expected to see running  a 3 Michelin star restaurant  here were two guys from Germany. The executive chef Christian Stoop, and the owner, Stefan Stiller. A name I think about till this very day. His charisma, the calmness in the  kitchen, the humility is really catchy,

And these virtues result in an amazing restaurant. He doesn’t advertise himself,  instead he talks about his team. He’s proud of them, and gives it a sound. He’s a character I think I could learn from. Imagine how strong that kitchen  is, where Christian Stoop  is only the second strongest man.

It was fascinating to talk to Chef  Stiller in the company of a drink. And he is not the boss, he is the leader. And his mantra? Innovation before perfection. The menu was creative, delicious and fun, with European techniques  using the best ingredients  from all over the world. To keep it really fresh,

He changes it every six weeks. It was outstanding, and it didn’t  want to meet with the local taste. Question everything, and think outside the box. The two most important phrases for a place, Which truly deserves my mention. The Fat Duck.

It meant a lot to me because I  got to share it with my daughter. And it was perfect. It’s a fairy tale experience with  storytellers instead of servers. It’s a masterclass in creativity with cleverness infused into everything  that brings wonder and joy to all.

From the nitro-poached aperitif  to the Sound of the Sea, it’s an incredible interplay of flavor and fantasy  that will make you feel like this is Wonderland, and you were all Alice. For 20 years The Fat Duck has been one of the most  important stations in the world of fine dining.

It is more like a museum now. A museum of creativity. The curiosity that needs to  be shared to be understood. And now with my daughter,  we have memories for life. And that does it, for my  “top 10 and beyond” video. What is your opinion? Put your top ten in the comments below.

Thank you again for a great year. We have visited many beautiful  restaurants across 4 continents and made many friends and memories along the way. Stay tuned because we won’t stop next year.