The Best Restaurants in the World
These five restaurants are among the best in the world.
Everything you need to know at a glance
According to “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025,” the best restaurant in the world is Maido in Lima, which combines Japanese techniques with Peruvian ingredients to create award-winning Nikkei cuisine. Other top destinations include “DiverXO” in Madrid, “Alchemist” in Copenhagen, “Sézanne” in Tokyo, and “Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl” in Basel, all of which offer world-class culinary craftsmanship.
These restaurants stand out for their exceptional menus, unique concepts, and special experiences that are well worth the trip. Perfect for discerning food lovers.
“Maido” in Lima, Peru
The British publishing group “William Reed” named “Maido” the best restaurant in the world in 2025. Owner and head chef Mitsuharu “Micha” Tsumura owes the top spot among the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” to fresh seasonal ingredients from Peru, prepared with Japanese precision.
The so-called Nikkei cuisine, a Japanese-Peruvian fusion, unfolds in a varied tasting menu. Across approximately 15 courses, ingredients such as guinea pig, Wagyu, monkfish, or roasted corn from the Andes are paired with Fukujinzuke, soy, or miso.
“DiverXO” in Madrid, Spain
“DiverXO” in Madrid is considered one of the most exciting restaurants in Europe. Chef Dabiz Muñoz presents his menu, “The Flying Pig’s Cuisine,” as an avant-garde work of art. You’ll experience an impressive journey through the cuisines of the world, with Spanish ingredients at its core.
The unique creations, served in an atmosphere reminiscent of a colorful carnival, have been awarded three Michelin stars. The multi-hour tasting experience at “DiverXO” aims to break down the boundaries between cuisine, art, and theater. If you manage to secure a table here, you’ll experience fine dining as a spectacle for all the senses.
“Alchemist” in Copenhagen, Denmark
Behind a heavy bronze door on a former shipyard site in Copenhagen, top chef Rasmus Munk awaits with what is arguably the most unusual evening you can spend in a restaurant. There are no courses, only “impressions”—50 of them, divided into several acts and spread across different rooms, art installations, and performances.
The staff, hailing from all over the world, includes experts in fields such as sound, animation, and set design. They work to ensure that every “impression” is perfect at the two-Michelin-starred restaurant on the Danish peninsula of Refshaleøen.
The cuisine at “Alchemist” is just as unconventional as the supporting program. The menu has featured such curiosities as red forest ants in honey candies, raw jellyfish in Rosa rugosa oil, a salad made from butterfly wings, and ice cream with pig’s blood ganache.
“Sézanne” in Tokyo, Japan
Three-Michelin-starred French haute cuisine in the heart of Tokyo: The menus at “Sézanne” are sensual, playful, and simply chic. Just like the interior, designed by artist André Fu. The large windows on the seventh floor offer a view of the Tokyo skyline. Even more exciting, however, is the view into the glass-walled kitchen, which is visible from every seat.
In 2026, Stephen Lancaster followed in Daniel Calvert’s footsteps as executive chef. At “Sézanne,” he focuses on seasonal Japanese ingredients, which he reinterprets for classic French cuisine through fermentation, aging, and pickling.
“Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl” in Basel, Switzerland
You don’t have to travel around the world for three Michelin stars and 19 GaultMillau points. Sometimes a short trip will do, for example to Basel. There, Peter Knogl runs “Cheval Blanc,” one of Switzerland’s most exquisite restaurants.
Dishes include wild sea bass topped with finely spiced, crispy-fried chorizo brunoise, served on a bed of tender, sweet cucumber julienne, accompanied by an elegant sauce made from aromatic red bell peppers. Or smoked eel with beets, black garlic, and wasabi, as well as crispy red mullet with a saffron-tomato vinaigrette.
The cuisine is timelessly good. So is the restaurant: “Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl” is located in the “Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois,” one of Europe’s oldest hotels, right on the banks of the Rhine in the historic heart of Basel.
Interesting fact: This luxury hotel is also part of American Express’s Fine Hotels + Resorts, so as a Platinum Card member, you’ll enjoy special benefits on-site.
Which American Express card will take you to the best restaurants in the world?
Experience culinary delights at the world’s best restaurants
Some gourmet temples are so exceptional that they’re worth the long journey. Often, the world’s best restaurants aren’t just distinguished by fantastic cuisine. They offer an experience for all the senses—one you’ll never forget.
With American Express, the journey itself becomes an experience: As a Platinum Cardholder, the Priority Pass grants you access to comfortable airport lounges worldwide—so even a long-haul flight to Lima or Tokyo starts off relaxed.
By the way, the Platinum Travel & Lifestyle Service can help you secure hard-to-get reservations at trendy restaurants. There you’ll also find a select collection of the world’s most beautiful hotels.
Frequently asked questions and answers
According to “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025,” “Maido” in Lima, Peru, is the best restaurant in the world. There, Chef Mitsuharu Tsumura combines Japanese cooking techniques with Peruvian ingredients—known as Nikkei cuisine—at a level that is second to none.
As a holder of the American Express Platinum Card or Gold Card, you benefit from a dining credit that is credited to your account after a dinner at select GaultMillau restaurants in Switzerland. With the Platinum Card, you receive additional dining benefits, such as simplified reservations or complimentary treats from the restaurant during your visit.
Three Michelin stars—the highest accolade awarded by the Michelin Guide—mean, according to the Guide, that the restaurant is worth a special trip. Around 140 restaurants worldwide hold this distinction, including “DiverXO” in Madrid, “Plénitude” in Paris, and “Sézanne” in Tokyo. In Switzerland, “Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl” in Basel is one of the country’s few three-star restaurants.
