The world's 50 best restaurants 2009 (and 2008 ranking in brackets)

1 El Bulli, Spain (1)

2 The Fat Duck, UK (2)

3 Noma, Denmark (10)

4 Mugaritz, Spain (4)

5 El Celler de Can Roca, Spain (26)

6 Per Se, US (6)

7 Bras, France (7)

8 Arzak, Spain (8)

9 Pierre Gagnaire, France (3)

10 Alinea, US (21)

11 L'Astrance, France (11)

12 The French Laundry, US (5)

13 Osteria Francescana, Italy (new entry)

14 St. John, UK (16)

15 Le Bernardin, US (20)

16 Restaurant de l'Hotel de Ville, Switzerland (27)

17 Tetsuya's, Australia (9)

18 L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, France (14)

19 Jean Georges, US (17)

20 Les Creations de Narisawa, Japan (new entry)

21 Chez Dominique, Finland (39)

22 Ristorante Cracco, Italy (43)

23 Die Schwarzwaldstube, Germany (35)

24 D.O.M., Brazil (40)

25 Vendome, Germany (34)

26 Hof van Cleve, Belgium (28)

27 Masa, US (re-entry)

28 Gambero Rosso, Italy (12)

29 Oud Sluis, Netherlands (42)

30 Steirereck, Austria (new entry)

31 Momofuku Ssam Bar, US (new entry)

32 Oaxen Skargardskrog, Sweden (48)

33 Martin Berasategui, Spain (29)

34 Nobu, UK (30)

35 Mirazur, France (new entry)

36 Hakkasan, UK (19)

37 Le Quartier Francais, South Africa (5)

38 La Colombe, South Africa (re-entry)

39 Asador Etxbarri, Spain (44)

40 Le Chateaubriand, France (new entry)

41 Daniel, US (41)

42 Combal Zero, Italy (re-entry)

43 Le Louis XV, France (15)

44 Tantris, Germany (47)

45 Iggy's, Singapore (new entry)

46 Quay, Australia (new entry)

47 Les Ambassadeurs, France (45)

48 Dal Pescatore, Italy (23)

49 Le Calandre, Italy ( 36)

50 Mathias Dahlgren, Sweden (new entry)

Source: S. Pellegrino