Owner-chef Shin Harakawa’s (pictured) small bistro represents the best of Tokyo’s farm-to-table restaurants; he has worked in France and California and produces extraordinary yet unfussy meals. In recent months he has let Swedish-born Samuel Envall Utbult assume a leading role. An alumnus of Copenhagen’s Restaurant Relae, Envall Utbult turns out dishes that combine, say, sliced courgette with egg tartare, shiso and sansho (Japanese prickly ash). The arrangement is only temporary, with Harakawa expecting to close Beard to focus on a new Tokyo restaurant that he plans to open in winter. We’ll be sad to see last year’s winner go but keen to see the star chef’s next move.

Marylebone’s quieter western reaches revealed a sumptuous secret to the world when this Japanese joint moved into an unassuming Edwardian townhouse in 2006. The restaurant is set over two floors, with a raw bar upstairs and moody 28-cover dining area below. Expect perfectly judged Japanese dishes made from fresh produce, including Cornish crab and Welsh Wagyu beef.

Why we like it
Because we still can’t decide between the seabass carpaccio and the beef with garlic-lemon soy and yuzu.

dinings.co.uk

PA&Co made a name for itself as a celebrity haunt in the 1990s but unlike most other places of that era, this Swedish-French bistro has remained a firm favourite ever since. The small marble-top tables and dark wood decor guarantee an intimate atmosphere. Regulars come for classics such as the potato rosti topped with Kalix caviar, dill, sour cream and red onion.

Why we like it
PA’s classic cooking, laidback feel and rowdy diner make it a sure choice for almost any occasion.

Gregor Wenter is the director of Bad Schörgau, an idyllic hotel in the Sarntal Valley of South Tyrol. The chalet-style sanctuary is home to two oustanding restaurants run by chef Egon Heiss and Wenter. The brasserie-style Veranda offers views of the valley and serves mouthwatering dishes such as entrecôte topped with parmesan, asparagus and summer truffles.

Why we like it
When paired with Bad Schörgau’s picturesque location in serene South Tyrol, Heiss’s menu and Wenter’s selection of wine are unparalleled.

bad-schoergau.com

Restaurants able to survive Sydney’s faddy food scene deserve credit and Apollo’s divine Greek food is the key to its immortal status. It opened in 2012 but feels like it’s been here longer. Customised Thonet chairs come courtesy of designer George Livissianis but take it all in while you order; you’ll lose focus as soon as the roasted lamb with Greek yoghurt and lemon arrives.

theapollo.com.au

Kameel (its local nickname; the full name translates as “the black camel”) has served Viennese diners for about 400 years – as good as unheard of in the restaurant industry. Affable owner Peter Friese has been here since 1977 and these days Kameel is most famous for its wine bar. In the adjacent dining room, Austrian classics are served in a more formal art nouveau setting.

kameel.at

Tawlet sits at the end of a dusty road in Beirut’s Mar Mikhaël neighbourhood and everything here has an enviable Lebanese panache. The restaurant is run by Kamal Mouzawak, the pioneer behind Souk el Tayeb, a farmers’ market that also acts as a venue to unite food producers from across the nation. Tawlet has a similar vibe: each day different producers take over the kitchen and cook their specialities with their own produce.

soukeltayeb.com

Much has been written about this Zürich institution and much written in it: James Joyce penned a portion of Ulysses at a corner table. The food is earthy, focused on classics such as rosti pancakes and veal with morel mushrooms. Jacketed waiters serve the food while carts bearing domed dishes arrive tableside to lend your visit the gravitas it deserves.

kronenhalle.ch

Housed in a former private house since 1910, this hotel and restaurant is, despite much praise, still a bit of a secret in Stockholm. Dining here is an exclusive experience; there are only a handful of seats available each evening. Guests – who are welcome to help themselves to snacks or drinks at anytime – sit at communal tables in the dining room, kitchen or greenhouse, surrounded by designer Ilse Crawford’s superbly cosy decorations. The chefs double as waiters, serving a house menu based on the best seasonal ingredients and shared platters. There aren’t any written menus and few guests ask for them. There is, however, always a feeling that you’re being taken care of.

etthem.se

Appia Alta’s chefs are extraordinary improvisers. Instead of menus, waiters wheel out heaped carts of seasonal ingredients for diners to select from: skewers of giant Pacific octopus, chunks of marbled beef or boar and a bounty of vegetables from Japanese farms. There’s a tasting menu but the chefs are at their best when creating customised dishes in perfect portions.

4 Chome-22-7 Nishi Azabu, Minato-ku

Loyal to its more than 80-year history, Sea Horse has never been one to jump on the bandwagon of temporary fads or overly polished plates; here you’ll find homely Finnish dishes served in an authentic 1930s setting. Every item on the à la carte menu has stood the test of time, from the traditional meatballs and the creamy salmon soup to the Baltic herring stuffed with blue cheese and red onion. The food isn’t the only thing at Sea Horse with a distinctively Finnish flavour. How to put this delicately: don’t expect the staff to pretend to be your new best friends. In true Nordic style they’ll be helpful but brisk and probably won’t fawn over you in the hope of a tip.

seahorse.fi

The secret is out about this small Kyoto steak house. Located on a residential street south of Kyoto Palace, the restaurant specialises in lightly charred sirloin and Wagyu fillet steaks of the highest quality but at a moderate price, a credit to Hafuu’s owner who comes from a family of butchers. During lunch and dinner grab a counter seat to watch the action unfold in the kitchen.

hafuu.com

Marinehof owner Astrid Wettstein learnt to cook northern German cuisine from her mother and small but important skills (such as letting peeled potatoes sit overnight before frying, lending them a smooth texture) set the tone for sublime fare. The interiors haven’t changed much since Marinehof opened in the 1990s and the ceilings, pillars and mezzanine offer a timeless and airy feel.

marinehof.de

Fairweather skiers only head to the mountains for the post-piste drinks but Chasellas is a legitimate reason to skip the sport altogether. By day the food is homely but by night chef Robert Jagisch turns out the best of the season in a symphony of artfully plated flavours. The stone building is snug in winter and cool in summer and, 1,800 metres up, can be accessed via the Suvretta chairlift.

Why we like it
The Alps are dotted with mountainside restaurants but Chasellas is a class above most thanks to its hearty lunches and sophisticated dinners.

suvrettahouse.ch

Le Pavillon possesses the patio to end all patios and serves traditional food such as fondue rich with kirsch (a clear fruit brandy) and complemented by bread, dried alpine meats and cheese with rinds of herbs and flowers. Even the craggy shells of the Fine de Claire oysters seem to mirror the surrounding alpine vistas despite being served 1,800 metres above sea level.

kronenhof.com

Regulars call it Trauti: proof that this dining room bears all the elegance of the stunning terraced gardens it sits in front of but also the affability of its laidback owners Gerlinde and Albert Gross. Tuna sashimi appears on a menu that isn’t afraid to stray from the traditional and the 45-minute walk back to central Merano will be welcome after a scoop or two of homemade ice cream.

trauti.it

In the heights above the storybook village of Kitzbühel, Austria, Wirtshaus zum Rehkitz offers sweeping views and fresh Austrian fare. Diners can relax in three traditional stuben (wood-panelled rooms with carved detailing) within a centuries-old former farmhouse now owned by the Muntigl family; Lukas Muntigl is head chef. Dishes include speckled brook trout and tafelspitz (prime boiled beef).

rehkitz.at

Set at the water’s edge on Lake Como, the terrace of the La Veranda restaurant at the Villa d’Este hotel carries on Old World traditions. Seasoned waiters in black tie serve tender Piedmontese beef and a flavourful spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino from chef Michele Zambanini. An added treat for diners is taking in the sight of classic wooden runabouts plying the lake’s waters.

villadeste.com

Tucked away in downtown Auckland, Ortolana is a brick-and-timber pavilion with steel-framed windows that open onto a small courtyard. Half the tables are outside – there are rugs for when the weather’s brisk – while inside there are linen-covered banquettes and timber tables. Seasonal produce comes from the owners’ farm and head chef Jo Pearson makes even the familiar exciting.

Why we like it
A welcoming downtown bistro, Ortolana is everything Kiwis do best: excellent farm-fresh produce served in a relaxed style.

ortolana.co.nz

The beach resort of Forte dei Marmi is famous for its bathing clubs but it’s Bagno Bruno that keeps patrons coming back. The kitchen at this seaside outpost has delivered the goods since 1951, thanks to dishes such as spaghetti with tiny clams in white sauce and the house fritto misto plate of mixed seafood. Paired with a luscious vermentino, it’s an enviable summer lunch.

This family-run Italian restaurant opened in 1945 and was brought to life by chef Roberto Carugati, whose grandfather was chef to the king of Italy in the 19th century. The family’s legacy is woven into the fabric of the restaurant, which serves dishes rich with fresh produce from the Italian peninsula, such as Sicilian dried tomatoes, Tuscan olive oil and Alba white truffles.

restaurantroberto.ch

The menu lists a fine selection of fish and regional fare but it’s steak that made Grill Royal famous. Diners choose from cuts of Canadian black Angus, Argentinian chateaubriand, Kobe beef and more. Presentation is reliably impeccable, as is the attentive service, which is not always a given in Berlin. Then there’s the sultry interior: the low-lit dining room segues into a terrace on the River Spree.

grillroyal.com

It might be a mix of Japanese, Korean, and Chinese staples but Melbournian restaurateur and chef Andrew McConnell (Cumulus Inc; Cutler & Co) knows what he’s doing – and it shows. A glass façade and neon flourishes make this one of the more modern entries on our list. With ramen, bao, dumplings and kimchi all under one roof, Supernormal puts on a smart pan-Asian spread.

Why we like it
The food is unforgettable, plus Supernormal’s underground karaoke room makes every outing a night to remember.

supernormal.net.au

Few could have predicted just how well Australian chef Bill Granger’s Bondi restaurant would translate to the Japanese surf beach of Shichirigahama. Yet from day one there were winding queues, with customers in Japan eager to get a taste of the famous scrambled eggs and ricotta hotcakes. There are more Bills now but this one, which was the first outside Australia, is as lively as ever.

bills-jp.net

In a city where almost every week sees a new restaurant opening, brasserie Sturehof is a safe haven of classic Swedish cuisine (with a little French grace to boot). Since 1897 the restaurant has served impeccable fish and seafood dishes such as poached cod with prawns, horseradish and hollandaise to a hip clientele of all ages and creeds. Most fish is sourced from the Stockholm archipelago, sometimes by the passionate owner PG Nilsson himself, and prepared in the kitchen or sold at the food market next door. Jonas Bohlin’s playful but elegant decor – his adorable pendant lamps resemble a ballerina’s tutu – has remained unchanged for years but still works perfectly.

sturehof.com

Olive is a venue that morphs throughout the day to match the atmosphere and the punters outside on Cuba Street, one of Wellington’s hippest strips. The kitchen serves classic breakfasts and brunches, hearty lunches and slightly fancier dinners. In between mealtimes, the café-cum-restaurant buzzes with people grabbing coffee, a snifter of dry Kiwi sauvingnon blanc or a craft beer.

oliverestaurant.co.nz

At Mud Hen Water in Honolulu’s Kaimuki neighbourhood, owner-chef Ed Kenney showcases the Hawaiian cuisine he grew up on with style. The crudité menu has hummus with crunchy kukui-nut chips; the octopus comes in a stew of lu‘au leaves with nuts, herbs and spices; and the opah (moonfish) is wrapped in banana leaves and cooked on coals.

mudhenwater.com

It’s common wisdom that kitchens that offer fewer dishes tend to do them better. That said, Royal China on London’s Baker Street does justice to almost everything on its massive menu, including the UK capital’s fluffiest and most coveted dim sum courtesy of chef Man Yuk Cheung. Inside the space is all opulent black-and-gold lacquer and vast enough to seat 200.

Bagni Sillo is set on a rocky outcrop east of Genoa and anchored by a 1950s-style whitewashed platform that hosts the Riviera’s most bijou seaside kitchen and bar. Owner Alberto Gastaldelli pours its signature cocktail – the Sillone, a mojito with tonic water and Haitian rum – and serves prepared plates of octopus and potato salad drizzled with Ligurian olive oil and aromatic herbs.

8 Via Capo Pino

Butagumi’s exquisite breaded pork cutlets (tonkatsu) come from pampered breeds: it is not uncommon for pig feed to be made up of bread, bananas, sweet potatoes and soybeans, making for fine, rich pork. In an old two-storey wooden house in Tokyo’s Nishi Azabu district, chef Satoshi Oishi turns out dozens of thick, tender pork varieties, such as Kurobuta (Berkshire) from Kagoshima, Nakijin Agu from Okinawa and Iberico de bellota from Spain. Pigs raised in Gunma supply the umami-rich fatty belly that Oishi serves at lunchtimes – the meat is aged for two weeks at subzero temperatures – and his sampler set, the Butagumi-zen, is a popular choice.

Why we like it
Japan’s unrivalled veggie options are entertaingly offset by chef Satoshi Oishi’s unflinchingly meaty menu. A must-visit for curious carnivores.

butagumi.com

Tom Oldroyd knows how to open a restaurant. Having done so nine times with Russell Norman and Richard Beatty’s Polpo group, the young chef cut his teeth doing it for others before plumping for his own spot on Islington’s Upper Street in 2015. We’re happy he did. The tiny kitchen beneath a rickety spiral staircase turns out a lip-smacking line-up of European classics.

oldroydlondon.com

Rustic fare served consistently well is why Nora Gray keeps its place in our restaurant rankings. According to co-founder Ryan Gray, the secret is straightforward: “We get the best local products and let them speak for themselves – just like they do in Italy.” Under the watchful eye of fellow co-owner and chef Emma Cardarelli, the kitchen turns out plate after plate of house-made pasta and other mains with Québécois ingredients. There is lots to love about the drinks menu too: it boasts an expansive selection of natural wines along with modern riffs on classic Italian cocktails. For instance, a seven- year-old Havana rum takes the place of gin in a negroni.

noragray.com

A typical Spanish tasca sits between a bar and an informal restaurant but Celso y Manolo has reimagined this age-old model for a younger audience. Plates are filled with farm-sourced produce, there’s a flair for traditional design and food is prepped on the bar. Gracious owner Carlos Zamora’s attention to detail is present in every bite, sip and wink to Spain’s gastronomic heritage. –– la tascacelsoymanolo.wordpress.com

Why we like it
The cacophony of raised voices, unfussy food and clinking vermouth glasses make this Madrid restaurant a firm favourite.

From its post in the heart of Milan’s Brera, Dry draws crowds to its industrial-style bar with expertly mixed cocktails. Regulars know the French 75 – a lemon, gin and champagne number – is top of the list but it’s the pizza that keeps us coming back. Since its opening in 2013, chef Simone Lombardi has served food that makes Dry a casual alternative to its formal sister restaurant Pisacco. Buffalo-mozzarella margherita comes with an airy crust and toppings such as tuna roe and anchovies on the side. All of the produce is sourced from artisans around Italy, while the bartending team – led by Guglielmo Miriello – makes cocktail ingredients such as citrus sherbet in-house.

drymilano.it

Inaugurated in 1936 in downtown Lisbon by Galician immigrants, this atmospheric stop-in has been a daily lure for generations of politicians, lawyers and intellectuals, as well as a favoured lunch spot for the bellicose political commentator and columnist Vasco Pulido Valente. Its popularity is helped by the “culture of privacy” that the owners champion. Overseen by a stained-glass window adorned with an image of drink-loving folk character King Gambrinus, everyone’s equal when it comes to the regal food on show, from partridge pie to fish stew. For a snack after a concert at Coliseu, ask for the beef sandwich and house beer from the bar.

Why we like it
It serves the best beef croquettes in Lisbon, deep-fried and dished up at a moment’s notice.

gambrinuslisboa.com

Owners Vinny Milburn and Adam Geringer-Dunn opened Greenpoint Fish & Lobster Co in 2014. “The concept has remained the same,” says Geringer-Dunn, “with a focus on domestic, wild-caught and underutilised species of fish.” And popularity hasn’t wavered: the neighbourhood favourite goes through a whopping 1,100kg of whole fish every week.

greenpointfish.com

Zürich has plenty of secret snacking spots; for sausages head to Sternen Grill. The pork-and-beef Cervelat and veal-and-pork classic St Galler bratwurst, each served with a bürli roll, are perfect; the mustard is sharp so as to cut through the flavour of its wurst. Stop by and eat in 10 minutes what the Rosenberger family – who opened the grill in 1963 – have spent generations perfecting.

sternengrill.ch

Aheste, housed in a pleasantly bare old workshop in downtown Istanbul, looks to the wider region for inspiration. Iranian-born Sara Tabrizi has put together a meze menu that couples local favourites with lesser-known plates found in Persian, Syrian and Levantine kitchens. The result is an uplifting, colourful feast: try Aheste’s signature dudi, a Persian blend of rice and smoky berries.

Why we like it
Certain styles of dining are sacred; Aheste tweaks the familiar meze in a way that’s simple and sensitive, with home-cooked smarts.

ahesterestaurant.com

Restaurateur David Hawksworth’s latest venture is challenging the notion that Canada is a country without a cuisine. With regionally inspired dishes that include wild salmon ceviche and roasted Pacific halibut paired with a wine list carefully selected by Taiwan-born sommelier Bryant Mao, Nightingale certainly makes the most of its west-coast locale.

Duangporn Songvisava and Dylan Jones opened Err last year to bring the Thai produce served in their restaurant Bolan into a more laidback setting. At Err (Thai for “OK” ) customers enjoy street food-inspired eats such as naem (fermented pork). This rich dish is likely to leave you hankering for a beer; try Jones’s favourite fruity pale sourced from Chalawan, Phuket.

errbkk.com

Thomas Carter and Ignacio Mattos opened this airy venue on Spring Street in February following the success of their Nolita mainstay Estela. The menu pays homage to the bel paese with pasta dishes and grilled swordfish galore. Light fixtures are inspired by those in a Sicilian post office and there isn’t a fussy tablecloth in sight – just plenty of white oak, Carrara marble and brass.

altroparadiso.com

The small Basque restaurant Donostia opened in 2012 to rightful acclaim but eyebrows were raised when owners Nemanja Borjanovic and Melody Adams plumped for a larger venture across the street last year. We needn’t have worried. Lurra has only expanded the reliable repertoire of the pair’s irresistible offerings, including squid stuffed with prawns and chorizo.

lurra.co.uk

This heat haze of a port is shy about pickpockets but shouts about its bouillabaisse. The pukka Marseille staple, however, is pizza. The best in the city can be found in Étienne’s crowded rowdy rooms tucked away down an alleyway that’s an olive stone’s throw from Le Vieux Port. It’s a firm favourtite with residents and we suggest placing your trust in the waiters. There are just two kinds of the speciality so to try as much as possible opt for the moitié-moitié (sharing plate) of anchovy cheese, saving room for supions frits (weeny fried squid), some porcine devilry, homemade flan cooked in a large wood-fired oven and lots of good, pale Provençal rosé.

Why we like it
Cheap, cheerful, civilised and as quick or languorous as you like. The dough is even better than Gorizia’s in Naples.

43 Rue de Lorette

There’s a cosy atmosphere here with mismatched dishes, wooden furniture and warm candle light – a far cry from the flash feel of the rest of Miami. Chef Jimmy Lebrón’s menu is full of flavour and is flawlessly eclectic. “The menu is inspired by all the different cultures that make up Miami,” he says. The short ribs braised in Cuban coffee and tamarind aren’t to be missed.

Why we like it
Chef Jimmy Lebrón isn’t afraid to serve comfort food in faddy Miami – and his cooking elevates the art of doing so far beyond his competitors

thefreehand.com

Sitting at the top of hilly Santa Teresa, Aprazível (meaning “pleasant”) is a Rio institution: Ana Castilho opened the restaurant in her house in 1997. On the menu are imaginative Brazilian dishes inspired in part by Castilho’s upbringing in Minas Gerais, the country’s culinary heart. Most of the ingredients are painstakingly sourced from Amazon producers.

aprazivel.com.br

Chef Gabriela Cámara, who rose to prominence with her Mexico City institution Contramar, relocated to San Francisco to open Cala in 2015. Within two years she transformed a former sound studio into an artful dining room and bar. The refined menu is heavy on seafood dishes, which she’s known for. Don’t miss the abalone, oyster aguachile or the Mexico City-style tacos.

calarestaurant.com

If we could have just one restaurant around the corner from our HQ in London (aside from our lovely Blanford's) it would have to be a branch of this Paris lunch joint. With its straigtforward menu of Japanese midday classics, exquisite desserts and delightful staff, it's a first port of call when we're in town. Make ours a don du boeuf (beef donburi) for two please.

nanashi.fr

There are a few sights well worth seeing in Warsaw: Stalin’s monolithic Palace of Science and Culture, leafy Mokotow and of course the 50-cover downtown delight Bibenda. Opened by cousins Beniamin Bielecki and Zbyszek Gawron in 2014, the place is a bastion of local produce and sublime service. Be sure to try the Polish pork dishes with a crisp salad on the side.

10 Nowogrodzka

Rock up to Riders Café for a morning fry-up in a sunny colonial setting before grazing on wholesome dishes at Open Farm Community. For something heavier, hit up laidback barbecue joint Burnt Ends and chomp on a well-charred steak. Then top it all off with a tropical cocktail from cosy rooftop bar Potato Head.

riderscafe.sg;openfarmcommunity.com;burntends.com.sg

Kick off with a cup of Backyard Coffee at Milch und Zucker before moving on to Laube Liebe Hoffnung for a seasonal lunch menu of regionally sourced dishes. Head to Heimat (which translates as “homeland”) for dinner and, if you’re still feeling lively, nip into Jimmy’s Bar at the Grandhotel Hessischer Hof for a nightcap.

wirliebenwaswirtun.de;heimat-restaurant.de;hessischer-hof.de

Stop by Paradiso for a superlative Swiss breakfast of blueberry pancakes. La Cantine des Commerçants offers a fresh approach to lunch in a city dominated by classic bistros. Dinner is best taken at La Fabrique and we recommend you finish the night at rum-focused cocktail bar Little Barrel.

cafeparadiso.ch; littlebarrel.ch

Atlanta’s answer to the Parisian patisserie is also its best breakfast spot: Bread & Butterfly. After that check out Le Fat, a Vietnamese brasserie that’s light and airy all around. Cosy subterranean restaurant Little Bacch works for dinner. Finally, clock off with the best tipples in town courtesy of Kimball House.

bread-and-butterfly.com;lefatatl.com;starprovisions.com/little-bacch;kimball-house.com

Pasticceria Regoli makes the fluffiest strawberry tart in town while Antico Forno Roscioli has great grab-and-go pizza that’s perfect for a quick lunch. The tiramisu at Flavio al Velavevodetto is unmissable and a glass of one of 60 different wines at Il Goccetto will wash it down.

ilgoccetto.com

Restaurateur Rudi Kull added some Italian charm to Munich when Bar Giornale opened in 2011.

bar-giornale.com

Brunch is a religion in this city so it would be blasphemy not to visit Bill Granger’s flagship Darlinghurst spot.

bills.com.au

Chef Anthony Rose’s fare is soulful and the place doesn’t try too hard.

roseandsons.ca

Pop in for tasty sandwiches and some of the best coffee in Shibuya.

camelback.tokyo

A Bosphorus view awaits visitors to well-heeled Bebek – and Mangerie is rustic, simple, chic and charming.

mangeriebebek.com

A plum example of Hong Kong’s cha chaan teng: vast canteens that serve western-style favourites.

47 Parkes Street, Jordan

This diner has been dishing out comfort food since 1949.

britespotdiner.com

This Ukrainian joint is no-nonsense – but that’s why you come here.

veselka.com

Fishing floats, buoys and all manner of maritime ephemera welcome those who take the bait of a late meal here.

29 Rua do Almada

The pizza oven here burns hot until 01.00 on weeknights and 03.00 at the weekend – later than most in this city.

A knock-on-the-unassuming-door style space that’s leagues ahead of other faux-prohibition joints.

134 Eldridge Street

Although a little kitsch (and rowdy at times), this solid joint is an antidote to the city’s quiet bar scene.

shadypinessaloon.com

A year-round winner: strong drinks and late nights are guaranteed.

barbasso.com

Classic design and exceptional cocktails in this famous hotel bar.

Dragonfly is artfully done: the decor is sparse, the venue intimate and the cocktails excellent but never showy.

Gouraud Street, Gemmayzeh