Basque restaurants Mugaritz and Arzak still among world's 10 best

Two Basque restaurants were included among the best ten restaurants in the world when the prestigious UK magazine Restaurant, dedicated to subjects of gastronomy, announced its official list of the world's best 50 restaurants.

Mugaritz in Donostia-San Sebastian came fourth, losing last year's third place to Italy's Osteria Francescana. Basque winners also included Arzak at no. 8, whose joint Head Chef Elena Arzak was awarded the Veuve Clicquot World's Best Female Chef award in 2012. Arzak came in just behind London's Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, which was seventh.

Basque restaurant Asador Etxebarri was also  featured in the latest top 50, in position 44. BIKO, from Mexico DF but run by Basques, was in position 31.

Catalonia's El Celler De Can Roca edged past Denmark's Noma and Italy's Osteria Francescana to be named the world's best restaurant.

The restaurant owned by the three Roca brothers Joan, Jordi and Josep, captured the top spot on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list organized by Britain's Restaurant magazine and sponsored by the mineral water company S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna. New York's Eleven Madison Park rounded out the top five.

"El Celler de Can Roca in Girona has long been hailed as one of Spain's most exciting places to eat, and having spent two years at No. 2 on the list, the three brothers have swapped places with Denmark's Noma, which held the top ranking for the last three years," organizers said in a statement.

"The Roca brothers' restaurant has gained global acclaim for its combination of Catalan dishes and cutting-edge techniques and the passion that they share for hospitality," it added.

D.O.M. in Sao Paulo, Brazil, placed sixth, while Steirereck in Vienna, Austria, was ninth and Vendome in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany, was tenth. Chef Grant Achatz, from Alinea in Chicago, which was 15th on the list, was presented with the Chef's Choice Award.

Britain's Restaurant Magazine has published the annual list since 2002.

In addition to Eleven Madison Park and Alinea, the United States had four other restaurants on the list, including Per Se  at No. 11, Le Bernardin at 19 and Daniel at 29, all in New York City, and The French Laundry in Yountville, California.

L'Arpege in Paris was France's top restaurant, coming in at No. 16. Like the United States, France had six restaurants on the list, the highest number.

Astrid y Gaston in Lima, Peru, was the top South American restaurant at No. 14, having risen 21 places since last year, while Narisawa in Tokyo topped Asian eateries at No. 20.

Australia's Attica in Melbourne was 21 and a new entry on the list. Nadia Santini from the Dal Pescatore restaurant in Italy was named The Veuve Clicquot World's Best Female Chef.

The One To Watch Award was given to South Africa's The Test Kitchen in Cape Town.

The list is compiled from the votes of The Diners Club World's 50 Best Restaurants Academy, which includes 900 international leaders in the restaurant industry.