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Entering these upper echelons of the restaurant world is often a very difficult mission for both the experienced and the amateur diner. In addition to other notable venues such as Yama, the omakase restaurant in Granada that has a waiting list until 2025, we have put together a guide to some of the world’s most difficult restaurants to book a table at.
Noma
Noma restaurant, ranked the world’s best restaurant in 2021, boasts some of the most coveted tables on the planet. Located on the outskirts of Copenhagen, this farmhouse-like establishment is led by chef René Redzepi, who orchestrates different dining experiences in connection with nature and Nordic culinary traditions.
In Noma’s approach, more than 90% of the ingredients are selected from within a 60-mile radius of the restaurant. This means that diners have the opportunity to sample holistic dishes made from ingredients such as duck, pine tips and even ants, which are used to make one of the most unusual dishes on the menu.
Reservations are accepted on the 6th of every month, and sell out in a matter of hours, leading to an average of 20,000 people trying to get a table that day.
Location: Refshalevej 96, 1432 København K, Denmark.
Brae
Just a few hours from Melbourne, Brae Restaurant is a privileged enclave for escapist foodies, located in the middle of nature. Its founder and executive chef Dan Hunter built this culinary space next to a farm, from which they gather the ingredients to prepare their dishes, based on KM0 and sustainable practices. Their menu, which changes depending on the seasonality of the produce, features roast duck that is matured for three days.
Location: 4285 Cape Otway Rd, Birregurra VIC 3242, Australia.
Mesa 1
This privileged restaurant located on an artificial island serves only one service per day for a maximum of 15 diners. Mesa 1 is presented as the gastronomic extension of the W PUNTA DE MITA hotel in Punta Mita, Mexico; and is built in the middle of a freshwater lake, allowing diners to admire the natural landscape while experiencing the sumptuous dining experience designed by chef Marco Quijas.
Location: Km 8.5 Carretera, Desarrollo Costa, 63734 Corral del Risco, Nay, Mexico.
The Cove Club by Isaac McHale
The Cove Club by Isaac McHale is a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Shoreditch, one of London’s trendiest neighbourhoods. It has established itself as a meeting point for lovers of art and good food, where its chef Isaac Mchale offers tasting menus (short and long) with an evolving character, depending on the seasonal produce.
His proposal changes daily, while developing new creative dishes with ingredients such as wild and organic vegetables from the UK, as well as the seafood and meat with which he prepares his cult dishes: Wiltshire trout or Aynhoe Park venison served with toasted sauce, caramelised lemon zest, ginger carrots and wild mushrooms.
Location: Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old St, London EC1V 9LT.
Minibar by José Andrés
Minibar by José Andrés is presented as an avant-garde gastronomic experience led by renowned chef José Andrés, who turns his cocktail laboratory into an exclusive space in which he celebrates classic cocktails alongside experimental creations in a menu comprised of more than 100 works of mixology.
Minibar seats six diners and serves an extensive tasting menu that can only be experienced by those who have secured one of its tables by booking a month in advance. But it’s quick and efficient, as they can fill up within fifteen minutes.
Location: 855 E St NW, Washington, DC 20004.
The Fat Duck
The Fat Duck is known as one of the most iconic restaurants globally, with a heritage and a powerful legacy dating back to 1995. This English restaurant with a simple interior and an unassuming location may look like a regular pub, but it is not. It can take up to four months to book a table.
The restaurant’s head chef, Heston Blumenthal, is known for applying scientific principles to his cooking. An intricate method that produces signature dishes such as French-style grilled snails, as well as meticulously prepared and presented duck preparations.
Location: High St, Bray, Maidenhead SL6 2AQ, UK.
Disfrutar
Mateu Casañas, Oriol Castro and Eduard Xatruch make up the trio of culinary stars who run this haute cuisine restaurant in Barcelona, where getting a table becomes an act of privilege.
This minimalist gastronomic space, which surprises with its design assembled by ceramic elements, has a culinary proposal that revolves around the avant-garde tasting menu. In it, the dishes stand out for the technique and creativity with which they reflect the savoir faire of Mediterranean cuisine connected with modern technology.
Location: C. de Villarroel, 163, L’Eixample, 08036 Barcelona.
