It takes a lot to be someone’s favourite restaurant on Earth. It takes even more to be loved by so many people that you officially claim the title of best in the world – an honour which has just been bestowed upon one little tapas restaurant in Spain.
The TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice awards happen every year, and do pretty much what they say on the tin. TripAdvisor's users vote for their favourite places, sights, and eateries in the world, so the winners have to come highly recommended from a lot of different people.
The ‘Best of the Best Restaurants’ list has just been revealed, with eight different categories ranging from fine-dining to pet-friendly spots. But the big one, the award that every diner really wants, is ‘All Time Best’.
This is a brand new title, being awarded in celebration of TripAdvisor’s 25th anniversary. It’s a recognition of ‘those who receive[d] a high volume of above-and-beyond reviews and opinions from the Tripadvisor community’ across the twenty-first century.
The winning restaurant this year was Bodegas Mezquita Céspedes in the Spanish city of Córdoba. This little tapas restaurant is ‘loved by reviewers for its authentic local dishes and warm hospitality’, and has a very strong 4.6 stars from 13,000 reviews. Of those, 9,500 were five stars.
TripAdvisor says that due to ‘fantastic tapas, central location, a cozy ambiance, Bodegas Mezquita Céspedes has it all, and more’. And its users agree.
Pretty much everything about this restaurant is great – according to reviews, the staff are very friendly and happy to help out with food or wine recommendations, and the dishes are fantastic. One recent reviewer praised the ‘authentic, delicious while also innovative cuisine’, while another said ‘the raw material is excellent and the treatment unbeatable’. One also noted the ‘nice location right on the river’, and the ‘good selection of wines’.
A Lisbon local favourite, Floresta Das Escadinhas, came second. Set inside an old church, this is a pretty cool place to eat some of the best fish you’ll ever try. Recent reviews commend ‘spectacular food and very friendly and attentive staff’.
It was over the Atlantic for third place, which was taken by the Balkan Mediterranean Restaurant in the Canadian town of Banff. Originally opened by a first-generation Greek immigrant, this is an authentic experience including ‘plate smashing and traditional Greek dancing’ one night a week.
TripAdvisor’s All-Time Best Restaurants, Ranked
Here are the world-class restos which made their way into the top 10 ‘All Time Best’, according to the Travellers’ Choice Awards:
- Bodegas Mezquita Céspedes, Spain
- Floresta Das Escadinhas, Portugal
- The Balkan Mediterranean Restaurant, Canada
- Fellini, Uruguay
- Restaurante Marius Degustare, Brazil
- The Witchery Restaurant, UK
- Vivi Cafe, Italy
- GYOPAO Gyoza Roppongi, Japan
- Tower Tandoori Restaurant, UK
- Gabah Indonesian Cuisine, Indonesia
You can have a look at the full list in detail on TripAdvisor now.
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