A five-star rating on Yelp is nice, but there's perhaps no better restaurant recommendation than one that comes from the mouth of a chef. Phaidon's new edition of Where Chefs Eat banks on that idea, curating a culinary expert-sourced guide to the world's best restaurants, complete with insider tips on when to go and what to order. The book covers everything from fast food to haute cuisine, but perhaps the most intriguing designation? Restaurants "Worth the Travel."
Read on for seven chef-selected spots worthy of a trip down the tarmac:
Koks in the Faroe Islands
"Incredible chef, with the best lamb and seafood in the world, especially the langoustine. It's out of the way but worth the travel."—Martins Ritins of Riga's Restaurant Vincentes
Tsukiji Market in Tokyo
"After a morning stroll through the back alleys of this gigantic fish heaven, there's nothing like sampling bits and pieces from many shops. Dashimaki tamago (rolled omelette) from one and& sencha (green tea) from another…Keep walking, keep eating and drinking. Sushi can be nice but there are myriad micro genres to enjoy. With so many things to try out, I'm still making new discoveries even after fifteen years!"—Dharshan Munidasa of Nihonbashi Honten in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Kivukoni Fish Market in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
"Seafood at its best, cooked simply with piri piri sauce."—Sami Tallberg
Husk in Charleston, South Carolina
"I love Sean Brock's inspiration: using Low Country ingredients and refining those ingredients to make amazing, delicious food." —April Bloomfield of New York City's The Spotted Pig
Michel Trama in Puymirol, France
"One of the best meals I've ever had."—Michel Trama of London's The Lawn Bistro
Mr & Mrs Bund in Shanghai
"Paul Pairet is totally off his rocker and his cuisine completely blows your mind! I still have visions of his lemon tart. A masterpiece. His restaurant has a cosy atmosphere in modern surroundings that makes you feel at home…the place to go in Shanghai."—Christophe Michalak of Michalak Masterclass in Paris
Asador Portuetxe in San Sebastián, Spain
"They serve simple Spanish fare. I wouldn't miss the cuttlefish and caramelized onions."—Wylie Dufresne of New York City's Alder
The orange tome is available for purchase on phaidon.com, or download the app and take the list on the road.
