World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022: Gimlet at Cavendish House only Australian restaurant to make list
A Melbourne restaurant that opened between lockdowns two years ago is officially the best Australian restaurant. See how it stacks up globally.
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Melbourne’s Gimlet at Cavendish House is Australia’s best restaurant.
Andrew McConnell’s CBD venue made its surprise debut in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants extended 100-51 ranking two weeks ago — earning him his first nod in the prestigious list in his 20-year career as a chef.
But on Tuesday morning, the restaurant earnt another major bragging right when no other Australian restaurant was revealed in the World’s 50 Best top 50 list.
There was hope Attica and Brae would be named in the 50 to 1 ranked restaurants, revealed at a star-studded awards ceremony in London, but neither made the cut.
In a surprise move, no other Australian restaurants made the acclaimed list.
“It was an incredible surprise, for all of us,” McConnell told the Herald Sun last fortnight.
“These last couple of years of operating we were really stuck in the moment of navigating Covid and surviving. We weren’t looking internationally or that far ahead.”
“When we opened Gimlet it wasn’t our intention to make a list or to create something to receive an accolade, so the fact people have enjoyed it, it seems like the stars have aligned with the level of service, bar team, sommeliers and chefs coming together to create something quite unique.”
McConnell said the achievement was a win for the city after two horid lockdown years.
“Melbourne has always been a pretty well known food destination and we had a few knocks during Covid, but this international recognition will help bring people’s confidence back,” he said.
Dan Hunter’s farm-to-table Birregurra restaurant Brae was ranked 57th in 2021 and 101st in 2019.
Ripponlea fine dining venue Attica finished in 97th position in 2021, highly regarded for its Australian outback delicacies and like Brae, a regular presence in the international top 100.
The annual list is decided by a voting panel of 1080 independent authorities in the world of gastronomy, from renowned international chefs and food journalists to travelling gastronomes. The extended ranking is created from the same voting process as The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and acts to shine a spotlight on a greater number of hospitality establishments across the world.
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants director of content William Drew said: “With restaurants across six continents, the 51-100 list this year recognises a broader range of destinations than we have ever seen before.”
“We’re thrilled to see 20 new entries join the list for the first time. This growth is great to witness as the gastronomic world continues to recover and rebuild following the huge challenges faced during the pandemic.”
McConnell’s Trader House Group is behind some of the city’s most iconic restaurants including Cutler and Co, Cumulus Inc, Builder’s Arms, Marion and Supernormal, as well as his Meatsmith butchers and Morning Market grocers.
He opened grand European restaurant on Flinders Ln and Russell St in July 2020.
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