Alinea Falls 13 Spots on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants List

Alinea dropped 13 spots to No. 34 on this year’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Chicago’s only three-Michelin-starred restaurant was once again the city’s only representative on the list. Chef Grant Achatz was in Spain for this afternoon’s announcement from Spain.

“The key ingredient infused into every Alinea meal is chef Grant Achatz and his ability to design dishes spiked with emotion, eliciting a playful sense of nostalgia and wonder from his diners,” said show host Mark Durden-Smith.

Eater National has the full list. Last year, Alinea placed No. 21. In 2016, it ranked No. 15, and in 2015 it scored No. 26. The highest the restaurant placed was in 2011 when Alinea ranked No. 6. That year, and in 2012 when the restaurant ranked seventh, Achatz pointed out — via email — it was the highest ranking restaurant in North America. Accolades aren’t new for Alinea. The restaurant appears on the Eater National 38, a list of the country’s best restaurants. In April, Elite Traveler named Alinea the best restaurant in the world. No Chicago restaurants ranked on Back 50, the 100-51 list.

World’s 50 Best Restaurants/Screen Capture