Tripadvisor crowns top global restaurants and food experiences

Tripadvisor has announced its annual 2026 Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Restaurants, based on reviews from millions of diners over the past year. The winners represent the top 1% of all listings on the platform, chosen through a combination of review quality, volume, and editorial review.

This year’s awards introduce four new experiential categories alongside traditional dining lists. While Fine Dining, Casual, Date Night, Hidden Gems, and Vegan & Vegetarian remain key sections, the additions include Food Tours, Cooking Classes, Wine & Beer Tours, and Viral Right Now. The last category spotlights restaurants and experiences currently gaining traction on social media.

The new categories reflect how travelers increasingly book food-related activities alongside meals. For travel advisors, these lists provide a curated selection of bookable products, such as a chef-led walk through Seattle’s Pike Place Market or a pasta and tiramisu class in Rome.

Laurel Greatrix, Tripadvisor Group’s chief communications officer, said, “Food is at the heart of how we experience a destination, and these awards recognize the restaurant and culinary experiences travelers consider among the very best.”

In the Fine Dining category, Fogón Asado in Buenos Aires topped the global ranking, where diners watch an open-fire asado tasting unfold. In the U.S., Ristorante Paoletti in Highlands, North Carolina earned the top spot, praised for its Northern Italian menu and wine cellar.

For Casual Dining, Pizzeria Arrivederci in Paris led globally, while Hook & Barrel in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina—a sustainable seafood spot—ranked first in the U.S. and seventh worldwide.

The new experiential categories also saw strong results. The Reykjavik Food Walk claimed the top global spot in Food Tours, while Seattle’s Chef Guided Food Tour of Pike Place Market led the U.S. list. In Cooking Classes, a pasta and tiramisu class in Rome won globally, and Michigan’s 5-Hour Traverse City Wine Tour topped the U.S. Wine & Beer Tours.

The inaugural Viral Right Now list featured Dishoom in London and Banh Mi Huynh Hoa in Ho Chi Minh City.

The full rankings, including Hidden Gems and category-specific top 10 lists, are available on Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards portal. The expanded categories highlight a broader trend: travelers now view dining and culinary experiences as interconnected parts of their journeys.

A notable detail emerges from the Hidden Gems list, which includes spots like Tua Casa Hamburgueria in Brazil and Sad Man’s Tongue Bar in Prague. These off-the-radar locations still earn top marks, suggesting a preference for authentic, less polished dining options.

In the U.S. Fine Dining rankings, Michael Anthony’s Cucina Italiana in Hilton Head, South Carolina and Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina in New York appear in the top 10. The list also includes Primal Steakhouse in Las Vegas and Hakkasan Miami.

The global Fine Dining top 10 features KOMA in Singapore, known for its multi-sensory tasting menu. The Rhythms Restaurant in Hanoi offers a curated wine list and contemporary dishes, while The Witchery in Edinburgh provides immersive dining experiences.