A modern restaurant with just 12 tables in the northern Italian city of Modena has been named Europe's finest in the Daily Meal website's inaugural list of the 101 Best Restaurants in Europe.

Osteria Francescana was followed by Arzak (San Sebastian, Spain), in second; Noma (Copenhagen), third; Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester (London), fourth; Guy Savoy (Paris), fifth; then Aqua (Wolfsburg, Germany), Varvary (Moscow), Hof Van Cleve (Kruishoutem, Belgium), L'Arpege (Paris) and JB (Ljubljana, Slovenia).

Some of the rankings will raise a few eyebrows: For example, the fact that Ducasse at the Dorchester places above Alain Ducasse at the Plaza Athenee and Le Louis XV in Monaco.

The seven-month compilation involved the website's editors and more than 200 food writers and bloggers.

It is one of a number of rankings, including the World's 50 Best Restaurants awards, for which I work. Panelists voted in two categories: cuisine and style/decor service.

The website was founded by former president and chief executive of Forbes.com, Jim Spanfeller, and is under the editorial direction of Colman Andrews, the co-founder of Saveur magazine and biographer of chef Ferran Adria, of El Bulli.

Osteria Francescana places fifth in the world and fourth in Europe on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list.

Chef Massimo Bottura cooked in London earlier this year at an event at Viajante with that establishment's chef, Nuno Mendes.

Noma has held the title of World's Best Restaurant for three years.

- Bloomberg News

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