New Top Food City in the World

Posted by Mary Luz Mejia Nov 22, 2007

Yes indeed, this year, the venerable Michelin Guide has awarded not Paris, but TOKYO, Japan top honours for "top city for good eating." Perhaps the most surprised are the Japanese themselves- numerous commentators and food experts went on record saying that they didn't think Tokyo had the chops to take the title.

Well, that's not what Michelin guide director Jean-Luc Naret said. "Tokyo is becoming the global city with the finest cuisine, the city in the world with the most stars," said Naret.

Just how many stars? According to a recent online article posted on the BBC website, restaurants in Tokyo were awarded 191 stars- that's nearly twice as many as Paris! And here's the ultimate rub for the poor Parisians who must be wondering how this all happened, three of the top eight restaurants in Tokyo serve FRENCH food! Ouch!

Here's the breakdown of stars (three stars by the by equals excellence in food and service- to quote the Michelin Guide itself: three stars means "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey"):

• 8 of the city's restaurants earned the coveted three stars
• 25 Tokyo based restaurants were awarded 2 stars ("excellent cooking, worth a detour")
• 117 restaurants received one star ("a very good restaurant in its category")

This is the decades' old guide's first foray into an Asian city where the majority of star winners serve traditional Japanese haute cuisine and high-end sushi. Now watch foodies and the food-obsessed everywhere make a B-Line to Tokyo, a city that will make fine dining in London or New York seem like a relative bargain in comparison. Bon Appetit!