Fans of Danish cuisine should drive half an hour outside Copenhagen to Eric Vildgaard’s Jordnaer in the Hotel Gentofte. Husband and wife team Eric and Tina embrace the treasures of the sea throughout their gastronomic menu; think lobster, crab, turbot, and langoustine on the tasting menu of around 12 courses, all served with the Jordnaer trademark of caviar. Vildgaard is a true caviar aficionado and works with suppliers to choose the perfect match for each of his dishes. This is an unashamedly luxe experience with wine and champagne pairings of equally superb calibre.

At Caillou, every dish is an impromptu masterpiece crafted from the very best produce of the day. Diners are invited to choose from a selection of top quality, seasonal ingredients, which are transformed into a multisensory fine dining culinary event. Caillou stands out from the pack thanks to its approach of involving guests in the menu, which is an evolving dialogue with chef Koichi Adachi and his team. This exchange tailors the dining experience to the guests at every single sitting, setting it apart from what we understand as a traditional restaurant offering. Adding to the multi-layered experience is a well-stocked wine cellar, boasting a collection of around 200 hand-picked wines. With a focus on rare French labels, the wine list provides a genuine complement to each exquisitely prepared dish, ensuring each visit to Caillou leaves guests replete with a refined and unique food and wine narrative.

With the picturesque backdrop of Constantia Nek, this Cape Town restaurant offers diners a vibrant array of Chef Ivor Jones's tapas creations, a feast of local and seasonal tastes. Guests can savor the Coal-Fired Bread & Accompaniments or try the Linefish Sashimi, elevated with Southeast Asian influences and coconut cream. Each dish, from the Yellowfin Tuna with its Balinese sambal to the earthy New Season Asparagus with porcini mousse, demonstrates incredible culinary skill. Adventurous palates can engage with the interactive ‘We Eat With Our Hands’ Beef Tartare, while the Dashi & Celeriac Risotto provides a comforting umami embrace, complemented by the tang of barrel-aged lemon butter. Seafood is transformed in dishes like the Smoked Snoek & Churros and Linefish with Japanese Sauce Vierge, each paired with inventive, fish-based sides. The Cannon of Karoo Lamb rounds out the menu, marrying rich flavors with delicate textures. Paired with local wines and inventive cocktails, the restaurant's considered ambiance and straightforward reservations system make it an ideal destination restaurant for a special meal.

A fine dining farm-to-table experience in Canada’s Niagara region an hour south-west of Toronto, located on a Jordan Station winery known for impressively dry Riesling and dreamy Cabernet Franc. Pearl Morissette is run along regenerative practices by chefs Daniel Hadida and Eric Robertson, formerly of Septime in Paris and Belgium’s In De Wulf respectively. They bring their classical French training to the epic Canadian landscapes, serving an evolving menu of regional ingredients to tell the story of the land, the people who work it, and its history, from Muscovy ducks and sockeye salmon to wild flowers and mushrooms in a tasting menu of around ten courses.

Edomae Matsuki Omakase Sushi Bar at Ventúrska 18 is an elegant opening in the charming historical center of Bratislava's Old Town. The authentic restaurant is the brainchild of a visionary Japanese entrepreneur who wanted to bring a slice of honest Japanese cuisine to Slovakia. Sushi Masters Peter Horvát and Takeushi Kazune work at an intimate seven-seat sushi bar, which is hewn from a single slab of aromatic Hinoki cypress, and offer diners a sought-after omakase experience. The restaurant’s dedication to quality shows in the provenance of each type of seafood, whether meaty Bluefin tuna or the more delicately-flavored mackerel. The Bluefin, sourced from Spain, exemplifies Edomae Matsuki’s dedication to preparing the very best the sea can offer for its guests, and this bijou restaurant is destined to become a real star of the Bratislava fine dining scene, especially for food lovers in search of a gourmet retreat in the heart of the city.

Sur Mer, the new restaurant from renowned chef Alexandre Gauthier, stands proudly overlooking Merlimont beach, brilliantly combining the retro charm of the 1950s with the elegance of an ocean liner. Gauthier is an exceptional chef known for his culinary boldness and commitment to sustainable cuisine, and Sur Mer is a tribute to the sea that surrounds it. It’s also an extremely hot ticket and books up quickly! Gauthier has created a space where guests can truly relax, whether they wish to lounge in deckchairs on the terrace, or on the roof with a breathtaking view of the horizon. The open kitchen is a stage where the chef and his team transform cooking into theater. Fresh fish is the star, from roasted skate wings with capers to cod & chips with tartar sauce. Each dish delivers a delicious seaside escape.

Mickaelle Chabat and chefs Louis-Philippe Riel and Alexis Bijaoui painstakingly restored an abandoned farmhouse in La Roche, 70km inland from Nice, to create their mountain idyll. The destination gourmet inn has two bedrooms and three suites with views of the mountains and valley, and a spa with heated outdoor stone baths and a sauna on the way for 2024. Riel, formerly of 6 Paul Bert and Cave Paul Bert, and Alexis Bijaoui, who has been sous to Alain Passard and Dan Barber, make the journey off the beaten track more than worthwhile with their hyper-local approach to seasonal cuisine (produce is local or from their own permaculture garden) and carte blanche offering of seven courses and four snacks.