2026 North America’s 50 Best Restaurants List Announced in New Orleans
The Story
The 2026 edition of the North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list was revealed at an awards ceremony in New Orleans, according to a report from Eater. Smyth in Chicago was named the No. 1 restaurant, with Eight in Calgary earning No. 2 and Restaurant Pearl Morissette in Lincoln, Ontario, taking third place. The list includes 36 restaurants from the United States and 14 from Canada, and no Caribbean restaurants made the list this year after two appeared in 2025. Last year’s top restaurant, Atomix in New York, dropped to seventh place. Specialty awards were also presented, including the One to Watch award to Wildweed in Cincinnati and the Icon Award to Emeril Lagasse. The regional list was announced ahead of the World’s 50 Best List, which is scheduled to be revealed in November in Abu Dhabi.
Key Facts
- The 2026 North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list was announced live at a ceremony in New Orleans.
- Smyth (Chicago) is No. 1, Eight (Calgary) is No. 2, and Restaurant Pearl Morissette (Lincoln, Canada) is No. 3.
- 36 restaurants are from the United States and 14 from Canada; no Caribbean restaurants made the list this year.
- Atomix, the 2025 No. 1, fell to No. 7 in 2026.
- Specialty awards: Wildweed (One to Watch), Atelier Crenn (Sustainable Restaurant), Restaurant Pearl Morissette (Art of Hospitality), Corey Lee of Benu (Chef’s Choice), John Jones of Barbados (Champions of Change), Emeril Lagasse (Icon Award).
- The global World’s 50 Best List will be revealed in November in Abu Dhabi.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article.
Still Unclear
Which of the North America’s 50 Best restaurants will appear on the World’s 50 Best List when it is announced in November.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Chef Corey Lee of Benu (Chef’s Choice Award winner)
- John Jones of Barbados (Champions of Change Award winner)
- Emeril Lagasse (Icon Award winner)
- Wildweed (Cincinnati) – One to Watch
- Atelier Crenn (San Francisco) – Sustainable Restaurant
- Restaurant Pearl Morissette – Art of Hospitality
Sources: eater.com
