The Voting System

How will North America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list be created?
The North America’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy is the mechanism used to create the North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list. The Academy is comprised of 300 members, each selected for their expert opinion of the restaurant scene in North America. To create the Academy, and to ensure a fair representation, the region is divided into eight geographical regions. Each region has a chairperson appointed for their knowledge of their part of the restaurant world. These Chairs each select a voting panel (including themselves), ensuring a gender-balanced selection of chefs, restaurateurs, food/restaurant journalists and gourmets.

How is the Academy structured?
The Academy is divided into 8 regions: USA Northeast; USA South; USA Midwest; USA West; Canada East; Canada Central; Canada West and Caribbean (excluding Cuba and Dominican Republic). Each region has its own panel of members including a chairperson, called the Academy Chair. The Chairs each then select a voting panel, ensuring a balanced and diverse selection.

Each North America Academy member will vote for 8 restaurants, with a maximum of 5 of those being located in the state or province (or country in the Caribbean) where they are based. Voters must vote for at least 3 restaurants located outside of the state/province (or country) where they are based. They can, however, choose as many restaurants located outside of the state/province (or country) where they are based, up to the total of 8.

Which countries are included in North America’s 50 Best Restaurants' voting?
The countries included are USA, Canada and countries within the Caribbean (excluding Cuba and Dominican Republic, which will remain part of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants).

How is voting carried out?
Voting is carried out individually and in the strictest confidence on a secure site and remains confidential before the list announcement. Academy Chairs are not privy to, and have no knowledge of, the votes cast by the voters in their respective regions.

What are the criteria for ‘best’?
The ranking provides an annual snapshot of the opinions and experiences of 300 experts. What constitutes ‘best’ is up to each voter to decide – as everyone’s tastes are different, so is everyone’s idea of what constitutes a great restaurant experience. This is why we put so much emphasis on the caliber and credentials of our anonymous voters in our selection process. Of course, the quality of food is going to be central, as is the service – but the style of both, the surroundings, atmosphere, social impact and indeed the price level are each more or less important for each individual.

Can a restaurant nominate itself to be on the list?
The inaugural ranking for North America’s 50 Best Restaurants will reflect the best restaurant experiences based on the votes of the 300-strong Academy, made up of anonymous restaurant experts from across the entire region. Members of the 50 Best organisation do not vote and do not control the composition of the list; that is the collective role of the voting Academy. This means that restaurants cannot apply to be on the list. Equally, no sponsor has any influence on the voting process.

What special awards categories will be featured as part of North America's 50 Best Restaurants?
The special award categories for North America's 50 Best Restaurants build on the acclaimed The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards, while also providing an opportunity to celebrate distinct culinary excellence across eight sub-regions of North America.

The following three awards will be announced in advance of the official awards ceremony: Champions of Change Award, Art of Hospitality Award and One To Watch Award.

The special awards categories which will be revealed at the awards ceremony are as follows: Icon Award, North America’s Best Pastry Chef Award, North America’s Best Sommelier Award, Chefs’ Choice Award, Sustainable Restaurant Award, eight Best in Destination Awards, one per sub-region (USA Northeast; USA South; USA Midwest; USA West; Canada East; Canada Central; Canada West, and Caribbean), and The Best Restaurant in North America.