50 Best Discovery: selection criteria

50 Best Discovery, a database representing the very best of hospitality, operates as an extension of the annual 50 Best rankings of restaurants, bars and hotels. The venues featured on 50 Best Discovery have all received votes from the experts who create the rankings of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, The World’s 50 Best Bars and The World's 50 Best Hotels, as well as Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, Asia’s 50 Best Bars, Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants, North America's 50 Best Bars and MENA's 50 Best Restaurants. The digital collection is compiled from the results of these eight annual 50 Best rankings but extends far beyond the elite establishments celebrated in each list. The result is a more diverse range of expert-recommended restaurants and bars across the world, offering everything from emerging talent and local favourites through to fine dining and fine drinking establishments.

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy comprises more than 1,100 international restaurant industry experts. The Academy is made up of food writers and critics, chefs, restaurateurs and well-travelled gourmets across the globe. The World’s 50 Best Bars Academy comprises more than 680 international drinks experts, including bar owners and bartenders, drinks writers and cocktail aficionados. The World's 50 Best Hotels Academy comprises more than 580 industry experts, writers and seasoned luxury travellers.

To qualify for 50 Best Discovery, a restaurant or bar needs to receive a significant number of votes in the most recent round of polling for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, The World’s 50 Best Bars, The World's 50 Best Hotels or feature on one of our annual regional rankings. 50 Best is ultimately responsible for the curation of the database. Restaurants and bars cannot apply to be part of 50 Best Discovery.

50 Best Discovery is part of the 50 Best brand, published by William Reed. Read more about 50 Best here.