Ahead of the annual awards ceremony that will take place at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore next Tuesday, the World's 50 Best Restaurants organization has revealed the first cut of restaurants in this year's special 120 winners list.

This first announcement includes the restaurants placed from number 51 to 120 in the list of best in the world that is compiled by a voting Academy composed by over 1,000 international chefs, food writers and traveling gastronomes, half of them women, as the organization noted.

This year the list, that traditionally appoints the best 100 restaurants, was expanded to celebrate the 120th anniversary of S.Pellegrino which along with Acqua Panna are the main sponsors for the international event.

The 51 to 120 best restaurants list includes restaurants from 25 countries across five continents and boasts 21 new entries from 15 countries, marking a near 30% increase in new territories compared to previous years.

Italy deserved particular mention having three first time entrants, with the restaurant Uliassi at Senigallia in the Marche region in Italy, as the highest at No. 61. Lido 84 on Lake Garda, Italy (No.78) – this year’s winner of the Miele One To Watch Award – is another significant newcomer.

Japan and China, (including two from Hong Kong - Lun King Heen (No.88) and Belon (No.96), and one from Macau - Jade Dragon (No. 103) as well had three new restaurants making the list, Russia has two, both from St. Petersburg (Harvest (92) and Cococo (104), "challenging what has previously been Moscow’s domination," noted the organizers.

Other less celebrated gastronomic locations made the list, including southern Spain’s Aponiente (No.94) in El Puerto de Santa Maria; Mexico's Alcalde (No.109) in Guadalajara; Belgium's Chambre Séparée (No.111) in Ghent; and Italy's St. Hubertus (No.116) in the Dolomites.

There are six re-entries from four countries: Denmark, Japan, France and South Africa and a remarkable rise by the restaurant Nobelhart & Schmutzig in Berlin that went up 31 places from last year to No.57.

Similarly, the restaurant Indian Accent in New Delhi, India, advanced 30 positions to No.60. The US leads the list in volume with seven restaurants including one new entry. Japan and Spain have six restaurants each, including four new ones.

highlight of this year's list is "the strong female presence, most notably with an exciting new entry from Core by Clare Smyth in London (No.66) the restaurant led by the winner of The World’s Best Female Chef Award 2018," according to the organizers. Other female-led restaurants include Elena Arzak’s Arzak in San Sebastian, Spain (No.53), Pim Techamuanvivit’s Nahm in Bangkok, Thailand (No.69), Helena Rizzo’s Maní in São Paulo, Brazil (No.73), Garima Arora’s Gaa in Bangkok, Thailand (No.95) and Anne-Sophie Pic’s eponymous restaurant in Valence, France (No.98).

The voting academy which was announced early this year is also an example of gender balance with over 500 female experts, chefs, food writers and restaurateurs.

“This year’s 51-120 list marks the most expansive representation of geographic diversity we’ve seen during the 18 years that 50 Best has been celebrating culinary excellence," said William Drew, Director of Content of the organization. "Restaurants from world-renowned countries as well as lesser-known destinations are voted for and will be acknowledged at The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards in Singapore on 25th June. The advent of S.Pellegrino’s landmark anniversary marked the ideal opportunity for us to extend the list for one year only. We hope to see as many of them as possible again next year.”

The complete list of the restaurants is here and bellow and if you are planning to go to any or many of them here is a guide on how to book the venues and what to order. Bon Appétit.

51. Reale, Castel del Sangro, Italy

52. Mikla, Istanbul, Turkey

53. Arzak, San Sebastian, Spain

54. D.O.M., Sao Paulo, Brazil

55. Maeemo, Oslo, Norway

56. Relae, Copenhagen, Denmark

57. Nobelhart and Schmutzig, Berlin, Germany

58. Sud 777, Mexico City, Mexico

59. Burnt Ends, Singapore

60. Indian Accent, New Delhi, India

61. Uliassi, Senigallia, Italy

62. Nihonryori RyuGin, Tokyo, Japan

63. Florilege, Tokyo, Japan

64. The Ledbury, London, UK

65. Selfie, Moscow,Russia

66. Core by Clare Smyth, London, UK

67. Astrid y Gaston, Lima, Peru

68. Faviken, Jarpen, Sweden

69. Nahm, Bangkok, Thailand

70. Saison, San Francisco, US

71. SingleThread, Healdsburg, US

72. Aqua, Wolsfburg, Germany

73. Mani, Sao Paulo, Brazil

74. Lasai, Rio de Janiero, Brazil

75. DiverXo, Madrid, Spain

76. Momofuku Ko, New York, US

77. Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare, New York, US

78. Lido 84, Gardone Riviera, Italy

79. Mingles, Seoul, Korea

80. Estela, New York, US

81. Quique Dacosta, Denia, Spain

82. Engima, Barcelona, Spain

83. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London, UK

84. Attica, Melbourne, Australia

85. Amass, Copenhagen, Denmark

86. Tegui, Buenos Aires, Argentina

87. Martin Berasategui, Lasate-Oria, Spain

88. Lun King Heen, Hong Kong, China

89. 108, Copenhagen, Denmark

90. Alo, Toronto, Canada

91. Sushi Saito, Tokyo, Japan

92. Harvest, St. Petersburg, Russia

93. La Cime, Osaka, Japan

94. Aponiente, El Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain

95. Gaa, Bankok, Thailand

96. Belon, Hong Kong, China

97. Vendome, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany

98. Anne-Sophie Pic, Valence, France

99. The Jane, Antwerp, Belgium

100. Oteque, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

101. Brae, Birregurra, Australia

102. Amber, Hong Kong, China

103. Jade Dragon, Macau, China

104. Cococo, St. Petersburg, Russiaa

105. Kadeau, Copenhagen, Denmark

106. Restaurant David Toutain, Paris, France

107. Il Ristorante Luca Fantin, Tokyo, Japan

108. L’Astrance, Paris, France

109. Alcalde, Guadalajara, Mexico

110. Neolokal, Istanbul, Turkey

111. Chambre Separee, Ghent, Belgium

112. St. John, London, UK

113. Vea, Hong Kong, China

114. La Colombe, Cape Town, South Africa

115. Per Se, New York, US

116. St. Hubertus, San Cassiano, Italy

117. Epicure, Paris, France

118. Ernst, Berlin, Germany

119. Atomix, New York, US

120. Sugalabo, Tokyo, Japan

Source: Forbes