Mingles, Onjium climb World's 50 Best ranks as Korean dining gains ground

Korean fine dining climbed further up the global rankings this year. Two Seoul restaurants and a Korean tasting counter in New York all rose on The 50 Best Restaurants 2026 list.

Mingles, the three-Michelin-starred restaurant led by chef Kang Min-goo, ranked No. 17, up from No. 29 last year. It is the highest-ranked restaurant in Korea. Onjium, a Korean fine dining restaurant in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, entered the top 50 at No. 41 after ranking No. 57 last year.

The ranking was announced Wednesday night in Lima, Peru. Launched in 2002 by British magazine Restaurant, the list is compiled from the votes of more than 1,100 international restaurant experts. Each voter must have eaten at the restaurants they nominate within the past 18 months.

Organizers described Mingles as a restaurant that brings a global sensibility to seasonal Korean cooking.

Mingles opened in April 2014 in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. Its menu reworks ingredients such as acorns and doraji, or bellflower root, and draws on regional produce and seasonal ingredients. Traditional fermented sauces and vinegars give the dishes their depth. In March, Mingles placed No. 4 on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2026, the highest of any Korean restaurant on that list.

Onjium holds one Michelin star and is led by chef Jo Eun-hee. It is known for modern reinterpretations of traditional Korean food. Its 16-place jump this year comes after Jo was named Asia's Best Female Chef 2026 in March.

In New York, Atomix ranked No. 11, up one spot from last year. Chef Junghyun "JP" Park, who runs the restaurant, also received the Estrella Damm Chefs' Choice Award, one of the list's individual honors.

Born and raised in Seoul, Park opened Atomix in Manhattan's NoMad district in 2018.

Atomix builds on the dried, fermented and preserved ingredients at the core of Korean cuisine, adding seasonal elements and modern techniques.

The restaurant holds two Michelin stars and was named The Best Restaurant in North America 2025. Organizers said Park won the award for his commitment to a new vision of Korean cuisine, distinct from both traditional and New Korean gastronomy, and for inspiring a new generation of chefs as well as his peers.

At the top of the list, chef Bittor Arguinzoniz's Asador Etxebarri, in Atxondo, Spain, was named The World's Best Restaurant 2026. Gaggan in Bangkok came second and Alchemist in Copenhagen third.