Amsterdam restaurant crowned best restaurant in the world by Tripadvisor
Amsterdam's Michelin-starred restaurant Bougainville located on Dam Square was named the best restaurant in the world by Tripadvisor. "We are super proud," said owner Eric Toren to NL Times.
This is the first time a Dutch restaurant has topped the Best of the Best rankings in Tripadvisor's Travellers' Choice Awards. The Best of the Best ranking honors restaurants with a high volume of excellent reviews on Tripadvisor over a 12-month period. Fewer than 1 percent of Tripadvisor’s eight million listings achieve this distinction. Reviews from June 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023, were considered for this ranking.
Restaurant Bougainville, located in the Hotel TwentySeven on Dam Square, opened in 2017. By 2018, it had earned a Michelin star. The restaurant blends innovation with traditional dishes, drawing from diverse European influences.
After ranking 13th in Europe last year, Bougainville ascended to the number 1 position globally this year. The news came last week on Thursday. “I found out about it in the Daily Mail!,” said the owner Eric Toren to NL Times. “It’s really something we can be proud of. It’s not just an accolade for the restaurant but also for the staff,” he said. “It’s a huge team effort, from everyone involved: the kitchen, reception, bar staff, and even the cleaners cleaning the toilets!”
He highlighted that TripAdvisor reviews mostly focus on the overall experience. “Even Febo can get a 10 on TripAdvisor,” he remarked. “We stand out not just because of our food quality but mostly for the experience we offer,” he added.
Toren acknowledged the added pressure that comes with such recognition. “This is very nice, but it also means people will have higher expectations,” he noted. “And some might even have unrealistic expectations just because they heard 'best in the world.' But not everybody has the same taste. So now we have to figure out how we can manage that,” he added.
The award has already influenced the number of reservations. “The thing is that we were already full most days. We usually get 10 to 20 reservations a day, but today we received over 100!” he exclaimed. “But I can’t add more chairs or tables to my restaurant,” he said laughing.
