April 24 (Bloomberg) -- France beat the U.S. and U.K. last night in awards for the world's best restaurants, taking 12 of the top 50 venues. Ferran Adria's El Bulli, in northern Spain, led the list, followed by Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck, near London, and Pierre Gagnaire, Paris.

Eight of the S.Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants were in the U.S., while the U.K. had seven. Italy and Spain had six each. By city, Paris had the largest number with nine, followed by London with six and New York with four.

The winners, announced in a ceremony at the Science Museum, in London, were picked by 22 panels of writers, critics and chefs from some 75 countries, assembled by Restaurant magazine. The biggest climber was Noma, Copenhagen, and the highest new entry was Alinea, in Chicago.

``The U.K. is doing well with high-end restaurants but not so well in the middle market,'' said Joe Warwick, editor of London-based Restaurant, in an interview. ``We don't have a strong indigenous cuisine but we're very cosmopolitan and very good at ethnic restaurants.''

The French Laundry, in Yountville, California, was fourth last night; Tetsuya's, in Sydney, came fifth; and Bras, in Laguiole, France, was sixth. All top six places were unchanged from last year, when El Bulli overtook the Fat Duck as No. 1.

Not a single London restaurant made the top 10 of the annual awards. The Fat Duck is in Bray, about 30 miles west of London. The top restaurants in the capital were Nobu (17th), Hakkasan (19th) and Gordon Ramsay Royal Hospital Road (24th).

Quirky

Of the five London eateries with two Michelin stars, only Le Gavroche made the top 50. Capital, Petrus, Pied a Terre and the Square were all missing. London establishments in the top 100 included St. John (34th), River Cafe (44th), Maze (55th), Zuma (67th), Indigo (75th), Sketch (78th) and Le Caprice (82nd).

The list is certainly quirky. Bukhara, in New Delhi, voted the best restaurant in Asia year after year, was underwhelming when I tried it last year. No venue in China or Japan is included. Instead, the panelists rank Nobu and Hakkasan in London the world's best representatives of Asian cuisine.

Alice Waters, founder of Chez Panisse, in Berkeley, California, received the Lifetime Achievement award. The Breakthrough award went to Ramsay's Maze restaurant, in London, which was voted No. 54 in the world. The Readers' Choice went to Pied a Terre, London, whose chef, Shane Osborn, holds two Michelin stars.

Restaurant magazine started the awards in 2002 and they now attract chefs and restaurateurs from around the world. Adria, Blumenthal, Gagnaire, Waters and Tetsuya Wakuda were among those who planned to attend last night, the organizers said.

The Top 50:

1.  El Bulli                            Spain
2.  The Fat Duck                        U.K.
3.  Pierre Gagnaire                     France
4.  The French Laundry                  U.S.
5.  Tetsuya's                           Australia
6.  Bras                                France
7.  Mugaritz                            Spain
8.  Le Louis XV                         Monaco
9.  Per Se                              U.S.
10. Arzak                               Spain
11. El Celler de Can Roca               Spain
12. Gambero Rosso                       Italy
13. L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon          France
14. Hof van Cleve                       Belgium
15. Noma                                Denmark
16. Le Calandre                         Italy
17. Nobu London                         U.K.
18. Jean Georges                        U.S.
19. Hakkasan                            U.K.
20. Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee      France
21. L'Astrance                          France
22. Can Fabes                           Spain
23. L'Ambroisie                         France
24. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay            U.K.
25. Troisgros                           France
26. Le Bernardin                        USA
27. Martin Berasategui                  Spain
28. Le Gavroche                         U.K.
29. Le Cinq                             France
30. Charlie Trotter's                   U.S.
31. Dal Pescatore                       Italy
32. Daniel                              U.S.
33. Rockpool                            Australia
34. St. John                            U.K.
35. Chez Dominique                      Finland
36. Alinea                              U.S.
37. Bukhara                             India
38. DOM                                 Brazil
39. Oaxen Skaergaardskrog               Sweden
40. Chez Panisse                        U.S.
41. Enoteca Pinchiorri                  Italy
42. Cracco Peck                         Italy
43. L'Arpege                            France
44. The River Cafe                      U.K.
45. Oud Sluis                           The Netherlands
46. Combal Zero                         Italy
47. Le Quartier Francais                South Africa
48. Taillevent                          France
49. Bocuse                              France
50. Les Ambassadeurs                    France

Lifetime Achievement                    Alice Waters
Breakthrough Award                      Maze, London
Readers' Choice                         Pied a Terre, London

(Richard Vines is London food critic for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)

To contact the reporter on this story: Richard Vines in London at rvines@Bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: April 23, 2007 20:40 EDT