3-EL BULLI , Montjoi, Spain: With sweeping views of the Costa Brava and an unprecedented approach to food, El Bulli is a great adventure for the traveling gourmet. Ferran Adria opens his restaurant from March to September; the rest of the time, he's in his workshop, experimenting with new tastes and techniques. Be his guinea pig and sign up for the $265 tasting menu. · Bookings: Don't hold your breath. There is no availability left this year. Call now for dinner in April 2005. · Where to stay: Nearby Roses is packed and touristy. Head in the other direction to Cala Joncols, a fairly modest 25-room hotel in its own gardens behind the beach.

4-L'ATELIER DE JOEL ROBUCHON, Rue de Montalembert, Paris: Ah, the French capital gets a look-in at last. You've got the next three entries to chose from, and the first marks the 2003 return from retirement of the most famous of French chefs. Joel Robuchon doesn't have tables in his restaurant — diners sit on bar stools around the open kitchen. So, France's best restaurant is a long way from the haughty haute cuisine you might expect. Le Figaro was in no doubt: "C'est une revolution!" Expect to pay about $186.  · Bookings: You don't. You turn up with crossed fingers, put your name on the list and wait at the bar.  · Where to stay: The restaurant is attached to the historic Hotel Pont Royal or, 15 minutes away, try Hotel de la Tulipe, hidden in an ancient convent.

5-PIERRE GAGNAIRE, Rue Balzac, Paris: El Bulli's Adria has been dubbed the Salvador Dali of cooking. Gagnaire should be its Matisse: a bold, experimental chef cooking up a storm in the chic 8th arrondissement. The nine-course prix fixe menu costs $373. Leave room for the famous Grand Dessert, seven mini delights such as rum baba, roasted rhubarb and buckwheat pancake. · Bookings: Reservations are taken up to a month ahead. · Where to stay: The 1920's Hotel Elysees Matignon is also in the 8th arrondissement.

6-GUY SAVOY, Rue Troyon, Paris: Just around the corner from the Arc de Triomphe, Savoy completes the Parisian triumvirate, with classic tasting menus from $375. "To grow a carrot, you have to wait several weeks," says the master chef. "We need to have a deep respect for the product." And he does. · Bookings: You are looking at two or three weeks for an 8pm table. · Where to stay: Hotel de Banville (166 Boulevard Berthier; is a classic, right in the heart of Paris and just a five-minute taxi ride from the restaurant (With what you'll be eating you should walk).

7-NOBU, Park Lane, London:The fact that it is still the ultimate celebrity haunt shouldn't put you off. There are eight Nobu's around the world, but London's is consistently rated the best, its star quality a result not just of the incredible Japanese/South American menu (don't miss the black cod with miso), but of the sophisticated service and style. The chef's menu costs $185. · Bookings: Reserve two weeks ahead for a Friday night, three weeks for a Saturday evening. · Where to stay: Nobu is part of the super-trendy Metropolitan. We recommend trying it.

8-RESTAURANT GORDON RAMSAY, Royal Hospital Road, London: Ramsay's first and best, established in 1998 and sporting a well deserved three stars since 2001. When he's not roasting his kitchen staff, Ramsay oversees a particularly intimate setup here — there are just 14 tables. At $213, the seven-course menu prestige is great value, especially with the wine list starting at $30. Treats include tortellini of lobster and sautéed loin of venison with creamed cabbage and bitter chocolate sauce. · Bookings: You can make a reservation up to one calendar month in advance. · Where to stay: The boutique Myhotel Chelsea is a 15-minute walk from the restaurant.

9-MICHEL BRAS, Laguiole, France: On a hilltop in the middle of the French countryside sits this post-postmodern temple of cuisine, like something that's dropped out of Stanley Kubrick's Space Odyssey. The two menus — $165 and $269 — are a riot of rare ingredients, accompanied by equally rare wines. · Bookings: Phone at least two months in advance. The restaurant is open between April and October; we recommend booking in January. · Where to stay: The easiest way to get a table is to stay at super-cool Michel Bras itself.

10-LOUIS XV, Monaco: As opulent dining rooms go, this has to be the most opulent: huge chandeliers, ornate frescoes and a quite preposterous flower arrangement. It's palatial, but Alain Ducasse's menu does it proud, with true Riviera cuisine: Limousin veal, Pyrenean lamb and amazing local herbs and breads. The six-course (and more) menu gourmet costs $335. · Bookings: Call two or three weeks in advance. · Where to stay: Forget the budget. This is Monaco — live how the other half does at the spectacular Hotel de Paris, home to the Louis XV.