SingleThread has done it again.
For the third consecutive year, the Healdsburg restaurant has cracked the prestigious “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” list, a curated collection of outstanding global dining experiences.
Sonoma County’s only three Michelin-starred restaurant fell from No. 50 to No. 69 in 2023, landing it on the extended 51-100 list rather than the Top 50 after peaking at No. 37 in 2021.
SingleThread also won in 2019. The awards were canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The annual list of the world’s finest restaurants, published since 2002, is a snapshot of some of the best destinations for unique culinary experiences and a barometer for global gastronomic trends, according to organizers.
A panel of more than 1,000 international restaurant industry experts — food writers and critics, chefs, restaurateurs and well-traveled gourmets — selects the restaurants for each year’s list.
The awards were announced June 20 in Valencia, Spain.
“It’s always an honor to be recognized among great restaurants around the world, many of whom we are very close with and collaborate with regularly (we just had Odette #14 here in May to cook two nights at SingleThread),” said Chef Kyle Connaughton, who runs the restaurant with his wife, Katina.
“The restaurants on the list (are) so different and unique, so we are very proud to represent Sonoma County with our focus on our agriculture and local artisans.”
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants lauded the Japanese-inspired SingleThread on its website.
The organization said: “The well-loved culinary dream team of chef Kyle Connaughton and farmer Katina Connaughton run this destination restaurant with rooms in the Sonoma wine region. Katina’s farm produce meets her husband’s unique Japanese cuisine in a kaiseki-style 11-course menu that begins with an array of small snacks and runs through dishes like Wagyu beef with shiso and potato — plus a strong wine selection, of course.
“If possible, stay in one of the luxurious rooms inspired by ancient Japanese ryokans, or inns, and enjoy a breakfast of cedar-roasted salmon, tamago, donabe rice and other delicacies.”
Only two American restaurants made the Top 50: New York’s Atomix at No. 8, followed by fellow New York legend Le Bernardin at No. 44.
SingleThread came in ahead of the only other Bay Area restaurant, Saison, ranked No. 98.
Over the five years, the list has moved away from its intense focus on Europe, America and Japan to include top-rated eateries in South America (Peru’s Central in Lima took the No. one spot in 2023), Mexico City (Pujol was No. 13) and Southeast Asia (Singapore’s Odette was No. 14 and Bangkok’s Le Du was No. 15).
To see the complete list of winners, go to theworlds50best.com.
