Where to Eat in 2012

Some New Year’s Resolutions are all about what not to eat. Not ours. We’re about what to eat in the year ahead and here we’ve laid out some of our top must-visit restaurant recommendations for you in 2012.

Let’s be clear: this list is by no means extensive. In addition to the below, there are heaps of amazing spots in South Africa worth exploring. Over the course of any year, London, Sydney, and Melbourne deliver countless extraordinarily creative, pushing-the-envelope spots. And in 2012, the Great White North and the amazing food Canada has to offer is a must (maybe that will wait until the summer though….).

But for now, here’s a list to get you started.

For the boundary-pushers:

Bo Innovation, Hong Kong for “the demon chef’s” modern take on old school cuisine in a Michelin-starred spot.

Uchiko, Austin where contemporary Japanese food in a Texas farmhouse is too bewildering – and rewarding – to miss.

Gaggan, Bangkok for the best and only Indian-cuisine-meets-molecular-gastronomy experience in the world.

For jaw-dropping interiors:

Clancy’s Fish Bar, Perth where a kaleidoscopic interior and stunning views of the sparkling Indian Ocean are served alongside boutique brews and the best pimped-up pub fare in town.

Alice in Magic World, Tokyo for a trippy Alice in Wonderland experience that only the Japanese could conceive.

Estancia Vik, Jose Ignacio, Uruguay because words cannot explain the experience of digging in to traditional barbecue in an unreal graffiti-covered space, nestled on acres of unforgettable Uruguayan countryside.

When posh is out and underground is in:

Vatos Tacos, Berlin for the best Mexican food truck tacos this side of the Eiffel Tower.

Umami, Los Angeles where their burgers are as inexplicably delicious as umami itself.

See? We told you, not extensive. Montreal-based Au Pied de Cochon’s Cabane à Sucre is absent, not to mention any of the standby classics like Sydney’s Tetsuya or Northern California’s French Laundry. And the list goes on! So tell us, what do you think is missing, or what are your must-visit spots in 2012?