Sydney's fine diners falling out of flavour - The Daily Telegraph

Chef Peter Gilmore at his harbourside Quay Restaurant / Pic: Rohan Kelly Source: The Daily Telegraph

Chef Ben Shewry, owner of multi-award winning restaurant Attica in Melbourne / Pic: Aaron Francis Source: The Daily Telegraph

SYDNEY has lost its crown as the nation's dining capital to Melbourne, according to the world's most important restaurant award.

The London-based Restaurant magazine's S. Pellegrino World's 50 Best list yesterday anointed tiny Melbourne venue Attica as its preferred Australian restaurant, rating it number 21 on the international poll.

Sydney's highest-placed restaurant was the harbourfront fine diner Quay at No. 48. It was ranked 29th last year.

In a double blow to Sydney, two other local restaurants - Marque and perennial favourite Tetsuya's - were eliminated from the magazine's long list, which also rates restaurants from 51-100. It is the first time Tetsuya's has been off the list since the awards began in 2002.

But chef Tetsuya Wakuda's Singapore restaurant Waku Ghin was on the long list at No. 68.

Only one other Australian venue made the magazine's long list, Momofuku Seiobo, headed by American chef David Chang at The Star casino at No. 86.

Sydney chefs were gracious about the rise of Attica, whose chef, New Zealand-born Ben Shewry, is an industry favourite.

"We are absolutely thrilled to be on the list again this year," Quay chef Peter Gilmore said. "It's just such a huge privilege to be listed amongst such icons of the industry."

Shewry said he would "cherish the moment" without taking the award too seriously.

"Obviously it is pretty amazing for us - while we will cherish it, you can't get carried away with it," Shewry said.

The list was full of surprises, with Danish powerhouse Noma losing its No.1 position, relegated to No.2 spot behind San Sebastian's El Celler De Can Roca, last year's runner-up.

Other Australians honoured in the list were David Thompson for his Bangkok restaurant Nahm at No.32, and Brett Graham, whose London venue The Ledbury made it to No.13.