Melbourne has put Sydney to shame in the foodie stakes with restaurant Attica named the best place to eat in Australasia.
Run by New Zealand-born chef Ben Shrewry in the suburb of Ripponlea, Attica is the only Australian restaurant to make the cut in The World's 50 Best Restaurants Awards, announced in London on Monday.
While the multi award-winning eatery slipped 11 places from 21st spot last year, more than 900 industry experts judged Shrewry's mix of earthy flavours worthy of a place among the top culinary echelons.
Attica was also named Best Restaurant in Australasia.
The number of Australian restaurants in the top 50 dropped to after Sydney's Quay slumped to No 60 on the list.
The Peter Gilmore-headed Quay was ranked 48 in 2013 and had spent five years in the top 50.
But while Aussie eateries were largely spurned in the annual contest organised by UK trade magazine Restaurant, Australian chefs still made their mark.
Newcastle-born Brett Graham's London restaurant The Ledbury broke into the top 10 in the world for the first time, climbing to No 10 from No 13 in 2013, while David Thompson's Bangkok restaurant Nahm jumped 19 places to No 13 and was rated Best Restaurant in Asia.
Thompson opened his first Thai restaurant, Darley Street Thai, in Sydney in 1991, before opening Nahm in Thailand four years ago.
Tetsuya Wakuda's Singapore restaurant Waku Ghin, based at the iconic hotel Marina Bay Sands, squeezed in at No 50.
Heston Blumenthal's award-winning restaurant The Fat Duck slid 14 places to 47th spot, just after it announced plans to temporarily relocate to Melbourne next year.
The Fat Duck will open at Crown for six months in 2015, before the space becomes a permanent Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, modelled on the original at London's Mandarin Oriental, which finished in fifth spot.
After a year in second place, Danish restaurant Noma returned to No 1 in the world for the fourth time in the last five years.
