India, Dec. 26 -- It's been a so-so year for restaurants. Nothing really precedent-shattering opened. Very few restaurateurs took chances. And chefs appeared to fade out and the focus shifted to bartenders, as more and more bars pretended to be restaurants.

This year's list, like last year's, features some of the most talked-about Indian restaurants in the world and some of the most interesting ones in India.

Gaggan, Bangkok: Still the most-watched Indian chef in the world, Gaggan Anand had us talking about him for two different reasons. His much-publicised spat with Michelin, which saw his restaurant leave the star rating category (despite being voted Best Restaurant in Asia by 50 Best) ended with Gaggan returning to the list. And the ...