Anthony Bourdain is a world-famous chef and author, who also happens to be an expert on food. This list of Bourdain's 13 favorite restaurants that everyone should visit before they die is just one example of the many things he's accomplished in his lifetime.

Anthony Bourdain loved to eat, and if you're looking to enjoy a final meal before you die, these restaurants would make a "very respectable binge." Make today the day you live, and go on an empty stomach. Trust me: It's worth it. Here you go.

13.Oklahoma Joe’s Barbecue

Anthony Bourdain visited this restaurant a few years ago when it was still known as Oklahoma Joe's BBQ. The popular BBQ joint located at 47th & Mission Road in Kansas City, Kansas, no longer goes by that name. It now operates as Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que and is known for the famous Z-Man sandwich. Apart from being loved by everyone in the KC Metro area, including Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Bourdain said this place has the best BBQ in Kansas City and is the best in the world.

Anthony Bourdain famously said, “Here, the brisket (particularly the burnt ends), pulled pork, and ribs are all of a quality that meets the high standards even of Kansas City natives. It’s the best BBQ in Kansas City, which makes it the best BBQ in the world.

12. Hot Doug’s  

Bourdain noted that after eating the Chicago red hot at Hot Doug’s in the Windy City, he was convinced that it was superior to the New York hot dog. The chef explained that Hot Doug’s was home to “two great innovations in American gastronomy”: the “foie gras dog” and the “weekends-only practice of cooking French fries in duck fat.”

11.   sushi at Sukiyabashi Jiro

Bourdain has been living in Tokyo for about 8 years. In one of his episodes, he visits Sukiyabashi Jiro, a restaurant that serves all traditional Edo-style sushi. The owner, Jiro Ono, is now 93 and came from a long line of sushi masters who served his customers for centuries before him. Bourdain raved about the restaurant and shared that it may be the best sushi in the world. "Every piece of fish is served at precisely the right temperature, and not even their rice and seaweed disappoint," Bourdain said.

10.      Salumi sandwich shop

Bourdain notes that he “seldom encounters" a better sandwich than Salumi. With such an incredible goal, it's no wonder this Seattle-based restaurant is a favorite amongst the locals. Salumi doesn't just serve any old sandwiches though; they serve a "true mom-and-pop". It's clear the Batali’s put their heart and soul into what they do, and that dedication shines on through in every dish

9.   Russ & Daughters in New York City 

Did you know that Russ & Daughters in New York City was started as a pushcart nearly 100 years ago? Today, the restaurant serves up traditional Eastern European Jewish-style herring and smoked belly lox, sable, and sturgeon.

8.  Katz’s Delicatessen

Katz's Delicatessen is right around the corner from Russ & Daughters and you shouldn't miss this place if you're in Manhattan. Anthony Bourdain said it should be your first stop when looking to taste the best pastrami in New York City.

7.  Sin Huat Eating House 

Bourdain admitted that Sin Huat Eating House in Singapore was “grimy looking” and the service “less than warm.” He also conceded that beer was served in a bottle with ice, and the tables sat halfway into the streets of Geylang—Singapore's red-light district. But despite all of that, Bourdain said the food was worth it.

6.  Le Bernardin

Bourdain loved seafood and he also endorsed Le Bernardin in New York City. He described the restaurant as "the best fish joint...anywhere," even though it is a very formal place, with excellent service and a fine-dining ambiance. He said that this restaurant is "relevant and fun." The Grand Tasting Menu, which changes every month and year, is always of austere beauty. And whatever they are serving is always exciting yet simple to eat.

 5. Etxebarri Spain

If you want to eat the best food in the world, head over to Etxebarri in Axpe, Spain. Chef Victor Arguinzoniz is well known for his creative cooking. He grills unlikely ingredients and serves them over homemade charcoal at his restaurant. Though grilled seafood isn't typically allowed, he makes it possible with a handcrafted series of pulleys that raise and lower each item on his menu. Anthony Bourdain proclaimed that no one is eating better than those who dine here.

4.  French Laundry

The best way to eat at French Laundry in Napa Valley, California –run by chef Thomas Keller- is with the multicourse "full-on tasting menu." Anthony Bourdain urged his readers of "Kitchen Confidential" that it was a once-in-a-lifetime marriage of the best ingredients, creative thinking, and high standards along with the personal imprint of the most respected chef in the world.

3.  Per Se in New York City.
Keller runs two restaurants on opposite coasts with the help of a team. He’s also in charge of Per Se in New York City. Bourdain was impressed by Keller’s ability to manage both restaurants, but it turned out that the food at The French Laundry is what really intrigued him. Despite his skepticism, he ultimately decided that Keller’s “level of perfection in food and service is something few could approach.”

2.  elBulli

In his best-selling cookbook Medium Raw, Anthony Bourdain explained how elBulli was the hardest reservation in the world and why you should go. The famous chef praised Ferran and Albert Adrià for being one of the most influential creative teams in food. He noted that everything people said about elBulli is true. “It’s an adventure, a challenge, a delicious and always fun acid trip to the farthest reaches of creativity." "This surprisingly casual restaurant on a sleepy cove on Spain’s Costa Brava is probably the most important restaurant of our time. Love it or hate it—you must have this experience. It’s like seeing Jimi Hendrix play his first-ever show."

1 . St John  

Anthony Bourdain loved the London restaurant St John for its uncompromising approach to food. St John tries to source ingredients from animals that were treated with love and respect, preferring higher quality meat. Bourdain wrote in his review of the restaurant: “If I had to die with half a bite of anything hanging out of my mouth, it would probably be the roast bone marrow in Fergus Henderson’s plain-white dining room at St John.”

Source..........

Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain.