A very cool study by The Telegraph out of the UK looked at small towns around the world that have a relatively high proportion of Michelin star restaurants comparatively to their population.

It demonstrates that you don’t have to be a large urban centre to enjoy fine dining.

Read the Article The Telegraph Website Here

There seem to be two primary reasons why a cluster of Michelin star restaurants would aggregate together in a small town setting.

One, a spectacular natural setting.  Whether that is a mountainside village in the Alps, a seaside resort, or among the vineyards in Napa Valley.  The setting acts as a natural accompaniment to the fine dining experience.  Two, a chef’s primary residence.  A chef may open several restaurants in close proximity to where they either grew up, or where they currently live.  If these restaurants become a culinary destination and draw upon a regional population base (as well as food tourism), other fine dining restaurants may naturally cluster around them.

Restaurante Martin Berasategui (Image credit: Telefono Gratis)