The third edition of the Sustainable Restaurant Award sees Relae of Copenhagen, Denmark succeed last year’s winner, Azurmendi in Larrabetzu, Spain.

Founded in 2010, Relae’s commitment to sustainability is an integral part of everything from sourcing ingredients to choosing light fixtures. According to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, over 90% of the restaurant’s ingredients are sourced from suppliers who use organic production methods, sustainable fish is always featured on the menu, Fairtrade sugar and salt produced using no chemical interventions are also used. The dining room continues Relae’s low-impact approach to the environment with recycled chairs and tables and LED light fixtures. The restaurant takes sustainability further with induction cooking methods, collecting local deliveries by bike, using all their food waste and turning it into compost through a partnership with a local organic nursery, developing healthy recipes for local schools and offers four-year fully paid apprenticeships to culinary students.

In addition to Relae, five more restaurants scored high in the category including Borago from Chile, Blue Hill at Stone Barns from USA, Schloss Schauenstein in Switzerland, Azurmendi in Spain, and Vendôme from Germany.

The Sustainable Restaurant Award is given to the restaurant on the annual The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list with the highest environmental and social responsibility rating, as ranked by audit partner the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA). The World’s 50 Best Restaurants brings together extraordinary culinary talent to celebrate global gastronomy. Featuring restaurants from 21 countries around the world across six continents, the list provides an annual barometer of the greatest gastronomic experiences across the globe.