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Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Listicle: 10 restaurants that serve bugs and grubs
Papa's, Mumbai. Chef Hussain Shahzad's 12-seater restaurant is known for many things: Being on Time Magazine's World's greatest places list, for its mad rush when reservations open, for its hard-to-categorise Indian food. And for Bugs Bunny: Wild rabbit marinated in red weaver-ant chutney, delicately sauced with black pepper, cumin and sumac. The chutney, which has a GI tag, comes all the way from Odisha. Delish, at least that's what we've heard. Papa's Bugs Bunny comprises wild rabbit in red weaver-ant chutney. (INSTAGRAM/@PAPASBOMBAY) Quintonil in Mexico City serves avocado tartare with a side of ant larvae. (INSTAGRAM/@REST_QUINTONIL) Quintonil, Mexico City. Mexican food is more than just tacos, nachos, and quesadillas. Why not try an avocado tartare with a side of ant larvae? Or a salsa made of stink bugs? Or fish barbecued in a grasshopper marinade? These are the stand-out insect-themed dishes that chef Jorge Vallejo serves at his two-Michelin-star restaurant. Rumour has it that the food is so good, it brings diners to tears. Takeo in Tokyo has a waterbug cider ice cooler on the menu. (INSTAGRAM/@ Takeo, Tokyo. At first glance, it's like any other Japanese café – cosy, lit by warm lights, and impossibly well-styled food displays. Look closer. The shelves are stocked with packets of ready-to-eat crispy locusts, bamboo worms, and chocolate-covered black crickets. From the menu, you can order bee lemon sodas, a waterbug cider ice cooler, cricket pastas, and grilled silkworm sausages. They also advise you how to whip up your own edible insect meals. High-key sounds good. Inoveat in Paris serves gourmet dishes with organic, farm-grown bugs. (INSTAGRAM/@ Inoveat, Paris. This French restaurant prides itself on presenting bugs gourmet style. So, chef Laurent Veyet serves his special bao made with ground cricket flour, puffed worm cocktails, and cranberry cookies studded with insects. The bugs come from French farms and are fed organic produce. Veyet says his goal is to prove that consuming insects is a healthy, sustainable choice. And it can be haute cuisine too. The menu at Fura Bar, Singapore includes spicy, mealworm margarita. (INSTAGRAM/@ Fura Bar, Singapore. Who hasn't, at some point, craved a jellyfish-and-quail martini, or a 90-day fermented pumpkin and pineapple wine, right? The bar serves both, but the big draw is the spicy, mealworm margarita. 'We want to create new ways of eating and drinking that make sense of the climate we have now,' founder Sasha Wijidessa says in promo interviews. After the Singapore Food Agency approved a range of insects for human consumption in 2024, the pickings have been easier. Fire ants have become a signature item on the menu at Farmlore. (INSTAGRAM/@ Farmlore, Bengaluru. Fire ants, which are part of Kodagu and Coorgi cuisine, have become a signature item on the menu at Farmlore. They adorn a meringue and salad, and are blended into a sorbet. Their taste, locals believe, differs according to the trees they're collected from, which are usually mango or lemon trees. Protein-rich, they add just the right amount of citrusy punch to a dish. At Akkee in Bangkok, you can enjoy shiny, soft ant eggs in curries. (INSTAGRAM/@ Akkee, Bangkok. At the Michelin-starred restaurant, the starters are pretty epic: Crunchy coconut worms, nutty-tasting baby cicadas, roasted subterranean ants, crispy cockchafers. Shiny, soft ant eggs are dunked into curries, tossed into stir-fries, and ground into an omelette. They taste creamy, silky, and tart, diners say. Thai chef Sittikorn Ou Chantop hopes that more people discover insect cuisine. At D.O.M., Amazonian leaf-cutter ants are served on a thick slice of pineapple. (INSTAGRAM/@ D.O.M., São Paulo. Alex Atala, one of Brazil's most famous chefs, has been promoting entomophagy for a decade. At D.O.M., Amazonian leaf-cutter ants are served on a thick slice of pineapple as a starter in the tasting menu. They taste gingery, according to the chef, who discovered them when he was visiting tribals deep inside a remote region in the Amazon. In the culinary world, that pineapple-topped-ant is legendary. At Philadelphia's Cantina La Martina, you can enjoy worm tacos. (SHUTTERSTOCK) Cantina La Martina, Philadelphia. When Philly diners step into Dionicio Jiménez's restaurant, they ask for the 'special tacos', made with agave worm, a Mexican specialty. There's also a braised pork shank served in cauliflower ant puree, and steak served with chimichurri-drizzled chapulines. Jiménez recalls how his mum would swap apples for the addictive, salty chapulines at snack time. Time to rethink those Lays. Alchemist in Copenhagen serves cheese covered with live bugs and edible butterflies. (INSTAGRAM/@RESTAURANTALCHEMIST) Alchemist, Copenhagen. Here, food meets science, art, and technology… and some shock value. The tasting menu, which takes hours to get through, is dramatic: Cheese covered with live bugs, edible butterflies on nettle leaves, frozen honey with a single ant inside. They've also served ray jellyfish and freeze-dried lamb cranium. But that's another list, for another day. From HT Brunch, June 28, 2025 Follow us on
Indian Express
24-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
No Indian restaurant features on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list, but one makes it to the 68th position
Mumbai's acclaimed restaurant Masque has achieved a significant milestone by securing the 68th position on The World's 50 Best Restaurants Extended List for 2025, marking it as the only Indian restaurant to feature on the prestigious global ranking. No other Indian establishment made it to the top 50 list or the extended 51-100 rankings. The prestigious awards ceremony, held in Turin, Italy, celebrated culinary excellence worldwide. Masque's recognition at 68th position makes it arguably India's most forward-thinking restaurant, showcasing the country's fresh produce, extracting maximum flavour from local ingredients in a 10-course tasting menu served in a stylish former Mumbai textile mill. Peru's Maido, led by chef Mitsuharu 'Micha' Tsumura, claimed the coveted top spot in 2025. It was followed by Asador Etxebarri in Spain and Quintonil in Mexico City. The list also spotlighted culinary trailblazers beyond the realm of European fine dining, applauding their innovation and use of fresh local ingredients. Masque is an Indian restaurant in Mumbai, Maharashtra, founded by Prateek Sadhu and Aditi Dugar in 2016. With self-taught cook and entrepreneur Aditi Dugar at the helm, Masque has won a string of accolades since opening. After the departure of founding chef Prateek Sadhu in 2022, the culinary reins are now in the skilled hands of Varun Totlani. A post shared by In Your District MUM (@ The restaurant has earned recognition for its innovative approach to Indian cuisine. Under the current culinary direction of head chef Varun Totlani, the restaurant showcases India's diverse produce through modern techniques. Ingredient-focused creations feature dishes like lamb brain paniyaram and turmeric scampi, while the vegetarian menu highlights options such as sweet potato paniyaram and morel with gutti aloo. The World's 50 Best Restaurants has been celebrating global culinary excellence since 2002, with its rankings determined by a panel of 1,080 culinary experts across 27 voting regions worldwide. Each panelist, comprising food writers, critics, chefs, restaurateurs, and well-travelled gourmets, contributes ten votes to create what serves as both a snapshot of exceptional dining destinations and a barometer for international gastronomic trends. Masque's recognition on the global stage represents not just personal achievement for its team, but also signals the growing international appreciation for contemporary Indian cuisine that honours traditional ingredients while embracing innovative presentation and techniques.
Euronews
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025: Who takes the top spot - and how does Europe fare?
The World's 50 Best Restaurants has announced this year's recipients of 'The World's Best Restaurant' - one of the world's most prestigious food awards. The awards ceremony took place last night in Turin, Italy, where the crowd gathered to celebrate the top restaurants and chefs for 2025. A panel of more than 1,000 experts, split into 27 regions around the world, came together to decide on the final ranking. So, what is the World's Best Restaurant this year? The accolade went to Maido in Lima, Peru – which was placed at number 5 in the 2024 awards and now unseats last year's winner, Disfrutar in Barcelona, Spain, to the top spot. Maido's Lima-born chef Mitsuharu Tsumura cooks a fusion of Latin American and Japanese flavours, and said: 'We talk a lot about sustainability of the environment, but we rarely talk about human sustainability. I think this industry can be an example of how we can bring people together with the power of food.' Every year, the panel awards special prizes to chefs, front-of-house staff, and activists who are leading the charge in hospitality in 2025. This year's special awards went to the Best Female Chef, Pichaya 'Pam' Soontornyanakij of Potong, Bangkok and Mindy Woods in Byron Bay, winner of the Champions of Change 2025 award. The World's Best Pastry Chef award went to Parisian chef Maxime Frederic, while the Estrella Damm Chefs' Choice Award went to Alberta Adrià, head chef of Enigma in Barcelona. The highest-ranking restaurants on each continent were given a special mention. Maido, as the best restaurant in the world, takes care of South America. Incidentally, Peru was well represented in the Top 50 list, as three other Lima-based establishments joined Maido: Kjolle (9); Mérito (26); Mayta (39). Tresind Studio in Dubai (ranked number 27 in this year's awards) was named the best restaurant in the Middle East. The best restaurant in Asia is Gaggan in Bangkok, at number 6, while the best restaurant in North America is Quintonil in Mexico City (number 3). The best restaurant in Europe is Asador Etxebarri in Spain (number 2 this year and last year). Spain also has DiverXO in Madrid in the global Top 5, retaining its number 4 spot. Elsewhere in the Top 20, Denmark's Alchemist (Copenhagen) ranks number 5 and climbs three spots compared to last year; France's Paris-based Table by Bruno Verjus drops to number 8 from its number 3 ranking in 2024, and Plénitude (also in Paris) has the 14th spot this year, up four compared to last year; and the UK's Ikoyi, which was ranked 42nd in 2024, jumps up to number 15. Italy is the European country with the most restaurants in 2025's Top 20 list, with Lido 84 in Lake Garda, Reale in Castel di Sangro and Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler in Brunico all ranking 16th, 18th and 20th respectively. Here is the full Top 50 restaurant list (European entries in bold): 1. Maido, Lima, Peru 2. Asador Etxebarri, Atxondo, Spain 3. Quintonil, Mexico City, Mexico 4. DiverXO, Madrid, Spain 5. Alchemist, Copenhagen, Denmark 6. Gaggan, Bangkok, Thailand 7. Sezanne, Tokyo, Japan 8. Table by Bruno Verjus, Paris, France 9. Kjolle, Lima, Peru 10. Don Julio, Buenos Aires, Argentina 11. Wing, Hong Kong 12. Atomix, New York, USA 13. Potong, Bangkok, Thailand 14. Plénitude, Paris, France 15. Ikoyi, London, UK 16. Lido 84, Lake Garda Italy 17. Sorn, Bangkok, Thailand 18. Reale, Castel di Sangro, Italy 19. The Chairman, Hong Kong 20. Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler, Brunico, Italy 21. Narisawa, Tokyo, Japan 22. Serene, Bangkok, Thailand 23. Boragó, Santiago, Chile 24. Elkano, Getaria, Spain 25. Odette, Singapore 26. Mérito, Lima, Peru 27. Tresind Studio, Dubai, UAE 28. Lasai, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 29. Mingles, Seoul, South Korea 30. Le Du, Bangkok, Thailand 31. Le Calandre, Rubano, Italy 32. Piazza Duomo, Alba, Italy 33. Steirereck, Vienna, Austria 34. Enigma, Barcelona, Spain 35. Nusara, Bangkok, Thailand 36. Florilège, Tokyo, Japan 37. Orfali Bros, Dubai, UAE 38. Frantzen, Stockholm, Sweden 39. Mayta, Lima, Peru 40. Septime, Paris, France 41. Kadeau, Copenhagen, Denmark 42. Belcanto, Lisbon, Portugal 43. Uliassi, Senigallia, Italy 44. La Cime, Osaka, Japan 45. Arpege, Paris, France 46. Rosetta, Mexico City, Mexico 47. Vyn, Skillinge, Sweden 48. Celele, Cartagena, Colombia 49. Kol, London, UK 50. Restaurant Jan, Munich, Germany
Telegraph
20-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
These are the world's best restaurants – and two are in London
A restaurant in Lima serving Japanese-Peruvian fusion has been named the best in the world. Maido, opened by Lima-born chef Mitsuharu 'Micha' Tsumura in 2009, took the top spot in the World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025, an annual ranking widely recognised as reflecting global fine dining trends. The list was revealed at a chef-packed ceremony at Turin's Lingotto Fiere convention centre on Thursday 19 June. Skip to: The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 The top five Maido's win cements Nikkei cuisine – the fusion of Japanese techniques and Peruvian ingredients, rooted in the Japanese diaspora in Peru – on the global culinary stage. Chef-owner Tsumura, son of Japanese immigrants, showcases this heritage through a multi-course menu featuring dishes like squid ramen with Amazon chorizo, Peru's national dish ceviche, and nigiri. As confetti showered the stage, the Maido team celebrated their popular victory. Tsumura called it 'the most beautiful thing that has happened in my life [...] a dream come true,' adding that Maido is about 'having fun' and 'democratising deliciousness.' The win means long-standing Basque Country restaurant Asador Etxebarri remains in second place, with Quintonil (Mexico City) third, DiverXO (Madrid) fourth, and Copenhagen's Alchemist fifth. Rankings are based on independently adjudicated votes from 1,120 restaurant experts, including chefs, restaurateurs and writers. Restaurants cannot be nominated or apply for inclusion; judges vote based on recent visits. Maido succeeds Barcelona hotspot and 2024 number one Disfrutar, which joins the best of the best group of past winners, including Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck (2005) and Lima's Central (2023) – making them ineligible for future World's 50 Best lists. It was a strong night for Bangkok, with six of its restaurants on the list. Progressive Thai-Chinese venue Potong was the highest new entry at 13, and its chef-owner Pichaya 'Pam' Soontornyanakij won the best female chef award. Ikoyi in central London, praised by The Telegraph as 'terrific' for its vivid, imaginative and immaculately cooked dishes, won the 'highest climber' award. The restaurant, which layers hyper-seasonal British ingredients with West African flavours, soared from 42nd place in 2024 to 15th. Chef and co-owner Jeremy Chan said, 'I'm very surprised and very grateful. I feel proud to represent British cuisine, produce and technique on the world stage.' Kol, Mayfair's contemporary Mexican-British fusion restaurant by Santiago Lastra – hailed by The Telegraph as 'the most ambitious and exciting new booking in London' when it opened in 2020 – held onto its top 50 spot but slipped from 17th to 49th. In the previously revealed top 100 ranking there was further UK success: Tomos Parry's Basque-inspired Mountain in Soho placed 74th, and the modern British Clove Club in Bethnal Green came in 86th. However, open-fire restaurant Brat and three Michelin-starred Core by Clare Smyth both dropped out. Isaac McHale, chef-owner of The Clove Club, said London is 'a victim of its own success,' explaining that with so many great restaurants, visitors with limited time have fewer chances to vote for any one spot. In less saturated cities, he said, diners' attention is more focused. Individual awards at the World's 50 Best ceremony also recognised Australian First Nations food and culture, a contemporary Egyptian restaurant near the Giza Pyramids and sustainability champions. But the final word went to chef Tsumura, whose persistence at Maido has paid off: 'Nikkei cuisine wasn't well known in the streets, and now it's known all over the world.' The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 50. Restaurant Jan – Munich, Germany (new entry) 49. Kol – London, UK 48. Celele – Cartagena, Colombia (new entry and winner of sustainable restaurant award) 47. Vyn – Skillinge, Sweden (new entry) 46. Rosetta – Mexico City, Mexico 45. Arpège – Paris, France 44. La Cime – Osaka, Japan 43. Uliassi – Senegallia, Italy 42. Belcanto – Lisbon, Portugal 41. Kadeau – Copenhagen, Denmark 40. Septime – Paris, France 39. Mayta – Lima, Peru 38. Frantzén – Stockholm, Sweden 37. Orfali Bros – Dubai, UAE 36. Florilege – Tokyo, Japan 35. Nusara – Bangkok, Thailand (new entry) 34. Enigma – Barcelona, Spain (new entry) 33. Steirereck – Vienna, Austria 32. Piazza Duomo – Alba, Italy 31. Le Calandre – Rubano, Italy 30. Le Du – Bangkok, Thailand 29. Mingles – Seoul, South Korea 28. Lasai – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (new entry) 27. Tresind Studio – Dubai, UAE (best restaurant in Middle East) 26. Mérito – Lima, Peru (new entry) 25. Odette – Singapore 24. Elkano – Getaria, Spain 23. Boragó – Santiago, Chile 22. Suhring – Bangkok, Thailand 21. Narisawa – Tokyo, Japan 20. Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler – Brunico, Italy (new entry) 19. The Chairman – Hong Kong 18. Reale – Castel di Sangro, Italy 17. Sorn – Bangkok, Thailand 16. Lido 84 – Gardone Riviera, Italy 15. Ikoyi – London, UK (highest climber award) 14. Plenitude – Paris 13. Potong – Bangkok, Thailand (highest new entry) 12. Atomix – New York, USA 11. Wing – Hong Kong (art of hospitality award) 10. Don Julio – Buenos Aires, Argentina 9. Kjolle – Lima, Peru 8. Table by Bruno Verjus – Paris, France 7. Sézanne – Tokyo, Japan 6. Gaggan – Bangkok, Thailand (best restaurant in Asia) The top five 5. Alchemist, Copenhagen, Denmark Theatrical cooking – and then some. Dinner at chef Rasmus Munk's restaurant is a multi-sensory experience unfolding over several mind-bending hours and 50 edible 'impressions'. A ticket will set you back 5,400 DKK (£618) – if you're lucky enough to get one. 4. DiverXO, Madrid, Spain Visionary chef Dabiz Muñoz takes diners on a rollercoaster ride of unexpected flavours, blending his Spanish heritage with bold Asian influences. Dishes on the 15-course menu might include blue crab with kimchi ice cream and wild strawberries. 3. Quintonil, Mexico City, Mexico Chef Jorge Vallejo celebrates Mexico with a creative spin on native ingredients, many of which are grown just steps from the restaurant. Bluefin tuna aguachile and duck tamales might feature, along with a touch of entomophagy – think tacos with chicatana ants. 2. Asador Etxebarri, Atxondo, Spain It's 35 years since chef Bittor Arguinzoniz opened this now-legendary grill restaurant in his home village in the Basque Country. Diners flock here for a menu where exceptional local ingredients are kissed by flame – even the smoked milk ice cream with beetroot juice that rounds off the meal. 1. Maido, Lima, Peru Nikkei cuisine from the global master of Japanese-Peruvian fusion. Chef Mitsuharu Tsumura's multi-course menu is led by fish, with dishes such as squid ramen with Amazon chorizo and nigiri made from the day's catch. A favourite in the gastronomic world – he won the World's 50 Best Chef's Choice Award in 2024 – he pairs inventive cooking with warm hospitality at his city-centre restaurant (fittingly, maido means 'welcome' in Japanese).
Euronews
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025: Who takes the top spot?
The World's 50 Best Restaurants has announced this year's recipients of 'The World's Best Restaurant' - one of the world's most prestigious food awards. The awards ceremony took place last night in Turin, Italy, where the crowd gathered to celebrate the top restaurants and chefs for 2025. A panel of more than 1,000 experts, split into 27 regions around the world, came together to decide on the final ranking. So, what is the World's Best Restaurant this year? The accolade went to Maido in Lima, Peru – which was placed at number 5 in the 2024 awards and now unseats last year's winner, Disfrutar in Barcelona, Spain, to the top spot. Maido's Lima-born chef Mitsuharu Tsumura cooks a fusion of Latin American and Japanese flavours, and said: 'We talk a lot about sustainability of the environment, but we rarely talk about human sustainability. I think this industry can be an example of how we can bring people together with the power of food.' Every year, the panel awards special prizes to chefs, front-of-house staff, and activists who are leading the charge in hospitality in 2025. This year's special awards went to the Best Female Chef, Pichaya 'Pam' Soontornyanakij of Potong, Bangkok and Mindy Woods in Byron Bay, winner of the Champions of Change 2025 award. The World's Best Pastry Chef award went to Parisian chef Maxime Frederic, while the Estrella Damm Chefs' Choice Award went to Alberta Adrià, head chef of Enigma in Barcelona. The highest-ranking restaurants on each continent were given a special mention. Maido, as the best restaurant in the world, takes care of South America. Incidentally, Peru was well represented in the Top 50 list, as three other Lima-based establishments joined Maido: Kjolle (9); Mérito (26); Mayta (39). Tresind Studio in Dubai (ranked number 27 in this year's awards) was named the best restaurant in the Middle East. The best restaurant in Asia is Gaggan in Bangkok, at number 6, while the best restaurant in North America is Quintonil in Mexico City (number 3). The best restaurant in Europe is Asador Etxebarri in Spain (number 2 this year and last year). Spain also has DiverXO in Madrid in the global Top 5, retaining its number 4 spot. Elsewhere in the Top 20, Denmark's Alchemist (Copenhagen) ranks number 5 and climbs three spots compared to last year; France's Paris-based Table by Bruno Verjus drops to number 8 from its number 3 ranking in 2024, and Plénitude (also in Paris) has the 14th spot this year, up four compared to last year; and the UK's Ikoyi, which was ranked 42nd in 2024, jumps up to number 15. Italy is the European country with the most restaurants in 2025's Top 20 list, with Lido 84 in Lake Garda, Reale in Castel di Sangro and Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler in Brunico all ranking 16th, 18th and 20th respectively. Here is the full Top 50 restaurant list (European entries in bold): 1. Maido, Lima, Peru 2. Asador Etxebarri, Atxondo, Spain 3. Quintonil, Mexico City, Mexico 4. DiverXO, Madrid, Spain 5. Alchemist, Copenhagen, Denmark 6. Gaggan, Bangkok, Thailand 7. Sezanne, Tokyo, Japan 8. Table by Bruno Verjus, Paris, France 9. Kjolle, Lima, Peru 10. Don Julio, Buenos Aires, Argentina 11. Wing, Hong Kong 12. Atomix, New York, USA 13. Potong, Bangkok, Thailand 14. Plénitude, Paris, France 15. Ikoyi, London, UK 16. Lido 84, Lake Garda Italy 17. Sorn, Bangkok, Thailand 18. Reale, Castel di Sangro, Italy 19. The Chairman, Hong Kong 20. Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler, Brunico, Italy 21. Narisawa, Tokyo, Japan 22. Serene, Bangkok, Thailand 23. Boragó, Santiago, Chile 24. Elkano, Getaria, Spain 25. Odette, Singapore 26. Mérito, Lima, Peru 27. Tresind Studio, Dubai, UAE 28. Lasai, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 29. Mingles, Seoul, South Korea 30. Le Du, Bangkok, Thailand 31. Le Calandre, Rubano, Italy 32. Piazza Duomo, Alba, Italy 33. Steirereck, Vienna, Austria 34. Enigma, Barcelona, Spain 35. Nusara, Bangkok, Thailand 36. Florilège, Tokyo, Japan 37. Orfali Bros, Dubai, UAE 38. Frantzen, Stockholm, Sweden 39. Mayta, Lima, Peru 40. Septime, Paris, France 41. Kadeau, Copenhagen, Denmark 42. Belcanto, Lisbon, Portugal 43. Uliassi, Senigallia, Italy 44. La Cime, Osaka, Japan 45. Arpege, Paris, France 46. Rosetta, Mexico City, Mexico 47. Vyn, Skillinge, Sweden 48. Celele, Cartagena, Colombia 49. Kol, London, UK 50. Restaurant Jan, Munich, Germany When we left the 28 (pick your time span) Later franchise in 2007, the protocol-breaching actions of two misguided siblings led to the carpetbombing of London's no-longer-safe zone. Kids... What can you do? 28 Weeks Later, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's surprisingly effective follow up to director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland's 2002 zombie genre revitalizing horror experience, ended with a devilish final stinger that had audiences saying 'Et, merde' at the sight of the Rage Virus-infected emerging from a Paris Métro. 18 years later (in the real world) and 28 years later (in the Rage-infested world), Boyle and Garland are back, and they're not keen to simply rest on their laurels. We quickly learn that the terrifying pandemic has been beaten back from mainland Europe (the French presumably shrugged off the infestation and dusted off the guillotines) and that Rage is contained to Blighty. They really can't catch a break... And in many ways, that's the point. While the infected are still out and about, there exists a safe space – an island within an island. Its name is Lindisfarne, aka: Holy Island, and it's in this isolationist community, only connected to the UK mainland via a causeway crossable at low tide, where we meet 12-year-old Spike (newcomer Alfie Williams). His scavenger father Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is keen to make a man out of him and so decides to embark on a coming-of-age ritual of sorts: take him inland for the first time in search of his first kill. As Spike's bedbound and mysteriously sick mother Isla (Jodie Comer) foretells in a fit of expletives, it's a really dumb idea... 28 Years Later doesn't look or feel like 28 Days Later. Or 28 Weeks Later, for that matter. So those wanting more of the same may end up disappointed. Ditching the lo-fi, punk rawness of the first brush with sprinting nightmare fuel and the equally lean-and-mean feel of the second, 28 Years Later is crisper and more expensive-looking. While that may frustrate some audiences, what's clear is that Boyle and Garland didn't come back to simply cash in and play it safe. It couldn't be any other way. 28 Days Later breathed new life into a horror mainstay by having the sprinting Rage-infected replacing traditional reanimated corpses. More than two decades later, zombies have invaded the screens and become ubiquitous – to the point of exhaustion. From the big screen offerings of the Rec franchise, Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland and Planet Terror (to mention only the high points) to the zeitgeist-capturing small screen hits The Walking Dead and The Last Of Us, civilisation-threatening outbreaks featuring ravenous walkers, crawlers and biters have become mainstream. The only way was forward. And a lot has happened since 2007's 28 Weeks Later – namely Brexit and a worldwide pandemic. Both of these resonate in 28 Years Later, especially the self-inflicted isolationist wound. The nationalist and seclusionist subtext becomes text: Saint George's Cross flying above the community; the banner reading 'Fail we may but go we must'; the sea patrol keeping the infection contained to the UK; the 'us' and 'them'-ness of looking backwards to a past of the England that once was... It all makes for a simple but effective Brexit analogy. It's not particularly subtle; but then again, no allegory-infused zombie movie ever was. And neither was Brexit. The obviousness of certain thematical strands is countered by some far more surprising choices, like the teasing-and-ditching of The Wicker Man motifs and the Summerisle setting in favour of exploring the evolution of the infected. Of course, the introduction of various kinds of berserkers ('slow-lows' or the terrifying 'Alphas' with Predator penchants for spine-yanking) will lead to inescapable comparisons with The Last Of Us. But the script does enough to explore the potential of its ideas without toppling into déjà vu – particularly when one initially grating yet radical element is introduced... Then there are unpredictably profound moments in the second half of the film, culminating in the Memento Mori / Memento Amori dichotomy, which is brilliantly delivered by the show's last act MVP Dr. Kelson, played to perfection by Ralph Fiennes. His scenes with Spike have an emotional resonance that elevates the material and make it hard to fathom how Alfie Williams is so accomplished for a first-time actor. We'll hopefully be seeing both Boy Meets World and the iodine-covered Colonel Kurtz again soon, as 28 Years Later was filmed back-to-back with the first sequel in a planned new trilogy, titled 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which is slated to hit theaters in January 2026. Let's pray Young Fathers return too, as their terrific soundtrack is not worth ignoring. From the Teletubbies opening to a heroically bizarre finale which scoffers will likely liken to The Village, via a three-act structure that makes a young hero's odyssey evolve from a father-son adventure to a mother-son rescue mission to a young father figure spreading his wings, 28 Years Later's strange verve is exhilarating. While there are some pacing issues, as well as surplus to requirement CGI moments involving swarms of birds and deer, Boyle and Garland have truly outdone themselves. Without skimping on the edge-of-your-seat tension and gruesome viscera that made the first two instalments so pant-browningly effective, their belated sequel is a radical revival that eschews the obvious at every turn. It may not satisfy everyone, but give us daring over safe any day / week / year of the Rage pandemic. 28 Years Later is out in cinemas now.
