La Liste

What La Liste does

La Liste is a Paris-headquartered digital guide platform founded in 2015 by Philippe Faure that ranks the world's finest restaurants, hotels, and pastry shops through a proprietary meta-ranking algorithm aggregating inputs from more than 1,100 expert sources (critics, guides, media) and millions of online reviews. Its product surface spans three core rankings — Top 1000 World's Best Restaurants (40,000+ establishments), Top 1000 World's Best Hotels (7,000+ hotels across 200 countries, launched 2023), and World's Best Pastry Shop Selection (3,000+ addresses, launched 2023 and extended to bakeries in 2026) — delivered primarily through a free iOS/Android mobile application and supported by an annual calendar of high-profile ceremonies (Paris Gala, Asia Tour across China/Japan/Korea, Morocco/Africa, Pastry Garden Party) and country-specific Special Awards.

The underlying technology is a transparent scoring methodology that compiles and weights heterogeneous review signals into a single comparable score, with the company explicitly positioning the algorithm as the basis for its differentiation rather than user-generated content alone. The product suite also includes the Bernardaud-designed Halo trophy awarded to recognized chefs and establishments, the Gastronomy Observer research reports, and the Special Awards program.

La Liste is a privately-held, bootstrapped company with 11 employees, offices in Paris, Tokyo, and Shanghai, and no disclosed external funding. Its go-to-market combines product-led growth through the consumer app with an ecosystem of premium partners (Bernardaud, Cacao Barry, Air France, Generali, Europ Assistance, Pierre Hermé, OpenTable, Gérard Bertrand, Rungis, Laumont Truffles, Kaviari) that co-fund and co-produce award ceremonies and trophy design. The labeled revenue model is subscription_recurring, but the consumer app appears free, with monetization likely driven by sponsorship/partnership contributions, B2B services to establishments, and potentially premium or data products; specific pricing is not publicly disclosed.

Name

La Liste

Legal name

La Liste

Website

https://laliste.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

La Liste is a Paris-based digital guide founded in 2015 that ranks the world's finest restaurants, hotels, and pastry shops via a proprietary algorithm aggregating 1,100+ expert sources across 200 countries, delivered through a consumer mobile app and recurring international award ceremonies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Restaurant & Hospitality Guide

NAICS

Information (51)

akta.pro primary industry

Local & City Guide Content Aggregators (MPACAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Restaurant Reservations & Dining Booking Platforms (BPAMAIAK), Tours, Activities & Experiences Booking Platforms (BPAMAIAJ), Destination/Activity Booking Marketplaces (Tours & Tickets Aggregators) (THAKAAAH)

Keywords

• Restaurant rankings
• Hotel ratings
• Pastry shop guide
• Gastronomy curation
• Hospitality guide

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Mobile Application: LaListe app serves as the primary consumer-facing product, available for download on iOS and Android platforms, providing access to curated restaurant, hotel, and pastry shop recommendations worldwide

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

La Liste operates a mobile application and digital platform that aggregates ratings from over 1,100 expert sources and millions of online reviews through a proprietary meta-ranking algorithm to identify the world's finest restaurants, hotels, and pastry shops. The platform covers 40,000+ establishments across 200 countries, producing annual rankings (Top 1000 restaurants, Top 1000 hotels, Best Pastry Shop Selection) and country-specific Special Awards. The mobile app serves as the primary consumer-facing product, providing curated recommendations for international travelers and gourmets.

Product overview

La Liste is a digital platform and mobile application that serves as the world's most selective guide for restaurants, pastry shops, and hotels. The core offering consists of the LaListe mobile app and three major ranking products: the Top 1000 World's Best Restaurants (covering 40,000+ establishments across 200 countries), the Top 1000 World's Best Hotels, and the World's Best Pastry Shop Selection (3,000+ addresses). These are powered by a proprietary algorithm aggregating over 1,100 expert sources and millions of online reviews. The product suite also includes country-specific Special Awards ceremonies (Japan, China, Korea, Morocco, Africa), the Gastronomy Observer research reports, and the Bernardaud-designed Halo trophy for award winners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LaListe Mobile Application A mobile app for iOS and Android that serves as a passport to culinary and hospitality excellence, guiding users to the world's finest restaurants, hotels, and pastry shops.
• Top 1000 World's Best Restaurants Ranking An annual ranking of the world's finest restaurants, compiled by aggregating ratings from over 1,100 expert sources, critics, guides, media, and customer reviews through a transparent algorithm.
• Top 1000 World's Best Hotels Ranking A ranking of the world's finest hotels compiled using a meta-ranking algorithm similar to the restaurant classification, covering over 7,000 hotels in 200 countries.
• World's Best Pastry Shop Selection A comprehensive selection of the world's best pastry shops, bakeries, cafes, and dessert restaurants developed in partnership with Cacao Barry, featuring over 3,000 geolocated addresses in more than 80 countries.
• Special Awards Program Country-specific and global special awards recognizing unique culinary journeys, concepts, and emerging trends in gastronomy, hospitality, and pastry arts.
• Gastronomy Observer Reports Annual reports and in-depth articles drawing from La Liste's database to uncover emerging trends, innovative concepts, and insights into the culinary landscape.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40,000+ establishments covered globally
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and minor.

• BernardaudflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 October 2024French porcelain house Bernardaud designed the 'Halo' trophy awarded to chefs at LaListe ceremonies. The trophy symbolizes excellence and elegance, combining traditional Limoges craftsmanship with contemporary design. First presented at October 2024 ceremonies in Seoul, Tokyo, and Paris.
• Cacao BarryflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for La Liste World's Best Pastry Shop Selection, promoting the pastry sector and diverse group of pastry chefs globally. Launched with the first comprehensive global list of pastry shops using methodology similar to restaurants.
• Europ AssistanceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTravel assistance company listed as official partner of LaListe
• Air FranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFrench national airline as official partner
• GeneraliminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance company listed as official partner
• Pierre HerméminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRenowned pastry chef brand as official partner
• Rungis InternationalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational market listed as official partner
• Laumont TrufflesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTruffle specialist partner featured at award ceremonies
• KaviariminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCaviar specialist partner featured at award ceremonies
• Gérard BertrandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWine producer listed as official partner

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Michelin Guide: The Michelin Guide is the world's most iconic restaurant rating system, awarding stars to fine dining establishments globally. It is the most direct competitor to La Liste in the curated restaurant guide category, with overlapping audience (traveling gourmets), similar editorial methodology, and global reach.
• OpenTable: OpenTable is the leading restaurant reservation platform with restaurant listings and reviews. It is both a partner of La Liste (per data) and a competitor, as it provides restaurant discovery and information overlapping with La Liste's core offering.
• Gault&Millau: Gault&Millau is a leading French restaurant guide (founded 1969) that scores restaurants across France and other markets. It is a direct peer to La Liste given the curated expert-review model, fine dining focus, and overlapping establishment universe.
• The World's 50 Best Restaurants: The World's 50 Best is an annual ranking of restaurants based on votes from an academy of food writers, chefs, and industry figures. It directly competes with La Liste in the prestigious global restaurant ranking category and shares the same target audience of discerning international diners.
• TheFork (LaFourchette): TheFork is a leading European restaurant booking and discovery platform owned by Tripadvisor. It overlaps with La Liste in restaurant discovery and competes for the European fine dining audience, with both a guide and booking component.

Broad incumbents

• Booking.com: Booking.com is the world's largest hotel booking platform with extensive reviews and rankings. It competes with La Liste in hotel discovery and recommendation, particularly for international travelers, though at much larger scale and with transactional rather than purely editorial focus.
• Tripadvisor: Tripadvisor is a global travel platform aggregating millions of user reviews for restaurants, hotels, and attractions. It competes with La Liste in restaurant and hotel discovery but serves a much broader mass-market audience with UGC rather than expert curation.
• Yelp: Yelp is a UGC-driven reviews platform with extensive restaurant coverage. While it does not curate fine dining specifically, it competes for the same restaurant-discovery use case with a different methodology, making it a broad incumbent peer to La Liste.
• Condé Nast Traveler / Travel + Leisure: Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure publish prestigious annual hotel and restaurant rankings used by luxury travelers. They compete with La Liste for the same discerning traveler audience and editorial credibility in hospitality recommendations.

Emerging players

• Resy: Resy is a restaurant reservation platform (owned by American Express) focused on upscale and trendy restaurants. It is a peer to La Liste in curated restaurant discovery for premium diners, though primarily US-focused and booking-oriented.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCWViwl2oC3byK35CpyQInKQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/Laliste1000
• Instagraminstagram.com/laliste1000
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/laliste1000

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about La Liste