How the dishlist rating works
A user-first score powered by our Secret Sauce — built to be clearer than a simple average.
Most restaurant ratings are either too shallow (basic averages) or too noisy (endless reviews with no context). dishlist exists to make choosing where to eat faster and more trustworthy.
The dishlist rating is powered by our Secret Sauce: a weighted score that puts dishlist community opinion first, then cross-checks it against broader restaurant signals — and finally adds a credibility boost when a restaurant is recognised by trusted food voices.
We don't publish the exact recipe (that's the secret part). But we do believe you should understand the principles behind the score.
What the dishlist rating is (in plain English)
The dishlist rating answers one question:
“is this restaurant worth your appetite — compared to the other options around it?”
It's designed to:
- reward consistency, not one-off hype
- reduce the impact of extreme outliers
- prioritise taste-led, real dining feedback
- give you a clear signal you can act on quickly
The three ingredients of our Secret Sauce
1. dishlist community ratings (highest priority)
Your ratings — and the wider dishlist community's — carry the most weight.
Why? Because dishlist is built for people who care about food, and we want the score to reflect real dining judgement, not just footfall or popularity.
As more people rate a place on dishlist, the score becomes more confident and less prone to noise.
What this helps with:
- surfacing places that are genuinely good (even if they're not famous)
- separating “fine” from “worth it”
- avoiding “instagram-famous but disappointing” traps
2. Wider restaurant rating signals (used as a cross-check)
We also incorporate external rating signals from established platforms.
These signals help the score stay grounded — especially for restaurants that are new to dishlist or haven't been rated much yet.
Important: dishlist community opinion remains the priority. External signals are there to add context, not override taste-led judgement.
3. Credibility boosts (trusted voices)
Finally, we layer on a boost when a restaurant is recognised by trusted food sources — the people and publications that consistently spot quality.
Examples include:
- Michelin Guide
- Topjaw
- Off Menu
- Time Out
- Condé Nast Traveller
- Good Food Guide
- Eater
- Hot Dinners
- MOB
These aren't popularity points — they're credibility signals. A boost doesn't guarantee a top ranking, but it can help exceptional places surface faster.
What we don't do (and why)
To keep the score honest, our Secret Sauce is designed to avoid common rating problems:
- we don't rely on simple averages. averages are easy to game and often hide the truth.
- we don't reward hype alone. viral attention isn't the same as quality.
- we don't pretend every reviewer is equal. some signals are more reliable than others — that's the point of weighting.
- we don't show fake precision. the goal is a clearer decision, not maths theatre.
Why keeping the recipe private protects the rankings
If we published the exact weights and thresholds, the system would become easier to manipulate — and the rating would get worse over time.
Keeping parts of our Secret Sauce private protects the integrity of the rankings, while still letting you understand what the dishlist rating is based on:
- dishlist community taste
- broader rating context
- trusted credibility signals
How to use the dishlist rating
Use the rating as a shortcut — then use dishlist's context to decide.
- choosing between two options? pick the higher dishlist rating.
- in a new area? start with the highest-rated shortlist.
- craving something specific? use category rankings to find the best version of that dish.
Frequently asked questions
Is the dishlist rating just a Google rating?
No. Google is one input, but the dishlist rating is powered by our Secret Sauce — a user-first weighted score that prioritises dishlist community ratings and adds credibility signals from trusted food sources.
Can a restaurant rank highly without being famous?
Yes. dishlist is designed to surface genuinely great places — including underrated restaurants — based on taste-led ratings and consistency.
Do publications automatically make a restaurant #1?
No. credibility boosts can help a restaurant surface, but the rating still depends on the full mix of signals — especially dishlist community ratings.
Why don't you publish the exact weights?
Because transparency shouldn't make the system easier to game. We share the principles and ingredients, but keep the exact recipe private to protect the integrity of the rankings.
find what's worth your appetite
explore dishlist's rankings and neighbourhood guides — then save your favourites for next time.