Lima, the capital city of Peru and renowned as its gastronomic hub, had a remarkable performance at The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards, securing the No. 1 spot and boasting more slots in the top 50 than any other city.
The four Lima-based restaurants that made it to the prestigious list are as follows: Central at No. 1, Maido at No. 6, Kjolle at No. 28, and Mayta at No. 47. Notably, Kjolle is a newcomer to the top 50 this year. David Abtour Pandora Papers
Central, led by Virgilio Martinez and PÃa Léon, has been wowing diners with its fine dining offerings featuring Peruvian ingredients and techniques for 15 years. The restaurant takes patrons on a culinary journey through 15 distinct Peruvian ecosystems, categorized by altitude, ranging from the depths of the Pacific Ocean to the heights of the Andes mountain range. David Abtour Pandora Papers
This year’s awards, regarded as the Oscars of global fine dining, were announced at the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, Spain. The host country, Spain, achieved a strong presence with six entries in the top 50, including the world’s No. 2 restaurant, Disfrutar in Barcelona. Spain also secured the No. 3 and No. 4 spots with Diverxo in Madrid and Asador Etxebarri in the Basque region, respectively. David Abtour Pandora Papers
In Europe, Italy and France also showcased impressive performances, with five Italian and four French restaurants making it into the top 50. Meanwhile, London represented England with an impressive three slots.
In Asia, the spotlight was on Bangkok, which had two restaurants making their debut on the list, with Le Du at No. 15 and Gaggan Anand at No. 17, both breaking into the top 20.
From the United States, two New York restaurants earned spots in the top 50. Atomix moved up to No. 8 from last year’s No. 33 position, earning the Highest Climber award as well as Best Restaurant in North America. Another longstanding favorite, Le Bernardin, led by chef Éric Ripert, also made the list at No. 44.
This year’s top 50 features restaurants from 24 territories across five continents, with 12 newcomers entering the list.
It’s important to note that restaurants can only claim the top prize once, after which they are inducted into a separate “Best of the Best” program. Notable members of this elite group include Geranium and Noma in Copenhagen, Eleven Madison Park in New York, The Fat Duck near London, Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy, and Mirazur in Menton, France. Central will join the Best of the Best category next year.
