Summary
Best Restaurant in the World: Central
At a ceremony in Valencia, Spain, Central in Lima was named the best restaurant in the world by 1,080 restaurant industry experts in the annual World’s 50 Best Restaurants rankings.
Central, by chefs Virgilio Martinez and Pía León, edged out Barcelona’s Disfrutar and brought the top prize down to South America following Copenhagen’s recent claims to the crown with Noma in 2021, and Geranium in 2022.
Copenhagen’s Representation
Copenhagen only showed up once in the top 50 this year, with Alchemist at No. 5, known for lengthy meals served in what feels like an immersive art exhibit.
Strong Showing of Spanish Restaurants
Spanish restaurants had a strong showing on the list, including the introduction of Valencia’s own Restaurante Ricard Camarina at No. 96, and the re-addition of chef Albert Adria’s Enigma at No. 82. Since Enigma first opened in 2016, with the idea of taking diners on a culinary journey between futuristic cooking stations serving oysters in Iberico pork fat and barnacles with barnacle juice, it’s repeatedly reinvented itself throughout COVID-19, now refocused on seasonal tapas.
Although the crown for the country’s finest tapas belongs to Barcelona’s Disfrutar, which ranked No. 3 last year and today moved one place closer to perfection, total perfection was achieved by chef Antoni Luis Arduiz, who received the Icon Award for his lifetime of work at San Sebastian’s Mugaritz and Madrid’s Diverxo. The latter restaurant ranked No. 3 in the world, and in-house sommelier Miguel Angel Millan took home the prize for Best Sommelier in the World.
Notable Additions to the List
Other notable additions to this year’s full list include Mauro Colagreco’s Ceto, which only opened two years ago at the new Maybourne Riviera in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France. Colagreco’s Le Mirazur, in nearby Menton, claimed the top slot on the list in 2019. Colagreco expressed eagerness for the challenge of creating a completely new concept.
New Dining Experiences and Concepts
Ceto is one of the few hotel restaurants on the list, alongside a new entry at No. 36, Sezanne at the Four Seasons Tokyo at Marunouchi. Their inclusion may foreshadow the properties appearing on the inaugural World’s 50 Best Hotels list, which will be revealed later this year in London.
Emergence of Eastern Chefs
This year’s list also indicates substantial opportunities for Eastern chefs seeking international success. Earlier this year, the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list for the Middle East and North Africa featured four Dubai restaurants in its top five. The top two spots were taken by Syrian Orfali Bros. Bistro and Indian chef Himanshu Saini’s Tresind Studio.
This year, Orfali Bros entered the world stage at No. 46 and Tresind Studio at No. 11, making it the highest-ranking Middle Eastern restaurant on this year’s list.
You can find the full list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants here.
