The 20 Best Restaurants In Latin America
While Europe, Asia, and the United States tend to hog the spotlight when it comes to fine dining, South America is quickly rising to prominence on the global culinary scene. There are certain restaurants that deserve recognition for this feat, and we’ve set out to find them. With some astoundingly talented chefs and unparalleled diversity of local ingredients, we expect great things from this continent in the coming years. Here are the 20 best restaurants in Latin America.
1. Central, Lima
Central, Lima
Located in Lima, one of South America’s culinary capitals, Central serves gourmet Peruvian dishes. In particular, they are known for their hot ceviche made with corvina fish and langoustine. The tasting menu at Central captures the natural delicacies located throughout the country. The owners, Pía and Virgílio Martínez are husband and wife, and Virgílio has worked in kitchens all over the world including London, Madrid, New York, and Bogotá. Central is not only one of the top restaurants in Latin America; it is also ranked in the top 50 restaurants worldwide.
Central, Ca. Santa Isabel 376, Miraflores, Lima +51 1 242 8515
2. // Gustu, La Paz
Restaurant, South American
3. Boragó, Santiago
Boragó, Santiago
We love when gastronomy gets in touch with natural surroundings. Boragó’s chef, Rodolfo Guzmán is notorious for doing this, and we just can’t get enough. Here you will find unique items like Chilean rhubarb, eel fried in squid ink, and all kinds of fruits native to Chile. Not only are the ingredients fresh and local, but Guzmán’s preparation techniques are like nothing the traditional culinary world has seen before. This posed a challenge in the restaurant’s early years, as many diners struggled to let go of their more conservative culinary ideals. Eventually, the chefs at Boragó defied these deeply held beliefs, and now it is ranked as one of the best restaurants in Chile.
Boragó, Av. Nueva Costanera 3467, Vitacura, Santiago +56 2 2 953 8893
4. Criterión, Bogotá
Criterión, Bogotá
Owned by brothers Jorge and Mark Rausch, Criterión serves up tasty French dishes over the breadth of two seasonal tasting menus as well as a substantial a la carte menu. One of the star dishes on offer is the smoked salmon confit paired with yucca carbon. Mark is a renowned pastry chef, so be sure to save some room for dessert. The contemporary interior features rich purple and gold hues. There is also seating available on the large covered terrace.
Criterión, Calle 69A 5-75 Zona G, Bogotá +57 1 310 1377
5. Astrid y Gastón, Lima
Astrid y Gastón, Lima
Housed in the stunning Casa Moreyra and named after famed chef Gastón Acurio and his wife, Astrid, Astrid y Gastón is an excellent spot to get a taste of traditional Peruvian cuisine. The head chef is Diego Muñoz, who studied in Paris, and also worked in both Spain and Australia. The menu highlights Peru’s biodiversity, and every item on the menu is sourced from the greater Lima area. To be clear, that’s at least 30 courses of ingredients taken from the region. Between the phenomenal food and gorgeous atmosphere, Astrid y Gastón offers an utterly magical culinary experience.
Astrid y Gastón, Av. Paz Soldán 290, San Isidro, Lima 27 +51 1 442 2775
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6. Alto, Caracas
Restaurant, Venezuelan
7. D.O.M., São Paulo
Bar, Restaurant, Contemporary, Fusion, Brazilian, Vegetarian
If you find the Amazon Rainforest to be as fascinating of a place as we do, it’s absolutely worth discovering what D.O.M. has in store. That is because the famous head chef Alex Atala is a rainforest ambassador who made waves for his work in discovering new ingredients from the rainforest. Come to D.O.M. to taste these special delicacies. The menu features all sorts of interesting ingredients that you’ve likely never encountered before like the herb, jambú, or priprioca root. The interior is elegant and contemporary.
8. Maido, Lima
Restaurant, Fusion, Japanese, Peruvian, Seafood, Sushi, Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free
A bit of a departure from the locally sourced South American gastronomy, Maido in Lima is owned by television chef Micha Tsumura. Tsumura studied traditional Japanese cooking in Osaka before moving to Lima. The restaurant serves what is known as Nikkei cuisine, a fusion between Japanese and Peruvian fare. It is restaurants like this that have helped Lima gain such notoriety on the global culinary scene. Some featured items on the 16-course menu include guinea pig with yucca cream, ceviche with lemon ice cream, chicken stew, and ‘poor man’s Nigiri.’
9. Osaka, Santiago
Restaurant, Japanese, South American
10. Chila, Buenos Aires
Restaurant, Argentina, South American
12. Amaranta, Toluca Mexico
Amaranta, Toluca Mexico
The menu at Amaranta offers an exploration of the best of central Mexican cuisine from start to finish. Chef Salas especially likes to get creative with pig in his dishes. One favorite is the pork jowl made with peanuts or pumpkin seeds, but he is also known for turning pig trotters into a type of carpaccio. For the veggie lovers among you, try the cactus salad or beans topped with fresh cheese. Of course, everyone ought to try some local mezcal or tequila as well. There are also more than 300 varieties of wine available as well as a solid selection of Mexican craft beers.
Amaranta, Francisco Murguía 402, esq. Matamoros, Toluca +52 1 722 280 8265
13. Tegui, Buenos Aires
Restaurant, Mediterranean, Argentina
15. Maní, São Paulo
Maní, São Paulo
Maní’s menu specializes in Brazilian-European fusion food. This pairing makes sense considering that the two chefs who run the place met whilst working together in Spain. If you’re wondering just what exactly this mixture looks like, the favorites on the menu are the foie gras served with guava jam and manioc flour crumble or marrow with acai berries. There is a courtyard available for dining al fresco, and we highly recommend snagging a table out here. Plus, head chef Helena Rizzo was named the best female chef in the world in 2014.
Maní’, Rua Joaquim Antunes 210, Jardim Paulistano, São Paulo +55 11 3085 4148
16. Roberta Sudbrack, Rio de Janeiro
Restaurant, Brazilian, Contemporary
18. Biko, Mexico City
Restaurant, Mexican, Spanish, Vegetarian
19. Parador La Huella, José Ignacio
Restaurant, Contemporary, Seafood
20. La Mar, Lima
Restaurant, Seafood, Peruvian, South American, Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free
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