Think of it like the Olympics of food – or something. Last night, the ceremony to reveal Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants took place right here in Buenos Aires at the Usina del Arte located in La Boca. While there was strong representation from nearly every country in the region, Mexico and Peru took the lead with a whopping 11 restaurants each making the coveted list. But how did Argentina do? Not too shabby, actually! A total of eight local eateries were included in the prestigious ranking – now in its seventh edition here in LatAm – that is decided by a diverse group of 250 chefs, food industry leaders, journalists, critics, and more.
Before we take a look at which restaurants from Argentina were selected – and where they ended up among the top 50 – let’s check out the other winners, shall we? Snagging the No. 1 spot for the third consecutive year was Peru’s Maido, followed by Lima’s iconic Central in the No. 2 space (it also received the Sustainable Restaurant Award) and Mexico’s Pujol rounding out to the top three.
Things got local in the No. 4 spot: Don Julio jumped an impressive 20 places (!) to make its way well within the top five, solidifying itself as the Best Restaurant in Argentina and ensuring no one dares break the connection between the country and its beloved beef. Mishiguene was awarded the No. 20 spot, including a very special mention to chef Tomás Kalika for earning the Chef’s Choice Award after being chosen by his peers as the top culinary dog. Up next came Tegui at No. 25, followed by Puerto Madero’s Chila in the No. 29 spot; El Baqueano was ranked for the seventh consecutive year, this time No. 39. Elena at the Four Seasons garnered the No. 45 position, with global gastropub Gran Dabbang on its heels at No. 46. Finally, rounding out everything at No. 50 came Narda Comedor, the plant-focused Nuñéz eatery headed up by celeb chef Narda Lepes herself.
Overall, seven new restaurants made the list for the 2019 edition. Kjolle, Pía León’s outfit in Lima, was awarded the honor of Highest New Entry after ranking No. 21. De Patio (Santiago, Chile) came in at No. 34; Cusco’s Mil at No. 36; La Docena – located in Mexico City’s Polanco district – rolled in at No. 38; Manu (Curitiba, Brazil) ranked No. 42, and Mayta from Lima eked its way in at No. 49.
Latin America’s Best Female Chef 2019 was awarded to the badass Carolina Bazán, owner of Ambrosia and Ambrosia Bistro in Santiago, Chile. This is the seventh year that a special distinction has been made for female chefs – kind of a shame that it still has to be like that, given that it’s 2019 and all – in a move to promote inclusivity and equality in the food industry. Taking the stage, Carolina gave a powerful speech about her own doubts about accepting the award, the hypocrisy that envelops a ceremony that is overwhelmingly dominated by men, despite the historic role women have occupied in kitchens around the world for millennia, and the importance of effecting actual change on the road toward gender equality. It was a glimmer of hope and progress in an otherwise predictable and dude-heavy night.
Check out the complete list of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 below:
- Maido, Lima, Peru
- Central, Lima, Peru
- Pujol, Mexico City
- Don Julio, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Boragó, Santiago de Chile
- A casa do porco, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- El Chato, Bogotá, Colombia
- Leo, Bogotá, Colombia
- Osso, Lima, Peru
- D.O.M., Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Quintonil, Mexico City
- Isolina, Lima, Peru
- Astrid y Gastón, Lima, Peru
- Alcalde, Guadalajara, Mexico (Highest Climber award)
- Pangea, Monterrey, Mexico
- Sud 777, Mexico City
- Maito, Panama City
- Maní, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Rafael, Lima, Peru
- Mishiguene, Buenos Aires, Argentina (Chef’s Choice award)
- Kjolle, Lima, Peru (Highest New Entry)
- Harry Sasson, Bogotá, Colombia
- Oteque, Río de Janeiro, Brazil
- Lasai, Río de Janeiro, Brazil (Art of Hospitality award)
- Tegui, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- La Mar, Lima, Peru
- Rosetta, Mexico City
- Maximo Bistrot, Ciudad de México
- Chila, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Ambrosía, Santiago de Chile (Latin America’s Best Female Chef award)
- Nicos, Ciudad de Mexico
- Le Chique, Cancún, Mexico
- Parador La Huella, José Ignacio, Uruguay
- De Patio, Santiago de Chile
- Olympe, Río de Janeiro, Brazil
- Mil, Cusco, Peru
- Restaurante 040, Santiago de Chile
- La Docena, Polanco, Mexico
- El Baqueano, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Evvai, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- La Docena, Guadalajara, Mexico
- Manu, Curitiba, Brazil
- Mocoto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Osaka, Santiago de Chile
- Elena, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Gran Dabbang, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- 99, Santiago de Chile
- Malabar, Lima, Peru
- Mayta, Lima, Peru
- Narda Comedor, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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