It's been a busy few weeks in Latin America's food scene with the Top 50 Restaurants awards being unveiled, whilst Argentina was awarded Michelin stars for the first time.
In the top 50 list, Lima once again came out on top with the region's best restaurant - chef Micha Tsumura's Maido, blending Japanese and Peruvian culinary cultures. The award was a record-equalling fourth for the popular eatery. With fellow Peruvian restaurant Central winning the overall title of the World's Best Restaurant earlier in the year, making it ineligible for the Latin America list, it was another big year for Peru and Lima more specifically.
The top five in the list was as follows:
1. Maido, Lima
2. El Chato, Bogota
3. Don Julio, Buenos Aires
4. A Casa do Porco, Sao Paulo
5. Fauna, Valle de Guadeloupe
Find out more about Maido on its website here.
In other awards, Argentina was in the Michelin spotlight with the announcement of its first Michelin stars in the new MICHELIN Guide Buenos Aires & Mendoza 2024.
The selection is curated by the Michelin Guide's inspectors, showcasing a total of 71 establishments (52 in Buenos Aires, 19 in Mendoza), where diners will quickly appreciate that Argentinian cuisine offers so much more than just its famous grilled meats.
The new 2024 guide included 1 Two Michelin Star restaurant, 6 One Michelin Star restaurants, 7 Michelin Green Star restaurants, 7 Bib Gourmand restaurants, as well as 57 restaurants also recommended for the quality of their cuisine.
The only two Michelin star on the list was Aramburu in Buenos Aires, from chef Gonzalo Aramburu, which showcases the best Argentinian seasonal ingredient. Aramburu aims to introduce guests to the full extent and variety of Argentina's expansive range of produce, while deliberately avoiding beef due to its popularity on most other restaurant menus.
The six One Michelin star restaurants are Azafrán, Mendoza; Brindillas, Mendoza; Casa Vigil, Mendoza; Don Julio, Buenos Aires; Trescha, Buenos Aires; and Zonda Cocina de Paisaje, Mendoza.
Find out more on Michelin's site here.