Latin American restaurants on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026 list, Digi Mart USA News: Eleven restaurants from Latin America entered The 50 Best list of the world’s top restaurants for 2026, according to the ranking published by the company The 50.
The regional representation includes establishments from Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Argentina. The highest-ranked Latin American restaurant was Quintonil, located in Mexico City, which placed fourth globally.
The international list is based on the annual vote of more than 1,100 culinary experts from various countries. The organization said it does not apply a fixed list of criteria to determine the results, but instead uses a set of voting rules to gather the judgment of specialists.
Quintonil, in Mexico City, ranked fourth. Chef Jorge Vallejo and his wife Alejandra Flores develop a modern Mexican menu based on fresh, local ingredients and traditional culinary techniques of the country.
Kjolle, in Lima, Peru, placed seventh. Chef Pía León opened the restaurant in 2018 as her first independent project after serving as head chef at Central, which was recognized in 2023 as the best restaurant in the world.
Its concept focuses on the Peruvian pantry.
The third Peruvian entry was Mérito, in Lima, ranked 13th. Chef Juan Luis Martínez blends the cuisines of Peru and Venezuela in a restaurant in the Barranco neighborhood, using local products and the culinary memory of his country of origin.
Tuju, in São Paulo, Brazil, ranked 16th. Under chef Ivan Ralston, the restaurant serves inventive cuisine in a three-story building in the Jardim Paulistano neighborhood, with spaces that include a courtyard with a jabuticaba tree, a central dining room and a terrace.
Chile was represented by Boragó, in Santiago, at 22nd place. Chef Rodolfo Guzmán founded the venue in 2006 after working in kitchens in Europe and Chile; his work is based on research and the use of native Chilean ingredients.
Lasai, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, ranked 25th. Led by chef Rafael Costa e Silva and his wife Malena Cardiel, the menu centers on preparations built around local vegetables.
Colombia registered Celele, in Cartagena, at 31st place. Chef Jaime Rodríguez grounds the kitchen in the Proyecto Caribe Lab, an initiative that compiles traditional recipes and native ingredients from Indigenous communities and the Caribbean coast.
Ecuador joined the list with Nuema, in Quito, at 37th place. Chef Alejandro Chamorro, in charge of savory dishes, and pastry chef Pía Salazar produce sustainable preparations based on native ingredients and cacao varieties from Ecuadorian farmers and fishers.
Argentina was represented by Don Julio, in Buenos Aires, at 44th place. Owner and sommelier Pablo Rivero focuses the restaurant, located in Palermo, on beef cuts, regenerative agriculture and local wines.
Mayta, in Lima, Peru, ranked 45th. Chef Jaime Pesaque leads the establishment, which focuses on refined Peruvian cuisine.
The eleventh Latin American position went to El Chato, in Bogotá, Colombia, at 46th place globally. Chef Álvaro Clavijo structures the restaurant’s offering around ingredients from Colombian biodiversity transformed into contemporary dishes.
The source notes that the remaining positions of the international ranking include other establishments, which were not listed in the article.
