And the Award Goes To...

In which I look at where I've been and where I've not from the annual Latin America's 50 (really 100) best restaurant list.

It’s that time once again. The latest Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants list has just come out. As usual, despite the moniker (for the world or any of the regions given awards), there are fifty on the first page, but then there’s a second page with fifty more. Why they don’t just change this to the 100 Best Restaurants list, I have no clue. Marketing I suppose, but at this point, everyone knows it’s a hundred. I’ve also written up a bit of a piece on my thoughts about this and other award lists, about eight years ago. Links to past reviews provided, along with anything that occurs to me.

1. Don Julio, Buenos Aires - For many years was my favorite steakhouse in town, but new openings have moved it into third place for me after La Carniceria and Bestia, but it’s still amazingly good.

2. Maido, Lima - For me, the best restaurant in Lima, period. Whether you do the tasting menu or go for their impeccable sushi, it’s stellar.

3. El Chato, Bogotá - Don’t think it existed yet when we were in Bogotá in 2015.

4. Kjolle, Lima - Every time I’ve tried to book here they’ve either been closed or fully booked.

5. Boragó, Santiago - An intellectually interesting exercise in food, but I found service to be a bit exasperating, and while the food was mostly good, some of it was just… not.

6. Celele, Cartagena - We met chef Jaime in 2015 when he was the chef at El Gobernador by Rausch in Cartagena. He since gone on to create an apparently stellar restaurant of his own that we look forward to trying next time we’re there - we’re overdue for a return visit.

7. Lasai, Rio de Janeiro - On the list to try whenever we get to Rio.

8. Mérito, Lima - Fantastic meal on my last visit in 2023!

9. Quintonil, Mexico City - I didn’t like the space when I visited in 2016, and found the service to be “correct” but a bit too stiff for my liking. On the other hand, the food is really good.

10. Leo, Bogotá - When we visited in 2015 this place was ranked 49th. We had a fantastic experience and loved pretty much everything about the place.

11. Nuema, Quito - Pretty sure it didn’t exist when we were in Quito in 2015

12. Alcalde, Guadalajara - I had another commitment the night I was invited to join the chef and some restaurant friends at this place back in 2016. But next time…

13. Mayta, Lima - Visited last year. Beautifully presented food but not overly exciting flavors. Beautiful room. Absolutely annoying as hell service.

14. Maito, Panama City - I really enjoyed everything “normal” about this place when I was there earlier this year. The one marring factor was that they accepted a huge tour bus of people at the same time and kitchen timing and service suffered.

15. A Casa do Porco, São Paulo - We tried this on our first trip to São Paulo about five years ago, before it was “discovered”. We had great food and a great time.

16. Tuju, São Paulo - On our list, we just haven’t gotten to it on our visits to SP.

17. Fauna, Valle de Guadalupe - Perhaps one day we’ll go there.

18. Gran Dabbang, Buenos Aires - I feel like I have to go back to this place as it keeps getting accolades. A friend and I went five years ago when it first really appeared in the various notices, and liked absolutely nothing about it - room, service, or food.

19. Rafael, Lima - My one visit in 2014 was not what I would call a great experience. Mostly fine, nothing was bad, but nothing to lure me back there for another shot at it. Way too touristy.

20. Evvai, São Paulo - On the list.

21. Oteque, Rio de Janeiro - On the list.

22. Sublime, Guatemala City - Maybe one day we’ll go to Guatemala.

23. Villa Torél, Ensenada - Not somewhere we’ll likely get to.

24. Pujol, Mexico City - Beautiful room, fantastic service (though they plied me with way too much alcohol), amazing food. For me, this place should be above Quintonil, easily. Then again, quite a few years ago, so who knows?

25. Sikwa, San José - Don’t think it was open when I was there in 2015.

26. Nelita, São Paulo - On the list.

27. Metzi, São Paulo - On the list.

28. Cosme, Lima - Very enjoyable, from the space to the service to the food. One of my favorite meals during my 2018 trip to Lima.

29. Mishiguene, Buenos Aires - This is a personal favorite here in town. I love the place. What Chef Tomás does with recreating traditional Jewish foods is stellar.

30. La Mar, Lima - Although we go to the La Mar here in Buenos Aires and always enjoy it, we’ve never been to the original in Lima. We should remedy that.

31. El Preferido de Palermo, Buenos Aires - I used to love this place as a neighborhood bodegón. Since it went fancy, I just don’t get it. They’ve spiffed up classic bodegón (diner) dishes to make them look pretty, but they’re not better than they were, and they’re outrageously expensive.

32. Arca, Tulum - Perhaps one day we’ll visit there.

33. Trescha, Buenos Aires - Haven’t been because it’s just outside of my budget. If someone wants to take me there, great. (It’s $300+ per person.)

34. Niño Gordo, Buenos Aires - Love this place. Asian street food redone for dining room eating. Sit at the kitchen bar and watch the magic happen.

35. Maní, São Paulo - We had a really delightful night at this place on our first visit to SP. Not sure why we haven’t been back - well, there are just so many places for us to try!

36. Huniik, Mérida - Perhaps one day we’ll go there. Nah, probably not.

37. Julia, Buenos Aires - Three years ago when my lunch group tried this place, it hadn’t been discovered yet. We loved it. Now we can’t get in.

38. Gustu, La Paz - Originally opened as a sort of outpost of Noma in Copenhagen, I had a fascinating and delicious experience there back in 2013. It close up, and has reopened with a different chef and I’m not sure there’s still any connection to Noma.

39. Mercado, Guatemala City - Again, should we ever get to Guatemala.

40. Cantina del Tigre, Panama City - Great food, casual spot, a bit of jungle theming going on. It’s like a neighborhood bar with amazing food. It certainly doesn’t have any sort of service standard that would fit this kind of award, but I’d have lunch there regularly.

41. Lo de Tere, Punta del Este - On my list next time I’m in Punta.

42. Manuel, Barranquilla - Should we ever get there.

43. Máximo Bistrot, Mexico City - They were, unfortunately, on vacation when I was there in 2016. Next time.

44. Cordero, Caracas - I’m finding myself really curious about there still being fine dining in Venezuela given its economic collapse.

45. Humo Negro, Bogotá - I don’t think this place existed when we were there, but it’s been on our list for next trip.

46. Aramburu, Buenos Aires - I haven’t been since they moved spaces, but at the old spot, one of the better meals I’d had in town to date (2012). I was very glad, however, when the chef/owner comped my meal as it was… up there!

47. Sud, Mexico City - Stunning room and food. Service was a bit off for me. And I wasn’t up to doing the whole tasting menu, though wish I had.

48. Rosetta, Mexico City - I don’t recall why I didn’t get to this place when I was there in 2016. Might have also been on vacation that week.

49. Mil, Moray - Perhaps one day we’ll venture to the mountains….

50. Kotori, São Paulo - On our list.

51. La Docena, Mexico City - I had two great meals at La Docena in Guadalajara, before this “branch” opened up. It was kind of a neighborhood hangout seafood bar.

52. Diacá, Guatemala City - Guatemala? I guess maybe we should work it into our travel plans.

53. Crizia, Buenos Aires - We were totally unimpressed with this lounge lizard hangout back in 2016. But, I gather, the place has both moved and has new owners and chef, and it’s been back on our list to retry.

54. Yum Cha, Santiago - On the list.

55. Parador La Huella, José Ignacio - I have no writeup for this place, as I visited it prior to even starting my SaltShaker blog in mid-2005. This was on my first visit to BA and then to see wine friends in Montevideo. We took a couple of days to the east coast and tried this place while we were there. Spectacular setting and food!

56. El Xolo, San Salvador - Someday, maybe.

57. Pulpería Santa Elvira, Santiago - On the list for another visit to Santiago.

58. Lunario, Valle del Guadalupe - Unlikely we’ll ever get there.

59. Pangea, Monterrey - Same.

60. Manu, Curitiba - A maybe. It’s a fair drive south of São Paulo and we haven’t quite come up with another reason to go to Curitiba.

61. Afluente, Bogotá - Don’t think it existed when we were there in 2015.

62. La Calma by Fredes, Santiago - I kind of hated this place when I visited it last year. Horrible, pushy service, mediocre food, and very touristy.

63. Ancestral, La Paz - On my list should I get back to La Paz.

64. Le Chique, Cancún - I haven’t been to Cancún since I was a teenager. Perhaps one day in the future.

65. Fonda Lo Que Hay, Panama City - I enjoyed my dinner there. Casual, fun service and atmosphere. I had one great dish and one interesting (and good) dish. It’s a bit touristy.

66. Demencia, Santiago - Haven’t been, but it’s on the list.

67. D.O.M., São Paulo - Mixed feelings. Nothing was bad, but it was really pricey, and nothing was a wow either. It was more intellectually interesting than anything else.

68. Origem, Salvador - One day, maybe.

69. Phayawi, La Paz - On the list.

70. Conservatorium, San José - On the list.

71. Osso, Lima - On the list. I keep thinking about it when I’m there, but living in Buenos Aires, steakhouses are not my first choice when I’m traveling.

72. Casa Las Cujas, Santiago - On the list.

73. Anchoita, Buenos Aires - I don’t know what to think about this place. Their reservations system says they’re booked until sometime next year. I don’t think anyone I know has ever been. Supposedly, you go, put your name on a list, and go sit in their wine bar and drink until a table opens up. I’m not up for that kind of treatment.

74. La Tapa del Coco, Panama City - I don’t understand this one on this list. I enjoy Chef Isaac’s food, and we’ve stayed in touch since I visited earlier this year. But it’s a plastic lunchroom off of a parking lot, and it’s street food, not particularly fancied up. It’s all good, but…

75. Cara de Vaca, Monterrey - Doubt we’ll ever get there.

76. Astrid y Gastón, Lima - I had a fantastic solo meal there in 2018. It was everything it’s cracked up to be, and should be far higher on this list - which it was then.

77. Ristorante Hotel Cipriano, Rio de Janeiro - When we get to Rio…

78. Olam, Santiago - Great solo meal last year!

79. Manzanar, Montevideo - Mixed thoughts - some great food and some just barely okay food on a solo visit earlier this year.

80. Oda, Bogotá - Don’t think it existed when we were there. On the list.

81. Alo’s, Buenos Aires - I’d had a great solo meal there in 2016, and organized my lunch group a few years later in 2019 to visit for what turned out to be a really disappointing meal.

82. Mengano, Buenos Aires - I’ve had a couple of excellent meals here!

83. Intimo, Panama City - I love the place and the wine focus. But I wasn’t very impressed with the food or the behavior of the cooks in the open kitchen.

84. Azafrán, Mendoza - It’s been on my list for a long time, I just don’t get to Mendoza much. We were going to go earlier this year on our trip there, but I got food poisoning elsewhere and we ended up not doing a lot of eating out.

85. Nopiê, São Paulo - This is a new one for me. Added to the list.

86. Sambombi Bistró Local, Medellín - We didn’t enjoy our visit to Medellín much, so it’s unlikely we’ll go back.

87. Mocotó, São Paulo - Been on the list forever, not sure why we haven’t fit it in.

88. Clara, Quito - If we get back to Quito…

89. X.O., Medellín - Again, Medellín not really on our list again.

90. Restaurante Manga, Salvador - Will we ever go this part of Brazil? Not sure.

91. Oro, Rio de Janeiro - On the list for our trip to Rio.

92. Tributo, Quito - I guess there are enough spots now in Quito that sound worth trying.

93. El Mercado, Lima - Excellent meal with a friend back in 2015.

94. Nicos, Mexico City - Again, I think they were on vacation when I was there in 2016. It’s on our list.

95. La Docena (La Roma), Mexico City - Same comment as the other La Docena (#51) in Mexico City

96. 1921 Restaurant, Montevideo - Truly spectacular meal on my trip earlier this year. This one should be far higher on the list.

97. Quitu, Quito - Yup, we’re going to have to go back to Quito.

98. Karai by Mitsuharu, Santiago - Relatively new opening from the chef of Maido (#2) in Lima. Looking forward to trying it on our next trip.

99. Levadura de Olla, Oaxaca - Will we ever go to Oaxaca?

100. Debora, Bogotá - Yes, we’re long overdue for a return trip to Colombia.