The 2023 World’s 50 Best Restaurants Revealed: Central In Lima Tops The List

The 2023 World’s 50 Best Restaurants Revealed: Central In Lima Tops The List

"Not a fine-dining temple in Paris or Tokyo – or even a game-changer in Catalonia or Copenhagen – but a husband-and-wife spot in Peru, a country perched on the furthest-western coastline of South America that's also famous for being the home of a certain Paddington Bear," the award organizers write in the announcement. "Central, the establishment just named The World's Best Restaurant, maintains a clear focus on the biodiversity of the region: we're talking indigenous fruits from the Amazon, root vegetables from the Andes, seafood from the Pacific Ocean, as well as tubers and potatoes – a lot of potatoes. Most importantly, of course, the dining experience is genuinely unique and utterly brilliant." Central is followed by three Spanish restaurants: Disfrutar in Barcelona in #2, Madrid's Diverxo #3, and Asador Etxebarri in Atxondo #4. Alchemist in Copenhagen, Denmark made it to #5 and also won the Art of Hospitality Award . This is the first time that a South American restaurant climbs to the top of the list of what is considered the "Oscars of gastronomy." "In 2008, Virgilio Martínez opened Central in Lima with a vision to create a fine dining experience rooted in Peruvian ingredients and cooking techniques.