The hills around Santo Domingo del Cerro were glowing that night, a kind of warm, earthy radiance that felt perfectly in tune with what the region’s food world had gathered to celebrate. The 13th edition of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 finally came to Antigua, Guatemala, and the sense of pride drifting through the crowd felt almost physical. Chefs, critics, producers, and the odd wide-eyed observer mingled under the December sky while the ceremony honored the people reshaping the continent’s gastronomic identity. It was one of those evenings where applause kept blending into laughter, and even the most seasoned chefs allowed themselves to look just a little emotional.
The biggest spark, of course, was El Chato in Bogotá taking the No.1 spot for 2025. Watching Álvaro Clavijo step up to receive the recognition felt strangely symbolic – he has spent years reimagining Colombia’s flavours with that quiet obstinacy only true innovators have, insisting local ingredients deserve the global stage. His restaurant’s rise from No.3 to the top isn’t just a ranking shift; it’s a statement about where Latin American cuisine is going. There was this heartbeat of Colombian pride pulsing through the room when his name was read, and you could practically sense how deeply the industry has embraced his vision.
What followed was a cascade of recognitions that once again underscored how geographically broad Latin America’s excellence has become. Buenos Aires, still a heavyweight, landed eight restaurants on the list – steady, confident, and expanding. Lima continued its reign of thoughtful, layered flavours with seven entries, including Kjolle at No.2, reaffirming Peru’s near-instinctive ability to keep gastronomic creativity fresh. Santiago added five restaurants and, more impressively, four new entries, which made Chile feel like the continent’s culinary frontier this year. Everywhere you turned in the venue, someone was raving about Casa Las Cujas’ ocean-driven menu or Yum Cha’s arrival at No.28.
It was impossible not to notice how many newer or returning voices joined this year’s list. Afluente in Bogotá slipped in at No.34 with a sense of momentum, while El Mercado and Crizia extended Buenos Aires’ strong presence. Guatemala, the night’s host, had its own reasons to beam – Sublime at No.19 and Diacá at No.37 made sure the home crowd had celebratory toasts of their own. These weren’t token inclusions; they felt like proof of a landscape in perpetual motion, where promising ideas keep surfacing no matter the city or altitude.
Among individual honours, Rodolfo Guzmán’s Icon Award earned some of the loudest cheers. Anyone who has tasted Boragó’s work – or even just listened to Guzmán talk about Chile’s biodiversity – knows he operates on a wavelength entirely his own. His dedication to endemic ingredients and ancestral knowledge has influenced far more chefs than he’ll ever admit. The awards for Bianca Mirabili, Maximiliano Pérez, and Tássia Magalhães added another layer of narrative to the night: the region isn’t simply innovating; it’s deepening, diversifying, and reclaiming voices that have long fought for visibility.
There was also something quietly moving about the Estrella Damm Chefs’ Choice Award going to Alejandro Chamorro of Nuema in Quito. A peer-voted title always feels different – more intimate, more honest. Chamorro’s work with regional products and seasonal tasting menus has earned admiration for years, but seeing fellow chefs elevate him felt like a collective nod of respect. And then there was Oda from Bogotá, the Sustainable Restaurant Award winner, proof that urban gardens and mindful sourcing are beginning to shape the continent’s high-end dining future in a way that feels genuinely rooted rather than trendy.
The list itself remains the ceremony’s spine. From the top ten – El Chato, Kjolle, Don Julio, Mérito, Celele, Boragó, Quintonil, Tuju, Cosme, Nuema – to the energetic newcomers scattered throughout the ranking, each slot captured a story of place, ambition, and sometimes improbable perseverance. What stood out most this year wasn’t just the talent on display but the sense that Latin America’s culinary identity is expanding without losing its soul. Even the voting process, overseen with Deloitte’s quiet but essential presence, seemed designed to keep that integrity intact, ensuring the 300 Academy members could express authentic experiences from their last 18 months of dining.
The Antigua ceremony wrapped with the kind of contented buzz that lingers long after the lights dim. People drifted toward the terraces overlooking the city, swapping impressions about the night or planning the meals they absolutely had to try next. You could overhear chefs arranging future collaborations, critics whisper-arguing over rankings, and younger cooks talking about how the evening had shifted something inside them. It was one of those events where you walk away feeling as if the entire map of Latin American gastronomy had stretched a little wider while becoming a little more connected.
Below is the complete list of the 50 best restaurants for 2025, a snapshot of a continent that keeps surprising, keeps evolving, and keeps feeding the world’s imagination:
1. El Chato — Bogotá
2. Kjolle — Lima
3. Don Julio — Buenos Aires
4. Mérito — Lima
5. Celele — Cartagena
6. Boragó — Santiago
7. Quintonil — Mexico City
8. Tuju — São Paulo
9. Cosme — Lima
10. Nuema — Quito
11. Mayta — Lima
12. Nelita — São Paulo
13. Lasai — Rio de Janeiro
14. Casa Las Cujas — Santiago
15. Alcalde — Guadalajara
16. Villa Torél — Ensenada
17. Fauna — Valle de Guadalupe
18. Maito — Panama City
19. Sublime — Guatemala City
20. Evvai — São Paulo
21. Niño Gordo — Buenos Aires
22. Arca — Tulum
23. Leo — Bogotá
24. El Preferido de Palermo — Buenos Aires
25. A Casa do Porco — São Paulo
26. La Mar — Lima
27. El Mercado — Buenos Aires
28. Yum Cha — Santiago
29. Cordero — Caracas
30. Máximo — Mexico City
31. Demo Magnolia — Santiago
32. Huniik — Mérida
33. Rafael — Lima
34. Afluente — Bogotá
35. Aramburu — Buenos Aires
36. Trescha — Buenos Aires
37. Diacá — Guatemala City
38. Oteque — Rio de Janeiro
39. Rosetta — Mexico City
40. Crizia — Buenos Aires
41. Humo Negro — Bogotá
42. Mercado 24 — Guatemala City
43. Sikwa — San José
44. Osso — Lima
45. Karai by Mitsuharu — Santiago
46. Manuel — Barranquilla
47. Cantina del Tigre — Panama City
48. Arami — La Paz
49. Mil — Moray
50. Julia — Buenos Aires
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