The 50 Best list names the Spanish establishment Disfrutar as the best restaurant in the world 2024

(AFP/VOZ MEDIA) The Spanish restaurant Disfrutar, located in Barcelona, was chosen the best in the world by the influential 50 Best, collated by the British magazine "Restaurant."

Founded by three chefs who trained at the legendary El Bulli by Catalan chef Ferran Adrià, Disfrutar opened in December 2014 in front of the Ninot market, in the heart of Barcelona.

"Imaginative dishes executed with exceptional technique and served in the most fun way possible," the 50 Best website explained to justify its decision.

The 50 Best list, alternative to the Michelin Guide

In second place on the list is another Spanish establishment, Asador Etxebarri, run by Víctor Arguinzoniz, located in the Basque town of Axpe, while third position went to the Parisian restaurant, Table, by chef Bruno Verjus.

The British magazine "Restaurant" launched the 50 Best list in 2002 and quickly established itself as an international alternative to the renowned Michelin Guide, founded in France, which awards its characteristic stars (three maximum) every year.

The rivalry between both lists does not, however, prevent restaurants from sharing awards in both classifications. Disfrutar, for example, has three Michelin stars, the Basque Asador Etxebarri with one and the French Table with three stars.

Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch and Mateu Casañas, founders of the Barcelona restaurant, went to Las Vegas to receive the award at the special 50 Best gala.

The top 10 best restaurants in the world

The first ten positions in the classification have a notable Ibero-American presence: in fourth place is Diverxo, the Madrid restaurant of young chef Dabiz Muñoz, while fifth position is occupied by Lima's Maido, which also won the award for best South American restaurant for second consecutive year. This establishment, run by chef Mitsuharu Tsumura, offers a mix of Peruvian and Japanese cuisine.

In sixth place on the 50 Best list is Atomix, a Korean-style restaurant in New York, and in seventh place is the Mexican Quintonil, run by the couple Jorge Vallejo and Alejandra Flores. Danish restaurant, The Alchemist, which led a return to basic gastronomy after the molecular revolution of El Bulli in the early 2000s, is in eighth position. In ninth position is Gaggan, in Bangkok, and in tenth is the well-known Don Julio steakhouse, opened by Pablo Rivero in Buenos Aires in 1999 and which also has a Michelin star.

Pablo Rivero was also chosen as best sommelier of the year. The 50 Best list already announced in March the best female chef in the world, the Brazilian Janaína Torres, owner of A Caso do Porco in Sao Paulo.

Three menus, the original proposal of Disfrutar

In 2023, Disfrutar already obtained second place for best restaurant behind the Peruvian Central, and its three chefs achieved the Spanish National Gastronomy Award that same year, as well as their third Michelin star.

They offer three different menus, two of them at 290 euros (about $320, without drinks). The third is presented as a special experience, in the restaurant's kitchens.

The Disfrutar proposal is basically playful, with presentations of dishes of Mediterranean origin that play with very bright colors and daring combinations of tastes.

Asador Etxbarri, on the other hand, presents a 14-dish menu that is based on the use of the grill, both for meat and fish. The Biscayan restaurant, located in a small village, does not have a vegetarian menu, its website states.