World’s best restaurant for 2024 revealed

CNN —

Any doubts that Spain remains the fine dining center of the world may just have evaporated with the revealing of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants for 2024 list.

Six eateries from the European nation made the list – three of them in the top five.

The awards – considered the Oscars of global fine dining – were handed out at a ceremony at the Wynn in Las Vegas on Wednesday evening, with Barcelona’s Disfrutar walking away with the top prize. Ranked number two last year, it’s owned and run by chefs Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch and Mateu Casanas.

The fact that this trio met while working at the legendary El Bulli should provide a few clues as to what diners can expect – imaginative and playful dishes executed with technical mastery, such as the caviar-filled Panchino doughnut, the frozen gazpacho sandwich and squab with kombu spaghetti, almond and grape.

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Coming in at number two was Asador Etxebarri of Atxondo, not far from the Spanish port city of Bilbao. Under the leadership of chef Victor Arguinzoniz, it’s famed for offering unbeatable barbecue that lets the quality of the ingredients shine, such as a red Palamós prawn that’s simply grilled and served on its own.

But you can never count Paris out. The French capital’s Table by Bruno Verjus squeezed into third place, while yet another restaurant from Spain – Madrid’s Diverxo – took the fourth spot.

Coming in at fifth was Lima’s Maido, one of three restaurants from the city to make the list, giving the Peruvian capital’s reputation as South America’s premier dining destination yet another boost. Mexico was the big winner in North America, earning three restaurants on the list,