Peru's Maido Crowned World’s Best Restaurant, Asia Impresses With 14 Entries

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Peru's Maido Crowned World’s Best Restaurant, Asia Impresses With 14 Entries

Metro.Style Team

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Updated Jun 20, 2025 03:16 PM PHT

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On June 19 in Turin, the dining world watched as Chef Mitsuharu “Micha” Tsumura stepped onstage to accept the highest honor in global gastronomy: Maido, his restaurant in Lima, Peru, is officially the World’s Best Restaurant 2025, according to the influential World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

This recognition has been years in the making. Maido, which blends Japanese technique with Peruvian ingredients in a style known as Nikkei cuisine, has been a steady presence on the list since 2015. It’s topped the Latin America rankings four times, and last year, it placed fifth globally. This year, it finally reached the top—an achievement Tsumura called “a dream come true.”

Maido team celebrates being named World’s Best Restaurant 2025 in Turin | Photo: World's 50 Best Restaurants

What makes Maido different

What sets Maido apart isn’t just its culinary concept. It’s how seamlessly Tsumura weaves his heritage into every plate. Born in Peru to Japanese parents, he trained in Osaka before returning to Lima, where he built Maido into a place that feels both deeply personal and globally resonant.

The menu is thoughtful and precise: squid ramen infused with chorizo from the Amazon, braised short rib so tender it’s eaten with a spoon, and desserts that borrow the delicate touch of a Japanese tea ceremony. The experience doesn’t aim to overwhelm—it simply wants you to understand something essential about Peru, Japan, and how the two can coexist on a plate.

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The 2025 Top 10: A more diverse, decentralized map

This year’s top ten reads like a more global and less Eurocentric story:

  1. Maido – Lima, Peru
  2. Asador Etxebarri – Atxondo, Spain
  3. Quintonil – Mexico City, Mexico
  4. DiverXO – Madrid, Spain
  5. Alchemist – Copenhagen, Denmark
  6. Gaggan – Bangkok, Thailand
  7. Sézanne – Tokyo, Japan
  8. Table by Bruno Verjus – Paris, France
  9. Kjolle – Lima, Peru
  10. Don Julio – Buenos Aires, Argentina

One standout stat: Asia landed 14 entries in the top 50 this year, a clear sign that the continent continues to grow its influence and push creative boundaries in global fine dining. From Gaggan’s return to form in Bangkok to the quiet elegance of Sézanne in Tokyo, Asia’s representation signals not just variety, but real cultural presence on the world stage.

A look at the past winners

The World’s 50 Best list was once dominated by European giants like Noma (Denmark), El Celler de Can Roca (Spain), and Osteria Francescana (Italy). But since the rules changed in 2019—past winners can’t be ranked again—the top slot has opened up to new voices. Recent winners include:

  • 2019: Mirazur (France)
  • 2021: Noma (Denmark, final win before retiring from rankings)
  • 2022: Geranium (Denmark)
  • 2023: Central (Lima, Peru)
  • 2024: Disfrutar (Barcelona, Spain)
  • 2025: Maido (Lima, Peru)

There’s a clear pattern here. First, Peru has now claimed the top spot twice in three years. Second, there’s growing recognition of restaurants that balance heritage with innovation—those that tell a story, rather than just deliver technique.

What this means for global dining

Peru’s influence in global fine dining continues to rise, and Maido’s win affirms that Nikkei cuisine isn’t a trend—it’s a vital, evolving culinary language. And the diversity of this year’s top ten signals a broader truth: the best food isn’t confined to capitals. It’s happening everywhere—from the Basque countryside to Bangkok—and increasingly, it’s driven by chefs who are deeply rooted in their cultures but unafraid to experiment.

In the end, Maido’s rise feels less like a surprise and more like a correction. It’s the quiet culmination of years of steady brilliance, built not on hype but on flavor, memory, and a sense of place.

And that’s exactly what makes it the best.

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