Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants 2020 winners announced

Don Julio in Buenos Aires (Argentina) was honoured with the top award at Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2020 on December 3, sponsored by S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna.

Second and third place went to Maido by chef Mitsuharu Tsumura (three-time Best Restaurant in Latin America) and Central (by chef Virgilio Martinez and Pia León), both in Lima, Peru.

This year's edition of the awards that celebrate excellence in global gastronomy in Latin America took the form of a virtual ceremony, available to view on Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants dedicated YouTube channel.

Among the other awards announced on the night were the following:

The Miele One to Watch Award 2020 for best emerging restaurant in Latin America was won by Fauna in Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico, run by the husband-and-wife team of chef David Castro Hussong and pastry chef Maribel Aldaco Silva.

The recipient of this year's Estrella Damm Chef's Choice Award was Leonor Espinosa, chef of Leo in Bogotá, Colombia, who won the Latin America's Best Female Chef award in 2017 and is also founder of the non-profit FunLeo (Fundación Leo Espinosa). “I can’t express the gratitude I feel to be recognized by my peers, which is one of the greatest honors.” said Espinosa.

Narda Lepes, Argentinian food activist and chef-owner of Narda Comedor, was named Latin America’s Best Female Chef 2020, an award that has always aimed to support inclusivity in the culinary sphere. "It is an honor to be named Latin America’s Best Female Chef, especially in such difficult times for the industry.” said Lepes.

This year, to spotlight the region’s broad and diverse gastronomic scene and support its recovery, Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants also presented El Espíritu de América Latina, a collection of casual restaurants that have had a positive impact on their communities and local cuisine.

Check out the full list of winners from Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants on Finedininglovers.com.