Disfrutar, the new best restaurant in the world, is in Barcelona

After nine years, Spain once again holds the honor of being home to the best restaurant in the world: Disfrutar tops The World’s Best 50 Restaurants list for 2024. The forecasts came true and the chefs Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch and Mateu Casañas were treated to an ovation as they accepted the accolade at the awards ceremony held at Wynn Las Vegas. The trio is taking over from Peru’s Central, the restaurant run Virgilio Martínez and Pía León, which last year received this same title.

Worldwide recognition comes to Disfrutar when it has not yet reached its first decade of life (it will do so in December), and it is the cherry on top of a few very gratifying months: last year the restaurant received Spain’s National Gastronomy Award and was granted its third Michelin star.

The chefs met when they were working at the by now legendary elBulli, whose visionary leader Ferran Adrià put Spain on the world map of experimental cuisine. When elBulli shut down in July 2011, they decided to stay together professionally.

At the gala in Las Vegas, Xatruch dedicated the award “to all the people who are devoted to this profession in our land,” but above all to the Disfrutar team. “Without them we are nothing, we owe everything to them.” Casañas also took the microphone, his voice breaking with emotion: “Ten years ago no one could have imagined that this project would get this far. We have dreamed a lot. It is a job that takes hours and hours, but with which we can make many people happy.”

Located in the Eixample neighborhood of Barcelona, the aesthetics of Disfrutar play with its Mediterranean heritage: the access area’s decoration is inspired by the cast-iron work of the neighboring market, and the colors (red, orange, yellow and black) of Joan Miró's ceramics. The central hallway passes by the kitchen, which is completely visible to the diner and leads to the main dining room, which is inspired by small fishing villages such as Cadaqués.

The restaurant’s offering revolves around the tasting menus: Classic and Festival. The first one includes creations such as the Panchino doughnut stuffed with caviar and sour cream, the millefeuille stuffed with Idiazábal cheese, the squab with kombu spaghetti and the frozen gazpacho sandwich; the latter features seasonal creations. The price in both cases is €290 (this figure will be valid until August 3, when reservations open for the following year).

On the ground floor, where the R&D kitchen is located, there is a surprise: La Mesa Viva (The Living Table), conceived in collaboration with interior designer Merche Alcalà, where they offer a special menu. The experience is designed for a maximum of six people, but they accept reservations for a single diner, who must pay €1,050. For two people the price per diner is €540, for three, €440, for four, €415, and for five or six, €390. Drinks are not included in these prices, but you can opt for a wine and drink pairing for €160.

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