Disfrutar named best restaurant in the world for 2024

On 5 June 2024, amidst the glitz and glamour of the world’s entertainment capital, Barcelona’s Disfrutar was named the best restaurant in the world, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna. The three ultra-creative chefs, Oriol Castro, Eduardo Zatruchi and Mateu Casañas, reflect on what this accolade means to them and how they would not be able to do anything without their team.

It’s a landmark year for Disfrutar in Barcelona: not only is the restaurant celebrating its 10th anniversary, it’s also been officially named the best restaurant in the world for 2024.

Disfrutar first appeared on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2018, debuting at number 19. It’s been on the rise since then, dominating the podium at number 9 in 2019, number 5 in 2021, number 3 in 2022, narrowly missing out on the top spot at number 2 in 2023, and of course, taking the number 1 spot in 2024.

Run by three chefs – Oriol Castro, Eduardo Zatruch, Mateu Casañas – Disfrutar combines the best of imaginative cuisine, technical excellence and playful presentation. Reflecting on the glorious award, Zatruch said, “We always do the best we can: fine cuisine, craftsmanship and hard work every day. If someone had told us 10 years ago when we started Disfrutar that we would be named the best restaurant in the world in 2024 in Las Vegas, we would have thought they were crazy. This is just a dream.”

Speaking on stage in an emotional moment after Disfrutar was officially announced as the world’s best restaurant for 2024, Zatrush said: “We would like to dedicate this award to our country’s gastronomy and to all those who have worked and continue to work to build this great profession.”

It’s worth noting that the three owner-chefs are graduates of the legendary El Bulli restaurant (which has been ranked number one in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list a record five times), where they met and worked together from a young age, staying there until the restaurant closed in 2011.

But while Disfrutar is of course influenced by and pays homage to Ferran and Albert Adrià’s innovative restaurants, it has its own culinary language. Casañas says: “For us it’s incredible, we can’t believe it… We have about 70 people working at Disfrutar, and 120 people in the whole team. They will be so happy. We wouldn’t be here without them.”

Xatruch added: “I would also like to thank my team, without whom we could do nothing. The Disfrutar and Compartir teams have been with us since day one. And of course, I would like to dedicate this award to my family, who have always supported us and suffered with us. I hope that this award will bring them joy and make them feel that it was all worth it.”

The restaurant offers a choice of two parallel menus of around 30 dishes: first-timers will probably want to experience the Classic option, a greatest hits album featuring the chef’s favourite dishes from the past decade, while the Festival Menu is the latest expression of the team’s boundless creativity, always backed by meticulous culinary research.

With 30 different dishes to sample and a rapid-fire service style over the course of several hours, the restaurant takes diners on the ultimate high-speed culinary rollercoaster. Table theatre and interaction are frequent and the restaurant is executed with a blend of professionalism and humour.

Giving just a little glimpse into what it’s like to dine at Disfrutar, Zatruchi said: “Disfrutar means to enjoy. Customers come for the taste and the different textures, they don’t just enjoy a gastronomic experience, they also feel emotions. For us, this is important.”

Following Disfrutar in the 2024 World’s 50 Best Restaurants ranking will be Victor Arguinzonis’s grill temple, Asador Etxebarri in Spain’s Basque Country. “I love Victor Arguinzonis and what he does. Last year, Central took first place and I was really happy for the team. If Victor had won first place, we would have been happy too. Gastronomy is not a competition,” said Shatrouk.

With humility and true camaraderie, Casañas spoke of the range of emotions experienced at the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024 event: “For us, everything that happened tonight is crazy. When you come to a ceremony like this, sometimes you’re scared, sometimes you’re moved, but inside the ceremony, you feel every emotion at the same time.”

As tensions rose in the room, it was revealed that fifth place went to Mitsuharu Tsumura’s “Micha” restaurant “Maido” in Lima, Peru. The top four restaurants in the 2024 edition of “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants” are all in Europe. Fourth place went to David Muñoz’s “Diverso” in Madrid’s entertainment district, and third place went to Paris sensation Bruno Berges’ “Table”.

Castro summed up the incredible night and described the monumental win as: “Amazing. Unbelievable. A one-of-a-kind moment.”

Next year, Disfrutar will join the elite Best of the Best hall of fame restaurants, meaning it will no longer be available in the main 50 Best ranking. Will a Spanish superstar join the club next year? With five restaurants from Spain on the 50 Best list, there may be something in the water.

Watch the 2024 World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony.

The 2024 World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, was announced in Las Vegas on June 5th. See the 2024 list, including numbers 51 to 100. Instagram, Facebook, twitter and Youtube Check out the latest news, interviews and videos.