This piece highlights Azurmendi, enigma, and Ricard Camarena Restaurant as part of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, a ranking recently published to recognize the world’s most celebrated dining destinations. The feature focuses on how these Spanish establishments and chefs are positioned within the top 100, alongside other renowned kitchens around the globe.
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants guide unveiled the segment of the list covering ranks 51 through 100 ahead of the formal awards ceremony. Valencia was chosen as the host city for this year’s gala, and the full compilation of top dining venues was projected to be revealed during a later event. The announcement underscored the international scope of the rankings and the ongoing evolution of culinary reputation across regions.
Within this midsection of the list, Spain is represented by Ángel León with his restaurant Aponiente, located in Port of Santa Maria in Cádiz, occupying the 64th position. Azurmendi, led by Eneko Atxa, appears at position 81, while Enigma, the project of Albert Adrià, sits at 82 in Valencia, which is hosting the ceremony this year and marks a first-time presence for the city. Ricard Camarena Restaurant is placed at 96.
Chef Ricard Camarena received the news with evident happiness, noting that even though the recognition falls in the second half of the list, it nonetheless confirms the restaurant’s ongoing growth and visibility on both national and international stages. The accolade is viewed as a meaningful signal of continued progress across multiple facets of the operation.
Camarena emphasized that the team deserves much of the credit, reflecting his awareness of the steady rise of their venue within the competitive landscape of modern gastronomy. He described the moment as joyful for the team, while also highlighting that the thrill may be short-lived, with focus quickly shifting to the next challenges and opportunities in the hours that follow.
William Drew, the content director for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, offered warm congratulations to the newcomers featured in this segment. He expressed pride in seeing restaurants broaden their geographic reach and noted that the expanded list this year acknowledges exceptional hospitality and memorable dining experiences from around the world. The recognition is a tribute to the hard-working teams behind each operation and signals the ongoing evolution of the global dining scene.
The second portion of the list showcases a dozen fresh entries spanning eleven cities, from Quito and Panama City to Istanbul and Paris, illustrating the diverse and dynamic nature of contemporary cuisine. In this segment, Europe leads with twenty-one venues, followed by Asia with fifteen, North America with six, and South America with five, while Lima marks a notable new entry at 59 and stands as a standout in the broader Middle East region’s rankings context.
Across the board, the rankings reflect not only culinary skill but also the ability of restaurants to deliver consistent hospitality, inventive menus, and a unique sense of place. The inclusion of new names and the sustained presence of established chefs alike point to an industry that remains vibrant, globally connected, and increasingly resilient in the face of changing dining trends and consumer expectations.