Peru just made history. On June 19 in Turin, Maido, led by chef Mitsuharu “Micha” Tsumura, was crowned The World’s Best Restaurant 2025 by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna. For Lima, for Peru, and Nikkei cuisine, it’s a landmark moment.
Maido has long been a darling of the 50 Best rankings, having appeared on the global list every year since 2015 and clinching the top spot in Latin America four times. In 2024, it was ranked No.5 in the world. Now, at the very top, Micha’s journey comes full circle.
“It’s hard to put this into words,” Micha said after receiving the award. “It’s been years of hard work, of explaining what Nikkei cuisine is, of not giving up. For me, cooking has always been about love. Making people happy is what I’ve always wanted to do.”
Maido opened in 2009 when Micha was just 28. The son of Japanese immigrants, he trained in the U.S. and Japan before returning to Lima, where he briefly worked at the Sheraton before opening his restaurant. In the early days, it struggled to gain attention, and he even considered closing. But his father and loyal Peruvian diners urged him to persevere. “People would come and say, ‘Please don’t close, we love what you do,’” he recalled. “That’s what kept us going.”
Today, Maido’s tasting menu is a rich sensory journey across Peru. Think squid ramen with Amazonian chorizo, sea snails with yellow chili foam, or a 48-hour braised short rib that melts at the touch of a spoon. The experience is joyful, immersive, and deeply rooted in place.
This win also marks a broader moment for Peruvian gastronomy.
Not just one… but 5!
Five Peruvian restaurants made it onto this year’s global list:
Each one tells a different story of origin, terroir, and innovation. Most notably, Kjolle’s chef, Pía León, broke new ground as the first Latin American woman to enter the global top 10, a historic achievement for her, for Peruvian cuisine, and women in the culinary arts.
“The great thing about Lima is how it absorbs influences from all over the world and makes them Peruvian,” says Micha. “You can’t define our food with one word—it’s a rollercoaster: Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Andean, Amazonian… but always delicious.”
Maido is, above all, a celebration of that diversity. “We’re not a formal restaurant,” Micha explains. “We’re a creative space. The idea is to democratize deliciousness. That’s what we’re here to do.”
