Mérito
Barranco, Lima, Peru
Mérito replaces the out-of-scope Panama entry because it is a better-supported South American selection with a clearly documented Lima identity and serious contemporary acclaim. Chef Juan Luis Martínez’s cooking brings Peruvian produce into conversation with Venezuelan memory, producing a restaurant that feels original without becoming abstract. It is one of Lima’s most persuasive newer-generation statements. For travellers, Mérito offers a more intimate counterpoint to the city’s grander flagships. The room, scale and menu make it feel less ceremonial than some high-ranking peers, but the ideas and execution are fully ambitious. Its inclusion strengthens the list’s South American geographic integrity while adding a restaurant that leading specialist curators now rank very highly.