Masters/Fine Dining Restaurant/Mérito

Mérito

No.26 World's 50 Best 2025 — Combining

Fine Dining RestaurantLima, PeruFine DiningPeruWorld's 50 Best

Veronica's Take

In Lima's chic Barranco district, chef Juan Luis Martínez has quietly turned Mérito into a culinary pilgrimage, landing it a spot at No. 26 on the World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list. Born in Caracas and trained at La Casserole du Chef, Martínez masterfully fuses the vibrant flavors of his native Venezuela with Peru's rich culinary heritage, creating dishes that are as much about memory as they are about taste. His two-floor restaurant, opened in 2018, has become a beacon for those seeking a bold, personal take on South American cuisine, where every plate tells a story of home and discovery.

produce from the surrounding area with flashes and memories of his country of origin, chef Juan Luis Martínez unites the cuisines of Peru and his native Venezuela at Mérito. Martínez, who hails from Caracas and studied at La Casserole du Chef, opened Mérito in 2018. The two-floor restaurant is set in the heart of the fashionable Barranco neighbourhood. @meritorest Combining produce from the surrounding area with flashes and memories of his country of origin, chef Juan Luis Martínez unites the cuisines of Peru and his native Venezuela at Mérito. Martínez, who hails from Caracas and studied at La Casserole du Chef, opened Mérito in 2018. The two-floor restaurant is set in the heart of the fashionable Barranco neighbourhood.

Accolade

List: World's 50 Best Restaurants · Rank: 26 · Year: 2025

Key Facts

The people behind Mérito

Juan Luis Martínez

profile

Chef & Owner, Mérito

Juan Luis Martínez is the chef behind Mérito, a celebrated Peruvian restaurant in Lima's Barranco district, recognized for its innovative approach to Peruvian cuisine.