El Chato is a restaurant located in Bogotá, Colombia, which was recently named the Best Restaurant in Latin America by Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Behind this recognition is chef Álvaro Clavijo, who has successfully tapped into the roots of Colombian cuisine. The secret lies in knowing how to interpret them from a contemporary perspective. At El Chato restaurant, haute cuisine is not seen as a gimmick, but rather asa way to translate territory, memory, and ingredients into a modern and precise language.
El Chato Restaurant: The Best in Latin America
““Colombian ingredients can hold the same place in terms of sof
, and respect as European or Asian products”
— El Chato Restaurant
The recognition came during the 2025 edition of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants, held for the first time in Central America, with Antigua, Guatemala, serving as the host city. The ceremony brought together the leading figures of regional gastronomy in a setting rich in symbolism, where recognition was given not only to the continent’s best restaurants but also to the concepts that have transformed the Latin American culinary scene through identity and technique.
Álvaro Clavijo is the head and heart of El Chato. His international career includes training at the Hofmann Culinary School in Barcelona and Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, as well as experience in highly demanding kitchens across Europe and the United States. This background has allowed him to develop a rigorous technical discipline that now complements his interest in Colombian ingredients, recipes, and culinary traditions. His cuisine combines European precision with Latin American energy.
El Chato is not defined solely by the chef. The team that supports him shares a common vision rooted in respect for the ingredients, camaraderie, and hospitality. From the kitchen to the dining room, every member contributes to creating a cohesive experience where technical skill and warmth coexist seamlessly. The restaurant is a living space that is constantly evolving.
Colombia at the table
The importance of ingredients is one of the cornerstones of El Chato. Clavijo maintains close ties with small local producers and frequently visits the Paloquemao market, one of Bogotá’s main food supply hubs. There, the chef selects fruits, vegetables, root vegetables, and herbs. This work is complemented by visits to the countryside, where Clavijo and his team check on the condition of the crops and the natural growth cycle of the produce.
The restaurant’s menu reflects that connection to the land. Both the à la carte menu and the tasting menu are built around seasonal Colombian ingredients and change throughout the year depending on availability. The dishes reinterpret traditional ingredients —seafood, meats, tropical fruits, root vegetables, and grains— using contemporary techniques, resulting in a cuisine that seeks to express the country’s biodiversity without sacrificing clarity or balance.
Diners can enjoy dishes such as beef heart or shrimp prepared with chontaduro, coconut, and carantanta. The tasting menu ranges from 2,500 to 3,000 Mexican pesos, depending on the wine pairing. Dishes cost between 300 and 600 Mexican pesos.
Located in the Chapinero neighborhood, the restaurant features understated architecture on the outside, while the interior is characterized by a dynamic atmosphere highlighted by the open kitchen. The tables near the action allow diners to appreciate the chefs’ work, highlighting the transparency of the process and the centrality of the craft within the dining experience.
Bogotá, Latin America, the roots
Returning to one’s roots does not mean looking back on the past with nostalgia, but rather understanding one’s origins as a starting point. Projects like El Chato demonstrate that contemporary cuisine is at its strongest when it acknowledges the local landscape, respects the ingredients, and transforms tradition into a vibrant, modern expression.
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