Best of the Americas

Gold: Cobre

Silver: Rinconcito Salvadoreño
Bronze: Doña Cata
Honourable Mention: Baru Latino & Lolita’s

Cuban-Brazilian-Mexican restaurant Cobre (Gold) grabbed the top spot from two-time winner Doña Cata thanks to a combination of zesty dishes (like tamale sliders and chicken taquitos with homemade guacamole), inspired cocktails, and solid service in a polished room. If Cobre represents the sleek and sexy Latin restaurant, then Rinconcito Salvadoreño (Silver) is its counterpart: an inconspicuous spot on Commercial. Diners stream in nightly for the city’s best handmade pupusas: thick corn tortillas topped with cheese, beans, pork, or all three are served in traditional El Salvadorean style with chimol (cooked salsa) and curtido (pickled cabbage salad). Doña Cata (Bronze) is a similarly unassuming mom-and-pop room, churning out deliciously authentic Mexican fare like spiced al pastor tacos and enchiladas. A range of flavours from across Central and South America is on offer at Baru Latino (Honourable Mention), and well-executed dishes and a warm Caribbean vibe makes Lolita’s (Honourable Mention) a great (if raucous) place to while away an evening.