Tripadvisor Named A Vegan Peruvian Restaurant 2022's Top 'Hidden Gem'
It took Tripadvisor only 10 years, notes The Guardian, to go from start-up status in 2000, to the largest travel-based website on the planet by 2010. Earlier this year, per Hospitality Net, Tripadvisor's total number of reviews passed the one billion mark. That's an enormous number, obviously, and it highlights not only the popularity of the website, but the authority Tripadvisor has established in terms of highlighting the best businesses — specifically in the hospitality industry — around the globe.
One of the best examples of this is Tripadvisor's Travelers' Choice Awards, which according to the website, reflect reviews accumulated throughout the course of a single year, with the best businesses primarily identified by means of review "quality and quantity" across many sub-categories. As Food and Wine observes, there were a half dozen sub-categories for restaurants in 2022, including one new sub-category added to the list for the very first time: "hidden gems."
Per Tripadvisor, these hidden games are "lesser known spots and places locals love." If you're not a local, however, sampling the cuisine may require a bit of travel. To try this year's top hidden gem, for example, Americans will need three things: a passport, a flight to South America, and a restaurant reservation. But if the reviews are any indication, the experience will be worth the trip.
Green Point takes top honors in hidden gem category
The world's best hidden gem restaurant for 2022 is Green Point in Cusco, Peru. The vegan-friendly restaurant beat out restaurants in Valladolid, Mexico; Madrid, Spain; and Naples, Italy for the top spot, per Tripadvisor.
One of the most amazing things about Green Point is that it has retained a 5.0 rating average on Tripadvisor, despite receiving nearly 4,000 reviews. Recent visitors have commented on the restaurant's delicious food, impeccable service, and congenial atmosphere. One diner noted on the review page: "I came alone so I was sad I couldn't order more things to try because everything I had was insanely good." Another commented: "Green Point is situated in the 'bohemian' quarter of Cusco. The restaurant is like a little oasis set back from the street. The food was superb."
Green Point is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and the restaurant's online menu helpfully points out which dishes may contain soy, gluten, or nuts for those with food allergies. In addition to its "Peruvian, international, and contemporary" fare, per Tripadvisor, Green Point also showcases dedicated menus for cocktails, spirits, and coffee. The good news, per Travel and Leisure, is that Cusco is less than four hours away from Macchu Picchu, which happens to be one of Tripadvisor's best places to visit in 2022.