BARCELONA, SPAIN - JULY 15: Detail of one of the dishes of the tasting menu at the two star Michelin 'Disfrutar' restaurant on July 15, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. The reopening of the two-star Michelin restaurant 'Disfrutar' in Barcelona, led by chefs Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch and Mateu Casañas, after being closed throughout the period of confinement marked by the country's government, has led to significant changes in the daily operation of the restaurant. The work in the kitchens and with the clients is carried out under strict security measures. The capacity in the room has had to be limited to 35 diners against the 50 they had before the crisis caused by COVID-19 (Photo by Xavi Torrent/Getty Images)
Food - Drink
How Disfrutar Climbed The Ranks To Be Named World’s 3rd Best Restaurant
By AUTUMN SWIERS
When it comes to restaurants, ambience and the overall experience matter almost as much as the food. Disfrutar, a Barcelona restaurant that has quickly risen through the ranks of The World’s Best Restaurants, has fantastic food and a creative atmosphere that has earned it the number three spot on the list, despite its relatively young age.
Disfrutar, meaning “to enjoy,” was opened in December 2014 by three long-time chefs, Mateu Casañas, Oriol Castro, and Eduard Xatruch; the three had previously worked together with Ferran Adrià, who created revolutionary gastronomic inventions like foams, spherification, and even a liquid olive; the three brought this creativity and ingenuity with them to Disfrutar.
The restaurant now has two Michelin stars and has been praised by Michelin itself for its "creativity, high technical skill, fantasy, and good taste". In terms of ambience, the restaurant features an avant-garde menu, including items like truffle foam macaroni and a whiskey tart, paired with a playful interior inspired by Spanish art and culture.
Disfrutar was first recognized by The World’s 50 Best in 2017, when they received the “Miele One to Watch” award, and again in 2018 when they made The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list for the first time, coming in at spot 18. Innovation is this restaurant's key to success; one of their recent inventions is a dining table lined with secret drawers full of surprise delicacies.