Does One Latin American Hotel Now Have The Best Restaurant?

Xcaret has long stood out for the experiences it offers. This Mexican-owned and operated company has given us theme parks like Xcaret Park and Xel-Ha Park, the latter of which has been around for over three decades. More recently, the tourism company has turned its attention to the hospitality sector, and now, they're showcasing what they can do in the culinary world.

In December 2021, they opened La Casa de la Playa, which has more recently become the home of the restaurant Estero. A partnership between Xcaret and Virgilio Martínez, an established chef from Peru, it's already begun making waves in Latin America's culinary scene. Is this restaurant truly one of the best around right now, though?

Virgilio Martínez apparently already has one of the world's best restaurants

To know whether or not Estero is one of the best hotel restaurants in the world, it's worth looking at the chef who's helped to make it a reality. If you're unfamiliar with Virgilio Martínez's work, he owns a Michelin-starred restaurant called Central in Lima, Peru. Not only has this reportedly been considered Latin America's best restaurant for the last decade, but it's also supposedly the second-best restaurant in the world. So, it's clear that Martínez knows a thing or two about how to impress diners, which immediately makes his latest endeavor at La Casa de la Playa very notable indeed.

Martínez won't set up a new restaurant just anywhere

They say that lightning doesn't strike twice, but when it comes to Virgilio Martínez's food, we reckon he can make his second restaurant stand out just as much as the first. It helps that he was apparently very particular about where he established his sophomore joint. According to Martínez, he likes to "go to places where people feel food" and tries to produce "a melting pot of culture, tradition, and techniques. He's managed to achieve the latter at Estero by utilizing Mexican ingredients and inspiration, then experimenting with various techniques and seasonings. It's resulted in some unexpected combinations, like tuna and ant eggs, that boast many exciting new flavors. The fact that the dishes are plated to resemble nature in some way only adds to their quality.

Estero is working to unite people rather than dividing them

The partnership of a Peruvian chef and a Mexican tourism company might seem like an odd choice to some. However, Virgilio Martínez believes in "the power of food" and the way it can unite people and cultures. He admits that there used to be a lot of competing with Mexico in Lima but that he works with a new mindset now. The desire to put any differences aside and try to create something that brings people together is why Estero is already making such an impact. It might be one little spot inside a 63-suit hotel in Riviera Maya, but what it brings to customers transcends that one space. Of course, given the exclusivity and price of the hotel, it's not somewhere that's going to be able to attract everyone. However, for those who can get a table, dining here truly seems to be a very special experience.

What makes a restaurant the best in the world may be subjective because it all depends on what someone likes and expects from their dining experience. However, it's clear that Virgilio Martínez is bringing all the quality from his first successful endeavor and taking it to the next level with Estero. So, it's not hard to believe this is one of the best places to eat right now.