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Gustu

La Paz

• The Best Restaurant in Bolivia 2024

Bolivia’s unique larder on a plate

On the Pass

Kenzo Hirose and Jairo Michel

Give me the lowdown: Claus Meyer, co-founder of five-time No.1 of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, Noma, opened Gustu in the centre of La Paz in 2013. Chefs Jairo Michel and Kenzo Hirose are heading up the kitchen, after previous executive chef Marsia Taha – winner of Latin America’s Best Female Chef 2024 – left in October 2024 to open her first restaurant. Over the years, Gustu has become a forerunner of the Bolivian culinary revival and is once again named The Best Restaurant in Bolivia.

What dishes can I expect? Diners journey across the incredibly biodiverse Bolivian landscape in just a few mouthfuls. Think delicate cuts of trout with green papaya and local mangaba fruit; fillets of duck with a purée of Andean valley lucuma fruit; or hearts of palm with punchy banana balsamic vinegar and chancaca (unrefined sugarcane) sauce.

Room for dessert: Those with a sweet tooth will need to save room for the final course. True to form, the menu offers a selection of Bolivian-inspired favourites: chamomile ice cream topped with kiswara flowers as well as a sorbet of tumbo (banana passionfruit) served with local gourd.

Leading from the front: Gustu leads research trips into far-flung regions of Bolivia, aiming to identify new endemic species, showcase unknown produce and develop relationships with small-scale producers across the country.

Gustu at home: Since 2020, Gustu has been offering a Green Box, which can be sent directly to your door. Packed with different produce (including a crackly loaf of homemade sourdough bread) and a new recipe each week, the Green Box is Gustu’s solution to sharing knowledge and appreciation of local produce.

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