The Americas
Latin America’s Best Restaurant is in Colombia
El Chato in Bogotá was named number one at the celebration of Latin America’s Best Restaurant in 2025, moving up two positions from the 2024 ranking. When he opened in 2017, chef Álvaro Clavijo, set out to redefine Colombian gastronomy and position it on the world map, offering a culinary experience that transcends the conventional. It has been internationally recognized for its culinary excellence as well as its commitment to local producers and ingredients. This year’s list highlights restaurants from 21 cities, including seven new entries, and consolidates Buenos Aires as one of the great culinary cities in Latin America with its eight restaurants on the ranking.
Dave’s Hot Chicken voted Yelp’s 2025 most loved brand
The annual list of most loved brands from Yelp has seen a confirmed the hold fast casual operators have on the market as it positioned Dave’s Hot Chicken at the top of the list. Founded by friends in 2017, Dave’s specializes in Nashville-style hot chicken and is known for its fiery tenders, sliders, and popular shakes and slushers. Fueled by rapid expansion and a cult following, Dave’s went from one of America’s fastest growing restaurants to being acquired for $1bn earlier this year. To add to its success this year, Dave’s Hot Chicken also landed at number two on Yelp’s 2025 Top Chicken Sandwich Chains list and number 28 on its 2025 Fastest Growing Brands list.
Asia Pacific
Zambrebro celebrates donating 100 million meals to fight hunger
As it celebrates its 20th anniversary, Australia’s largest Mexican quick-service franchise has also reached a milestone in its aim to combat world hunger, having donated in excess of 100 million meals through its Plate 4 Plate initiative. The ambition by Dr Sam Prince to build a business with purpose was fulfilled when Plate 4 Plate was launched in the early days. The humanitarian program sees a nutritious meal sent to someone in need in the developing world via Zambrero’s distribution partner, for every burrito or bowl purchased at any of its restaurants, a nutritious meal is sent to someone in need in the developing world. Today Zambrero has 350 restaurants globally.
Malaysia’s local chains booming
The last few years have seen a boost for homegrown casual and fast food chains in Malaysia. About two-thirds of the population of 34 million in the South-east Asian country is Muslim and many of them have sworn off global brands in solidarity with Palestine. This has seen a surge in local chains, including Ahmad’s Fried Chicken, which started as a food truck and has grown to 35 outlets. Another beneficiary of the boycott of global chains is café chain Zuspresso, which as recently as 2023 had fewer stores than Starbucks but today is the largest coffee purveyor in Malaysia, with more than 700 outlets that sell pumpkin spice lattes as well as concoctions infused with local flavours such as coconut and palm sugar.
EAME
Italian cuisine recognized by UNESCO
The UN agency has deemed Italian culinary traditions and heritage worthy of the recognition as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The celebration of the social and cultural value that unites Italy’s gastronomic means Italian cuisine – from pasta and mozzarella to wine and tiramisu – will be inscribed on the coveted list of intangible cultural heritage. The honor, which sees Italy as the first country to be recognized for its cuisine in its entirety rather than for a single tradition or recipe. It already has 21 other traditions on the list, including the art of Neapolitan pizza making and opera singing.
Naturally fast food chain Leon is back in founder’s hands
When the UK chain Leon was founded in 2004, it was with the aim to serve fast food naturally and quickly became popular for its fresh and healthy food served at accessible prices. During the pandemic the company was sold to EG Group and later on to supermarket group Asda. Now one of the original founders, John Vincent, has bougth back the business, which has suffered in recent years and is now losing money. In an email to customers Vincent announced some changes to ensure the survival of Leon, including job losses and store closures. “I intend that we will once again be pioneers in bringing you the best ‘naturally fast food’,” said Vincent.
Tina Nielsen
