Guiso Latin Fusion has been recognized as one of the best places to eat in the US by restaurant review website Yelp.
Highlighted as a fusion hotspot, the Healdsburg restaurant came in at No. 32 on Yelp’s list of “Top 100 Places to Eat” in 2024 and was featured among just over a handful of dining destinations described as “new Latin tastes.”
Yelp’s top 100 list, compiled annually, highlights spots that “truly reflect the unique tastes of the Yelp community,” according to the website.
Guiso Latin Fusion specializes in sophisticated renditions and reincarnations of the cuisines of Central America, the Caribbean and South America. Chef Carlos J. Mojica, who was born in El Salvador and grew up in Sonoma County, opened the restaurant in October 2015, when he was only 24 years old.
These are not the first national gastronomic accolades for Mojica’s restaurant. In 2019, it was named one of the 100 best restaurants in the US by Open Table.
“Reservations are hard to come by at the 24-seat restaurant, so fans advise booking in advance for Carlos’ menu of family-style entrees and desserts—such as delicate fish tacos with poblano Chile yogurt sauce on homemade tortillas, and unique Arroz con Leche (rice pudding with coconut milk),” wrote Yelp in its listing of top 100 US restaurants in 2024.
After Mojica opened Guiso Latin Fusion in 2015, family, friends and extended family joined the chef in the operation of his restaurant to support his culinary vision, including Mojica’s mother, who prepared Salvadorean pupusas (stuffed corn tortillas).
The family-run establishment continues to be popular among diners, who appreciate its feeling of authenticity and its focus on preserving culinary traditions.
“I applaud all those who work here to keep traditional food alive and beautiful,” wrote Yelp user Adriana R in a review that was quoted on this year’s list.
Now in its 11th year, Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat ranking covers everything from restaurants to food trucks to hot dog carts.
The selection process involves several stages. First, Yelp asks its community members to submit nominations for their favorite restaurants. The community submissions are then analyzed by the website’s data science team to determine top restaurants based on ratings, number of reviews and volume of submissions. Finally, the field of restaurant nominees is refined by Yelp’s community managers and experts “to curate a list as quirky, interesting and unique as the Yelp Community itself,” according to the website.
This year, the No. 1 spot went to Tumerico, a vegetarian Latin American restaurant in Tucson, Arizona. Bay Area restaurants that made Yelp’s 2024 list include Ocean Indian Cuisine in San Francisco (No. 29), Shakespeare-themed pizzeria Much Ado About Pizza in Pleasanton (No. 51), Japanese curry restaurant Curry Hyuga in Burlingame (No. 55) and Mediterranean-style restaurant Mazra in San Bruno (No. 23).