Hundreds of thousands of palates declare Vori vori the globe's best dish. According to Taste Atlas's new "100 Best Dishes" ranking—drawn from 453,720 verified reviews of 11,781 dishes—the Paraguayan soup emerges as the clear winner. But what makes this dish—unknown to so many—so special?
A hearty soup consisting of chicken, vegetables, fresh herbs and small dumplings made of cornmeal and cheese, which are cooked directly in the soup. Due to their density, they soak up flavor without crumbling, yielding creamy bliss without additional thickeners. In Paraguay, Vori vori is an everyday meal, often eaten as main course in cooler weather.
Roots in Indigenous Cuisine
The creation of Vori vori is closely tied to the region's history. Corn and poultry formed the core of Guaraní cuisine, the indigenous people who have lived for centuries in what is now Paraguay. Colonial influences later blended in, as shown by historical household ledgers and regional records from the 18th and 19th centuries. Forming compact dumplings from corn dough also had a practical edge: It stretched ingredients to craft filling meals from simple means.
Italy Still Dominates the Ranking
This year, the soup dethroned the 2025 frontrunner: Neapolitan pizza. It now holds second place—classic marinara or margherita, with thin crust and airy rim. Third spot goes to another Italian star: tajarin al tartufo bianco d’Alba from Piedmont. The delicate egg noodles pair with butter, pepper, and white truffles—one of Alba’s signature dishes. No surprise, Italy dominates the top 100. Beyond pizza and tajarin, expect tagliatelle al ragù, carbonara, lasagne, and bistecca alla fiorentina. Sadly, no entries from Germany, Austria, or Switzerland.
