Peru has been recognized for several years now as one of the best gastronomic destinations in the world. For the seventh time in a row the Andean country has been named the World’s Leading Culinary Destination by the World Travel Awards in the category of gastronomy – and it shows no sign of stopping anytime soon. That’s why we offer food tours in Lima!
A success that led to the opening of many Peruvian restaurants on more or less every continent. From London to Geneva, and Dubai to Miami, just to name a few.
Peruvian gastronomy is extremely diverse and there are very good restaurants in every region. There are many restaurants in Lima, and as the capital of Peru, it is therefore the ideal destination for any foodie wishing to taste Peruvian delicacies – one can encounter dishes from almost all regions of Perú. So, here is a list of *our* best restaurants in Lima, which we happily recommend for the quality of their dishes. All sorted by price and district, with menus essentially composed of traditional Peruvian food as well as fusions.
And if you are also hunting for non-foodie options, make sure to check our post on the best things to do in Lima.
Best restaurants in Miraflores
Huambra – $$
Located just a few squares away from Parque Kennedy, Huambra is probably the best option in Lima to try typical Amazonian food. We particularly recommend the Juane de la huambra (S/32), Pollo canga (S/36) and some Cecina con tacacho (S/36), to taste some of the most emblematic Peruvian jungle tastes, accompanied by one of their fruity cocktails. ¡De rechupete!
Location: Calle Porta 135, Miraflores | Google Maps
El Bodegón – $$
One of the newest restaurants opened by Gastón Acurio in Lima. A few steps away from Parque Kennedy, El Bodegón offers a typical criollo menu. You will find almost all the classics of Peruvian gastronomy served in generous portions and at a lower price than the more renowned criollo places such as Panchita and Isolina. In this “street corner tavern” setting, we recommend you to taste a typical Afro-Peruvian dish from the Chincha region (south of Lima) that is called Mancha pecho de sopa seca con carapulcra (S/29) – made of ember-roasted pork in a cylinder, pasta and dehydrated potatoes seasoned with multiple spices. The other recommendation : a rocoto relleno (S/29), some sort of large hot pepper from Arequipa filled with stew, cheese, olives, peas, cumin and parsley, served with a potato gratin.
Location: Calle Tarapacá 197, Miraflores | Google Maps
Panchita – $$$
Another restaurant from Gastón Acurio! Quite similar to El Bodegón, without the tavern aspect though, but with even more copious dishes and a larger list of options, Panchita is a must in Lima since you can taste some specialities from the coast, and a very wide range of tasty dishes that originate from the Peruvian Andes, thanks to head chef Martha Palacios. We recommend the grilled octopus on embers (S/68, pictured), beef heart anticuchos (S/39), and the adobo don pancho (S/53), a pork cooked on low heat in chicha de jora, ají panca, cumin, oregano, onion, garlic and vinegar, served with fried yuca, rice and Andean corn.
Location: Calle 2 de Mayo 298, Miraflores | Google Maps
Plant Food + Wine – $$$
Plant Food + Wine is the post-pandemic project of chef André Patsias (ex Central, Astrid & Gastón, Noma and Quique Dacosta). The young chef was previously at the helm of Statera, a venue recognized as Perú’s best new restaurant back in 2018. With this new 100% plant-based concept, Patsias can be seen as a pioneer in Latin America’s haute-cuisine landscape. With a menu highly focused on Peruvian biodiversity, diners have the opportunity to taste classical dishes such as causa rellena, ceviche, meloso norteño, but with Patsias’ very own plant-based twist. Other notable creative options are Pasta con nueces, Hongos anticucheros, as well as delicious desserts.
Location: Av. Mariscal La Mar 463, Miraflores | Google Maps
Fiesta – $$$$
Héctor Solís’ flagship restaurant Fiesta offers a variety of dishes from his home region Lambayeque (Northern Peru). From seafood to duck and goatling, a strong emphasis is put on the quality of the cuts and ingredients used to prepare those dishes. At Fiesta, you can try one of the best ceviche in Lima made with one of Peru’s most premium fish called mero murike. Order it as Ceviche caliente (S/90) if you want to taste one of Fiesta’s most emblematic dish: charcoal-cooked ceviche. Other honorable mentions are Cabrito lechal (from S/120) and Arroz con pato (S/89).
Location: Av Reducto 1278, Miraflores | Google Maps
Mayta – $$$$
Mayta is Jaime Pesaque’s first and flagship restaurant. The venue, which entered the 50 Best Restaurants in Latin America rankings in 2019 (#49) offers dishes prepared with ingredients from all regions of Peru. Mayta, which means “noble land” in Aymara language, combines native ingredients with modern cooking techniques. Another notable characteristic of Pesaque’s restaurant is its bar, with 30+ in-house macerated piscos made with Peruvian herbs, spices, fruits and roots – they even have frozen options to pair with your dessert! If you don’t have the budget for the 12-course tasting menu (S/395), make sure you try Ceviche amazónico (S/59), Cuy corcante (S/62) and Paiche confitado (S/52).
Location: Av. Mariscal La Mar 1285, Miraflores | Google Maps
Maido – $$$$$
Voted seventh best restaurant in the world, only one place behind Central, Maido, by chef Mitsuharu “Micha” Tsumura, is the ideal place to taste Nikkei food, the fusion of Peruvian and Japanese cuisines. The thirteen-course tasting menu often changes, with still 30% of the dishes remaining the same for several years now. Even if it is possible to eat very well à la carte, if you decide to visit this restaurant, we highly recommend that you order the tasting menu so that you can witness the skills of this highly talented chef (pictured : the third course of the current tasting menu – a dim sum filled with squid and snail and a cream composed of sweet potato, orange, lime, dragées and crispy white quinoa. S/450 per person without drinks. Add S/325 per person for the food and wine pairing.
Location: Calle San Martín 399, Miraflores | Google Maps
Best restaurants in Barranco
Awicha – $$$
Led by Chef Jason Roman, who spent a lot of his chef life in renowned restaurants in New York and Paris, Awicha is an unpretentious small bistro located in the heart of Barranco district. Awicha boasts a very unique menu – unlike any other in Lima – that combines Peruvian ingredients with technique learnt from his culinary adventures abroad. You wouldn’t want to miss his signature duck magret (S/45) paired with one of the several quality wines offered by the glass.
If a French chef would cook with Peruvian ingredients, the end result in terms of flavors and plating would probably be similar to what Awicha currently offers.
Location: Jr. Domeyer 296, Barranco | Google Maps
Isolina – $$$
In an old-fashioned tavern decor where generous comfort food is served in large enamel plates, Isolina, by chef José Del Castillo, has been nominated in the 50 best restaurants in Latin America for three years in a row now, reaching the 13th place in 2018. To get the most out of your visit, we suggest you go with a group as large as possible and order half-portions of several dishes so that you can taste many things. Just so you know, a full portion will usually satisfy two average eaters. We recommend the lomo saltado (S/58), the seco de res (S/78) and the papa rellena con harto relleno (S/28)
Location: Av. San Martín 101, Barranco | Google Maps
Kjolle – $$$$$
The new haute cuisine spot in Lima which, according to us and many others, will soon surpass Maido and Central (yep!). The chef, Pía León, is in fact the wife of Virgilio Martínez, chef of Central. The two restaurants are next to each other, in the same building. Just like with Maido, even if it is possible to eat à la carte, we recommend that you go for the eight-course tasting menu, which mainly showcases ingredients from the Peruvian Amazon. S/627 per person for the tasting menu. Add S/200 t0 350 for pairing options.
Location: Av. Pedro de Osma 301, Barranco | Google Maps
Central – $$$$$
An obvious one in this list! Always named among the best restaurants in Latin America, Central’s reputation is already well established worldwide. Virgilio Martinez and his team offer different menu options guests can choose from, but to get the full Central and Mater Iniciativa experience our recommendation would be to pick the Mundo Mater 14-course experience, sitting above S/1000, which you can pair with alcoholic or non-alcoholic surprising preparations.
Location: Av. Pedro de Osma 301, Barranco | Google Maps
Best restaurants in San Isidro
Gaijin – $$$
Led by ex-Maido workers, Gaijin is a refreshing nikkei concept in San Isidro that features advanced cooking techniques in a relaxed and passion-filled environment. If you want to stir away from those unnecessarily “fancy and goofy” places without compromising on quality of food and services, Gaijin is the place! With a very diverse menu that includes seafood, meat, makis, and ramens, among other things, all picky eaters will most definitely find something to their taste. We particularly recommend Dumpling de la abuela (S/30), Tiradito Midori (S/29), and their Nigiris (S/25), which are to die for! Make sure to try some of their cocktails, too!
Location: Av. Petit Thouars 3660, San Isidro | Google Maps
Best restaurants in Surquillo
Al Toke Pez – $
If you visit Surquillo, you must absolutely stop at Al Toke Pez – the little huarique of chef Tomás ‘Toshi’ Matsufuji. Our recommendation : a leche de tigre served in a glass with a little spice and fried fish (S/5). And if you have a bigger appetite, order a combinado. In English: a trio composed of seafood rice in a wok, fried pota (a type of Peruvian squid) and seafood ceviche.
We visit Al Toke Pez as well as La Huerta Chinén in our Surquillo Market Tour, Huariques & Ceviche Cooking Class experience.
Location: Av. Angamos Este 886, Surquillo | Google Maps
La Huerta Chinén – $
Another place featured in Netflix’ “Street Food: Latin America” series like Al Toke Pez, is La Huerta Chinén. Led by Angélica Chinén, this small restaurant located in Surquillo Market #2 offers a variety of tasty “criollo” dishes from Tuesday to Sunday. The menu changes everyday and for only S/14 you get an entree, a main dish and drink. We highly recommend to visit at noon sharp to avoid the larger queues filled by locals that start from 12:30, approximately.
Location: Inside Market Number 2, Surquillo | Google Maps
Anticuchos Bran – $$
Winners of the television program “Anticuchos con corazón”, Anticuchos Bran offers three types of anticuchos: beef, pork and chicken. In this small restaurant decorated with multiple paintings filled with inscriptions in chicha letters (colorful stylization of Andean origin), there is only one central table that customers share with each other. Beef or pork anticuchos accompanied by a choclo (Andean corn) is our recommendation for this spot.
Location: San Pedro 308, Surquillo | Google Maps
Cumpa Taberna Criolla – $$$
Cumpa Taberna Criolla is another gem from northern Peru feeding Lima’s food scene. With chef Renzo Miñán at the helm, Cumpa offers guests a wide variety of tavern-like dishes, including some seafood options with the seasoning seal from Chiclayo. All dishes are very generous and full of flavors. Therefore, the best way to experience Cumpa is with a larger party, where your order several options and share with everyone. That’s how tavern dining in Peru looks like, after all #WhenInPeru. Don’t mist the Arroz con pato, Ceviche con tortitas de choclo, Pan con pejerrey, and Pastel de choclo.
Location: Jr. Leoncio Prado 498, Surquillo | Google Maps
La Picantería – $$$$
One of the most undervalued restaurants in Peru! At La Picantería the concept is simple. You order the fish or seafood you want (the availability depends on the day) and the type of cooking/preparation you prefer and the kitchen takes care of the rest. The price is determined by the weight of the chosen specie. Chita fish grilled on embers, one of the greatest classics of the country’s coastal areas, is highly recommended. For those who are not into fish, chef Héctor Solis also offers other dishes such as ceviche de pato, which is simply delicious. We reassure you, you won’t get raw duck if you order it, even if it’s called ceviche.
Location: Francisco Moreno 388, Surquillo | Google Maps
Best restaurants in the Historic Center of Lima
Bar Cordano – $$
This bar, which was first opened in 1905, is a real institution. Located next to the government palace, Cordano has seen many politicians, poets, writers, and people from all over Lima eat and drink at its tables. We recommend the pan con chicharrón (fried pork sandwich with fried sweet potato and sarsa criolla) or a pan con jamón del país (cooked pork sandwich with sarsa criolla), while observing the beauty of the place, and the same old man in the corner cutting the ham. Timeless.
Location: Jr. Carabaya 100, Cercado de Lima | Google Maps
Disclaimer : this list of best restaurants located in Lima is solely based on our own opinion. We weren’t paid to advertise any of the businesses, and we plan on adding new restaurants in Lima as we discover them. So, if a restaurant isn’t listed it either means : we don’t feel comfortable recommending it; we don’t consider the menu to be mainly Peruvian; we haven’t dined there yet! But please, don’t hesitate to write us if you have a question about a restaurant in Lima that is not listed if you’d like to know why.
