Peru Travel Guide: The Best Cuisine in Lima

Anyone who has enjoyed a Peru vacation will be aware that Peruvian cuisine is of exquisite quality, an alluring blend of the styles of native and immigrant peoples combined with an abundance and great variety of fresh, natural produce.

The capital city Lima is arguably the best place to head to sample Peruvian fare, where there are countless eateries that tempt travelers and locals alike with an array of succulent Peruvian dishes.

Ceviche, made from raw fish marinated in lime juice, a typically Limeño dish to enjoy on a Peru vacation

A recent article in the New York Times threw the spotlight over small family run restaurants in Lima – or huariques – as being an inexpensive option for tasting typical Peruvian dishes.

Often operating behind closed doors, the owners of huariques specialize in preparing one or two single recipes that have been handed down through their families for generations. These recipes originate from anywhere between Japan and Africa, yet they always make full use of ingredients found on the Peruvian coast, mountains and jungle.

The atmosphere of huariques, reports the NYT, can be rustic and informal, but the food is no less delicious; such favorites as Ceviche (raw fish marinated in lime and chilli), Anticuchos (succulent skewered beef heart) and Lomo Saltado (stir fried beef sirloin with onion, chilli peppers, tomatoes and French fries) are sometimes of better quality than even the finest restaurants in Peru.

Unfortunately for those who travel to Lima, huariques can be difficult to track down, or are not always available at the desired time. Luckily there are a whole host of quality Lima restaurants that give travelers the opportunity to indulge in some delicious Peruvian cuisine.

Latin America For Less Director and Peru cuisine fanatic, Bernard Schleien

Asked to detail some of the finest restaurants in Lima, Latin America For Less Director Bernard Schleien was eager to point out a few of his favorites:

Astrid y Gaston: Finest restaurant in Peru and probably among the finest in the world. Peruvian and international food. This is a highly acclaimed restaurant with a solid international reputation. Average main course $20.
Phone: (01) 4441496
Address: Cantaurias 175, Miraflores

Malabar. Excellent creative cuisine. Local and international food. Astrid y Gaston used to be my favorite restaurant until I visited this one. The chef and owner is truly talented and my guess is that this restaurant will be officially recognized as the best in Peru in the near future. Average main course $20.
Phone: (01)4405200, (01). 440 5300
Address: Camino Real. 101 , San Isidro

Casa Hacienda Moreyra. Hacienda style restaurant and probably one of the very few Lima restaurants where architecture meets excellent food. Local and international food. Average Main course $20.
Phone: (01) 4443979, (01)4444022
Address: Paz Soldán 290, San Isidro

El Tanta. Same owners as Astrid y Gaston. Excellent food and value (local and international). Average main course $13.
Phone: (01) 3723528
Address: Prolongación Primavera 692, Surco

La Mar. Same owners as Astrid y Gaston (Gaston Acurio is a local hero for entrepreneurship and the leading figure in Peru’s culinary big bang). Superb Seafood. Expect a 30-60 minute wait. Average main course $13.
Address: La Mar Av. 774, Miraflores

A life long aficionado of cooking in his home country, Mr. Schleien holds the cuisine of Lima in particularly high esteem. “It is Peru’s melting pot … People from all over Peru and all over the world have migrated to Lima and they have fused their cooking.”

Furthermore, he explained that the application of gourmet habits from the West to Peruvian cooking – such as technique, presentation and food hygiene – have helped the capital city to perfect its culinary offering.

And whether eating in a family ran huarique or in any of the city’s best restaurants, those who travel to Peru can rest assured that they are always likely to be enamored with Lima’s excellent cuisine.