Restaurants in Central Highlands
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A
Detrás de la Catedral
This well-run, attractively presented place exudes a woody, warm feeling and has garnered plenty of regular patrons with its broad menu selection – helped by a user-friendly picture menu decoder. Enjoy filling burgers (veggie or carnie), specials like asado catedral (barbecued meats done in house style) and tasty desserts like chocolate-drenched pionono helado (pastry with caramel filling). Surrealist paintings grace the walls.
reviewed
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B
La Leña
This is the most lavish place around (check the waterfall at the entrance) to sample parrilladas (grills), as well as the usual chicken dishes in the company of well-heeled, carnivorous locals. Several branches are found city-wide and it does delivery.
reviewed
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Huancahuasi
The local eatery of choice for breakfast through to early evening is this classy establishment. A flower-filled courtyard and walls decorated with San Pedro de Cajas tapestries and local poems set the ambience for tucking into regional goodies like pachamanca, papas a la huancaína and ceviche de trucha (river-trout ceviche). It’s all well presented and the service comes with a smile. North-west of town, Real becomes Mariscal Castilla in El Tambo district. A taxi ride from the center is S3.
reviewed
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La Estancia
Northwest of town, Real becomes Av Mariscal Castilla in the El Tambo district. La Estancia does a great lunchtime pachamanca containing cuy, pork, lamb, potatoes, beans and tamales among other possible ingredients, wrapped in leaves and cooked in an underground earth oven (basically, a hole in the ground). Go early and watch them disinter it. Cheaper plates also available.
reviewed
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Restaurant Señorial/El Braserito
Two restaurants rolled into one (just one side is opened if it’s slow), this is the local favorite, judging by the non-stop crowds. Sprightly service, huge portions and cheerful surroundings with mirrored walls and neon signs lure diners in. The wholesome menu features the usual Peruvian standards, including traditional dishes like cuy (guinea pig).
reviewed
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C
La Pergola
Upstairs with a plaza view and courtly atmosphere, La Pergola offers a varied menu ranging from inexpensive sandwiches and snacks to full-blown meals. The daily midday menú is usually a very good option though the chicken fried rice is exceptionally filling and goes down well with a bottle of Cusqueña Malta (malt) beer.
reviewed
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D
Panadería Koky
This modern bakery-coffee shop is a contender for the best breakfast stop in the Central Andes, serving tasty sandwiches, pastries, empanadas, real espresso and other coffees. It’s lively from morning until evening and now even does a line in pizzas and other more substantial fare. There’s live music sometimes from the upstairs balcony.
reviewed
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El Mejorcito de Tarma
From Chiclayo, the owner of this restaurant decided upon arrival in Tarma some years ago that the restaurant food in town wasn’t good enough. The positive result is the Mejorcito (the ‘bestest’). The modest menu runs the gamut of Peruvian favorites, with grilled trout being a less obvious but excellent choice.
reviewed
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Adolfo's Gourmet
If you can score one of the seven outside balcony tables, you'll dine with one of the best views in Ayacucho: the Plaza de Armas and all its activity. Upstairs on the 2nd floor Adolfo's does pizzas, pastas and a sprinkling of Peruvian dishes. Good sangria and excellent pizza make for a satisfying feed.
reviewed
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La Divina Comida
Capitalizing no doubt on Dante's comedy classic there is nonetheless nothing infernal about the simple meatless fare at this busy hole-in-a-wall. Hearty fried rice, tortillas with spinach and lomo a la macho feature on a small but refreshing menu in an otherwise meat-dominated culinary scene.
reviewed
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E
El Niño
In a colonial mansion with a sheltered patio containing tables overlooking a garden, El Niño specializes in grills yet dishes up a variety of Peruvian food. The individual parrillada is good, although in practice sufficient for two modest eaters. This is one of the city’s best restaurants.
reviewed
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F
Urpicha
This is a homey place, with tables in a flower-filled patio and an authentic menu. Order the house special: the chef’s mix of the top dishes of the day. It has a bit of a local cult following and few outsiders make it down here. However, the neighborhood isn’t great, so take a taxi after dark.
reviewed
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Wallpa Sua
This is an upscale, locally popular and ever-busy chicken restaurant, with a quarter-chicken and fries starting at S6 and various other meat plates (like beef-heart brochettes) available. Wallpa sua is Quechua for ‘chicken thief’ – makes you wonder where it gets its poultry supplies.
reviewed
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Cuatro Leños
Chronic carnivores can take pleasure in sinking their teeth into a variety of ample parrilladas including anticucho de corazón (beef-heart kebabs) or a filling parilla mixta especial with pork, chicken and res. There's also karaoke performances in the evenings.
reviewed
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Encanto de la Selva
For local jungle specialties this bright, two-floor establishment ticks all the boxes. Try tacacho con cecina (a bed of barbecued banana pummeled into rice-sized grains with dried, smoked meat on top) and wash it down with some cool coconut juice. It’s simple, satisfying food.
reviewed
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G
Nuevo Horizonte
Inside an atmospheric older house with attractive ceilings, this place has an excellent vegetarian menu using soy to recreate Peruvian plates such as lomo saltado (strips of beef stir-fried with onions, tomatoes, potatoes and chili), as well as straightforward veggie meals.
reviewed
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Turistico al Rosal
The serene flower-filled central courtyard and the excellent fish dishes are the reasons to head here. There are two inside seating areas too. Feeling adventurous? Try the Tarma specialty mondongo: a broth made with maize, tripe, minced pork hoof and vegetables.
reviewed
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H
La Casona
This popular, ambient restaurant has been recommended by many for its big portions. It focuses on Peruvian food like the excellent lomo saltado and often has regional specialties but seems to have difficulty serving even slightly chilled beer.
reviewed
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Chinita Huanca
This very spacious restaurant is more ambient than most, decorated with everything from local butterflies to artistic impressions of Huancavelica. The menu is less surprising, but does ample breakfasts, tasty chicharrones and very good trout.
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Cevichería de Piurano
Service is slow here but you’ll see why when you see the lovingly prepared ceviche platters: besides, it’s no hardship to spend that bit longer with a cool beer on the flower-festooned outside terrace, watching the Rio Huallaga flow lazily alongside.
reviewed
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Café Miel
Breakfast is the best time to visit this recommended place with its chirpy atmosphere and checkered tablecloths – we’re talking great fruit salads and Ayacucho’s best (freshly brewed) coffee. It serves hearty lunches and great chocolate cake too.
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Restaurant Joy
For excellent grilled trout cast a line here. There’s not a lot of room but it pulls in the local diners for a limited but honest selection of Peruvian dishes. The owner must like the Beatles – there’s a signed poster of the Fab Four on the wall.
reviewed
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Chifa Khon Wa
Khon Wa is the largest and most popular Chinese eatery in town. With two cooking areas, a children’s play park and fast, attentive service, dining here is a pleasure. The chicken fried rice (with very hot chilies) is a good option at lunch-time.
reviewed
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Restaurant Chavín de Grima
For breakfasts and cheap set lunches on the Plaza de Armas you won’t go far wrong by heading to this popular place decorated with San Pedro de Cajas wall hangings. When there are any gringos in town, this is where they hang.
reviewed
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Lookcos Burger Grill
This large, squeaky-clean restaurant serves mean burgers and sandwiches. Popular with a young student crowd, the upstairs sports a balcony and a hip bar blares out Peruvian rock (and sometimes karaoke) come nightfall.
reviewed
