Lima Restaurants

  1. Alfresco

    Part of a well-known and well-appreciated restaurant chain, this quality eatery is presided over by chef Alfredo Aramburú Picasso. With a name like that you'd expect his food to be artwork - and it is. The fish creations are quite stunning; try the charcoal fillet of sea bream.

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  2. Ambrosia

    Based in Miraflores Park Hotel, this sophisticated, high-brow restaurant gets the culinary thumbs-up for its international gourmet meals.

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  3. Antica

    With rustic knickknack-covered walls, candle-bedecked tables and solid wooden benches, the wood-oven-cooked pizza and calzone at this place taste just that little bit more authentic. Order the very reasonable house wine to wash it all down.

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  4. Antica Trattoria

    This classy Italian joint with a nouveau-rustic air serves up pizza, but is better recommended for its pasta concoctions and generic Italian cuisine. Dishes to savor are ravioli stuffed with crab, osso buco with polenta, and filling risottos.

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  5. Astrid y Gaston

    This elegant upper-class limeño mainstay has Cordon Bleu-trained chefs who create excellent international food. Dishes to watch out for are tuna tiradito (Japanese-influenced ceviche, served in thin slices without onion), veal osso buco and Piuran groper. Owner Gastón Acurio is quite a culinary media personality in his own right and has been the capital's flavor of the month, after month, after month.

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  7. Azato

    It's a recommended spot for fast criollo food (spicy fare with Spanish and African influences). It's a fast-food-style joint and is easy to spot with its prominent sign on Arica.

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  8. Bircher Benner

    Established in 1972 to provide a healthy alternative to Lima's meat- and fish-heavy food, this pioneering vegetarian restaurant and shop produces many imaginative creations. Mushroom ceviche is one - an enticing mix of mushroom, onions, coriander, tomato and ricotta. You'll need a cab to get here.

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  9. Café Café

    Café Café in Mártir Olaya advertises 120 different drinks, gourmet coffees, sandwiches and desserts. The other branch at LarcoMar branch, Malecon de la Reserva 610, is the place to see and be seen, with a great location looking directly out to sea and down to the surfers below; it's not for sufferers of vertigo.

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  10. Cebichería Don Beta

    Don't be put off by the tiny exterior of this locally popular seafood restaurant; it opens up into an attractive room with a thatched roof and nautical theme. It tends to be quiet midweek, but picks up on weekends. The seafood is exceptionally fresh and the range of ceviche choices is quite broad.

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  11. Cevichería Barranco

    This cheap seafood restaurant has a welcoming patio with a thatched roof. Yet again there is no sign; look for the imposing brick wall and wooden gate. It's a 15-minute walk from central Barranco.

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  13. Cevichería la Choza Nautica

    Cevichería la Choza Nautica La choza means 'the shack', a conscious play of words with the upscale La Rosa Nautica restaurant in Miraflores. And this popular little cevichería (restaurant serving raw seafood marinated in lime juice) doesn't miss the opportunity to play on the aphrodisiac qualities of seafood either - just look for their 'ceviche erotica' menú .

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  14. Chifa Kun Fa

    Good Peruvian-style Chinese food is served here.

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  15. Chili's

    Chili's 'Like no other place' goes the slogan at this Tex-Mex grill and bar. It's hip and happy, the food sparkles and you'll have a spicy time. Ribs, fajitas, quesadillas and shrimp dishes are all on offer. Enjoy them with a classic margarita.

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  16. Como Agua para Chocolate

    Taking its cue from the movie Like Water for Chocolate , this Mexican has made its home in San Isidro. Chocolate only appears in its desserts, while the food runs the gamut of standard Mexican staples. The lunchtime menús are a good option and offer imaginative choices. Excellent wine list.

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  17. El Cartujo

    Have a refreshing pisco sour at the long wooden cocktail bar then select a table for gastronomic treats that range from Argentinean beef to ceviche to lobster to pasta. This is a very atmospheric place for lunch.

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  19. El Cordano

    Though looking a shade run-down these days, El Cordano is a long-standing downtown bar-cum-restaurant with a 1920s décor. It serves typical Peruvian snacks - the country ham rolls are popular - and a top selection of Peruvian beers, wines and excellent pisco sours.

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  20. El Estadio Futbol Club

    On Plaza San Martín, this fútbol -themed bar serves hearty food, with over 22 choices on the menu. Chicken and fish dishes predominate. Sit at indoor or outdoor tables, a few of which are already occupied by waxwork soccer stars such as Maradona and Pelé.

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  21. El Hornito

    As well as excellent pizzas, this very central dining venue offers up a wide range of parrilladas and pasta dishes. The vine-covered patio with fairy-light-illuminated trees is pleasant at night.

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  22. El Parquetito

    El Parquetito has shady outdoor tables on a pedestrian street and good breakfasts.

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  23. El Señorio de Sulco

    A well-known restaurant close to the clifftops of Miraflores, El Señorio is known for its excellent criollo seafood and meats.

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  25. Glorietta

    Parque Kennedy and Diagonal, nicknamed 'Pizza Street,' have numerous open-fronted Italian joints to choose from, including this reasonable spot.

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  26. Govinda

    A cheap-and-cheerful café run by the Hare Krishna; there are lots of healthy veggie options for meat avoiders.

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  27. Haiti

    Located right opposite Parque Central, this is an excellent spot to watch the world go by - its tables spill out onto one of the busiest pedestrian areas in Miraflores. The bow-tied waiters are very suave and a little overformal, but there's not a better place to go for breakfast after a hard night out or for an evening pisco sour to massage your thoughts.

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  28. Il Postino

    This is one of Miraflores' best Italian restaurants, with an informal Mediterranean atmosphere and a great collection of reasonably priced international wines.

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  29. Ima Sumac

    It's a warm and friendly little place with great-value menús . Take-away or delivery is possible if you're in Miraflores.

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