Lima
Call it a cultural experience. This barely converted auto-repair shop long ago transformed into a bastion of traditional cooking, with long wooden tables…
Must-see restaurants in Peru
Lima
A Gastón Acurio homage to Peruvian street food in a contemporary setting ringed by folk art. Skewered meats are grilled over an open flame to melt-in-your…
Lima
For extraordinary coffee, fresh blended juices and wonderful brunch, come to this cheerful modern cafe. Straight from Seattle, the Slayer espresso machine…
Lima
Named for an iconic local bus, this contemporary bistro serves Peruvian–Mediterranean fare, with sustainable fish. Some dishes seem rushed, but standouts…
Lima
Awash in Caribbean blues, this pleasant family eatery dishes up fresh ceviches, tiraditos (Japanese-style ceviche, without onions) and family-sized rice…
Lima
Quality Peruvian cooking with the live ambience of a tinkling piano. Brujas’ menu has wonderfully prepared classics such as ají de gallina (spicy chicken…
Lima
In South America, finding real, crusty whole-grain bread is rarer than striking gold. Enter this small brick cafe that bakes four scrumptious varieties,…
Lima
Creamy, dense chocolate, bright herbs, Madagascar vanilla or tart jungle fruit: this is Lima's best gelato, made fresh daily. Keep an eye out for carts…
Lima
A consistent favorite of discerning palates, here chef Rafael Osterling produces a panoply of fusion dishes, such as tiradito bathed in Japanese citrus or…
Lima
The raw-food movement has arrived in Lima and this popular vegan cafe is proof. Think beet burgers, pizzas with cashew cheese, salads with toasted coconut…
Lima
With a full bar, this atmospheric fusion house is a lively place for sushi but it’s not for purists. Maki acevichado and butter rolls made with fried rice…
Lima
Locals leave their designer dogs out front of this roasting house where some of the finest lattes in town are served with fresh pastries or bitter…
Lima
Stock your picnic basket with authentic, fresh-baked pain au chocolat, baguettes, brioche, top-quality deli meats and cheeses or the lovely French…
Huaraz
This intimate red-bricked local’s haunt is like a museum to the Huaraz that once was. The walls are covered floor-to-ceiling in historical photos of a pre…
Cajamarca
This old-school diner is a weird juxtaposition of bland cafeteria-style tables and ostentatiously outfitted wait staff (with bow-ties, no less). It's…
North Coast
Many of Huanchaco's better restaurants close early, but fortunately this great little sushi place, tucked away on a quiet road at the southern end of town…
Cajamarca
The tiny entrance on the Plaza de Armas opens into a large, Dutch-orange cafe selling the best ice cream in Cajamarca. The staff will shower you with…
Northern Highlands
Perched on a hill with views of the valley below, alfresco KentiKafé serves gourmet coffee, homemade cakes and sandwiches with avocado and local cheese…
Ollantaytambo
This concept restaurant connects visitors to the bounty of ancestral Andean foods, admittedly, most of them tubers. It's a great idea, with traditional…
Trujillo
With bow-tied waiters and art scattered throughout, this place is aiming for high end, but the fancy seat covers and tablecloths thrown over plastic…
Trujillo
An elegant choice, with veteran cummerbund-bound waiters who fawn over you like in the 1940s, this tableclothed classic offers a long list of…
Tarapoto
This dark and sexy restaurant-bar is illuminated nightly by moody candlelight. It has outdoor seating and snug indoor lounges – and sophisticated live…
Tarapoto
A relatively new addition to Tarapoto’s colony of bars and clubs on and around Jirón Lamas, Suchiche positions itself as a restobar, with good food, from…
South Coast
Tucked away in a secluded cove framed by rocky mountains just north of town, Charlie's is the local go-to place for a long lunch followed by a couple of…
Arequipa
Culinary legends are made in this leading font of gastronomic innovation, an ideal place to try outnouveau renditions of Peruvian standards including…
Ayacucho
Cuy, cuy and more cuy (guinea pig): let's hope you like it if you're eating here. It mostly comes fried with various accompaniments. Fried trucha (river…
Chiclayo
This popular place serves a bunch of different dishes, all of them local favorites. If you’re feeling brave, try the chirimpico for breakfast – it’s…
Huancayo
With the chilled vibe you’d hope from the name, this is a lively venue with a wrap-around mezzanine level to oversee the action below. It favors Nirvana…
Huaraz
Not satisfied with producing Huaraz’ (and maybe Peru’s) best pizzas, the guys at Mi Comedia have recently opened what some are already hailing as the city…
Arequipa
Arequipa's picanterías (informal local restaurants) are traditionally communal, and you might be encouraged here to sit at long tables alongside strangers…
Trujillo
Expect excellent espresso, house-made desserts and tasty pizzas and pasta, often sourced organically, at this spacious, atmospheric cafe that occupies one…
Lima
Just as the restaurant scene in Lima began to lean towards the upscale and grandiose, this little steam-bun place found its way into the hearts of many –…
Huaraz
The only decent restaurant on the Plaza de Armas is this second-floor perch with a vaguely Alpine air that flirts with Peruvian and international food and…
Northern Highlands
This charming little lunch spot doesn’t look much from the outside, but a lovely interior courtyard and dining room await. Set menus rarely go north of…
Huaraz
This popular place is the spot to tuck into homey and cheap Peruvian daily menús (set meals). The daily blackboard of 10 or so options includes an…
Northern Highlands
Candela marries colorful Chachapoyas culture (indigenous-style murals adorn the walls) with decent Italian-influenced food. The focus is the giant pizza…
Iquitos
Enter the bygone world of the rubber-boom days at this atmospheric Amazonian restaurant. Expect silk tablecloths, wall-length mirrors and imaginative…
Huaraz & the Cordilleras
A near-impenetrable wall of hedge guarding a large, enticing garden with a fronton court (used for playing Basque pelota), children’s swings and trees…
Ayacucho
The specialty at this large restaurant is grilled meat – often cooked over a wood fire on the sheltered patio in the evenings – but a variety of Peruvian…
Huaraz & the Cordilleras
Don’t mind the name, the menu has been cleared of rodents. What remains are sandwiches, pasta and, most popular of all, pizza. The cafe is run by Alberto…
