Northern Highlands
Exotic is the word here, from the decor (Amazonian creepers, bamboo table umbrellas and furry seat covers), to the food (‘drunk’ guinea pig, duck and…
Must-see restaurants in Northern Highlands
Tarapoto
Come to Patarashca for an Amazonian culinary awakening. Outstanding regional cuisine is on tap at this woody open-sided restaurant replete with pre…
Northern Highlands
Don't miss this local institution, set up tiki-lounge-style, where you can double-dare your friends to try fried ants or alligator, all while you savor…
Cajamarca
Every city needs a Cascanuez, a place where you can go at 4pm for your tea or merienda (afternoon snack) and have a bow-tied waiter serve you a hot drink…
Tarapoto
The parrilla (charcoal grill) masters here rustle up some of the best barbecues in the Peruvian Amazon using the staple ingredients of cecina (smoked pork…
Northern Highlands
This smart new coffee shop and casual dining spot attracts a mix of laptop campers (free wi-fi and power outlets) and locals tucking into the thick, juicy…
Northern Highlands
The coffee is exquisite – made by people who know how to bring out the best flavors – at this coffee bar full of pop-culture collectibles. While you’re…
Cajamarca
Cajamarca’s poshest restaurant is located in its fanciest hotel and – no surprise – offers the most inventive food in the city. Large windows look out…
Tarapoto
Brand new and boldly experimental, Natural is the first attempt at a true gourmet restaurant in Tarapoto and possibly one of the first to focus wholly on…
Cajamarca
Marengo is the smallest, hottest and most fun of the melee of pizza places in the blocks west of Plaza de Armas. With six wooden tables and a brick pizza…
Northern Highlands
One of those comfortable ‘Gringo Trail’ cafes that offer everything necessary to keep a peanut-butter-deprived backpacker happy – vegetarian omelets,…
Northern Highlands
Serving up truly excellent coffee (including frappuccinos), Bet-el is affiliated to a small hotel. A large coffee roaster greets you at the door (always a…
Cajamarca
A casual place for lunch or a light dinner, 10 Luces is located in Cajamarca’s emerging hip quarter and sports high tables, cool stools and a straight-to…
Tarapoto
New coffee bar with a strong emphasis on vegetarian and vegan food where you can enjoy fresh porridge (not common in Peru) and vegan muffins alongside gap…
Northern Highlands
Let's cut to the chase: Apu serves the best coffee in Jaén using beans plucked from the nearby hills. The cafeteria is a jolly good place to imbibe it,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Northern Highlands
Candela marries colorful Chachapoyas culture (indigenous-style murals adorn the walls) with decent Italian-influenced food. The focus is the giant pizza…
Restaurante Turísitico Rumi Wasi
Northern Highlands
It’s not often that tiny Leimebamba gets a new restaurant, so all hail Rumi Wasi on the main plaza, whose congenial owner, Eliott, scrawls his daily menu…
Northern Highlands
A chic spot with the fanciest espresso machine in town, Terra Mia's wonderful menu has regional and international breakfasts (ahem…waffles!), plus…
Northern Highlands
Classic local steakhouse serving large portions supplemented by some chunky side dishes (excellent plantains). The meat-heavy menu is highlighted by the…
Cajamarca
This wildly popular hamburger-and-sandwich joint features an extensive menu of handheld snacks. It has 16 varieties of burgers (including vegetarian) and…
Tarapoto
Tarapoto loves a steak and this is where most of the town comes to get it along with all number of other meats fresh off the grill (vegetarians stay away!…
Tarapoto
You can practically taste the jungle air at this stilt restaurant, with its bamboo balcony over a river and a patch of rainforest. The menu offers up…
Cajamarca
There’s a minor coffee revolution happening in Cajamarca at the moment, built on a passion for roasting local organic beans grown in nearby Jaen and…
Cajamarca
Set in an inviting colonial house with a warm paint job, the 'Mad Cow' pays homage to the local dairy culture with bovine-print furniture and cow art. But…
Kuélap
The owners of one of Chachapoyas' best coffee bars have extended their domain to Kuélap. This largely open-air cafe sits at the top of the cable car and…
Tarapoto
Classic central-plaza corner cafe stocked full of people sipping espressos, breaking the no-smoking policy, and discussing 'deals' hunched over wooden…
Restaurant Turístico La Reserve
Northern Highlands
A popular eating choice, with multilevel seating and a warm ambience. The menu is ample and filled with small-town Peruvian classics like cau cau (tripe…
Northern Highlands
The local guides' favorite, Mishqui reputedly harbors Leimebamba's best chef, who whips up fantastic homestyle set meals that include soup, salad, a wide…
Tarapoto
Brava is where Tarapoto goes a bit Texas with big juicy beef patties and a variety of quality fresh ingredients heaped on real buns. So what if the fries…
Northern Highlands
A popular, small but bright little place mainly frequented by locals next to (but not part of) the Hotel Puma Urco. It plies simple sandwiches, sweet…
Cajamarca
This unpretentious restaurant is something of a Cajamarca phenomenon. There's no playing to the tourist palate; instead, Castope concentrates on…
Tarapoto
If you haven’t taken to jungle cuisine, this is the yin to its yang, a journeyman chifa (Chinese restaurant) dishing out huge portions of Chinese-Peruvian…
Northern Highlands
Specializing in parrilladas (meats cooked on an open flame), Marlissa’s grill experts will deliver a sizzling platter of beef, chicken and sausage to your…
Northern Highlands
The town's biggest bakery is a two-story affair featuring a downstairs takeout counter filled with savory humitas (mashed corn dumplings filled with…
