These are some of the must-try restaurants around Peru (within and outside of Lima) to get a taste of the variety of flavors the country has to offer.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that Peru is at the top of the list when it comes to the most coveted food destinations in the world. Food enthusiasts would be amiss if they didn’t make it to this place full of exotic ingredients and flavorful dishes.
Having said as much, Traveling & Living in Peru has put together a list of seven must-try restaurants in Peru.
1. Taste of the jungle: ámaZ in Lima
This eatery specializes in Amazonian food, and if you are also craving unique cocktails, then ámaZ is the place to go. Hint: Their prawn ceviche and chonta are worth a try.
Chef Pedro Schiaffino is in charge of the famed restaurant in Lima, and he ensures uncompromising service and quality. Also, Schiaffino and the restaurant are recognized for their efforts to promote the maintenance of forest ecosystems and local communities.
2. A staple: La Nueva Palomino in Arequipa
La Nueva Palomino in Arequipa traces back Peruvian food to its origins and is known as a “shrine” of Arequipa’s cuisine. At this picantería, all dishes are prepared with regional ingredients and prepared by local experts.
The variety of spices used are ground with a baton, a larger version of a mortar and pestle. The chupe de camarones (prawn chowder) with quinoa and the rocoto relleno with mince beef and pecans are two highly recommended dishes.
3. Eco-restaurant: Chaxras in Pachacamac
This restaurant uses organic vegetables, much of it grown in their own garden, and makes their dishes in clay ovens or over firewood. Chaxras is a pioneer in sustainable restaurant practices in Peru and they create creative dishes in the process.
This restaurant’s commitment to the environment runs deep, working with farmers from the Pachacámac valley and using biodegradable and recycled to-go containers.
4. A favorite in Cusco: Restaurant Inkazuela in Cusco
Travelers in Cusco can’t get enough of this restaurant’s curry. Specializing in cazuelas (dishes prepared with meat and vegetables cooked in flavorful stock), Inkazuela (get it?) is conveniently located in the Plazoleta Nazarenas.
Offering different curry dishes, hearty soups and dishes with cuy and alpaca (with red wine, pears, figs and cashews), this is one of those must-try restaurants in Peru for you to warm up in the cold, Andean nights.
5. For the view. And the coffee: Restaurante Fitzcarraldo in Iquitos
Named after the famous German drama depicting rubber baron Fitzcarraldo’s feats to access rubber-full territory in the Amazon, this cafe is an ode to the movie and the region.
Located in the Bulevar de Iquitos, Fitzcarraldo Restaurante Cafe houses props that were used in the film and also: great coffee. Head there for breakfast or for dinner, when you should order their take on suri, type of worm that’s very popular in the region and full of health benefits.
6. For all things duck: Rincón del pato in Lambayeque
How many ways are there to prepare duck? This place has the answer. From pepían (stew) de pato to ceviche de pato and the more well-known arroz con pato, Rincón del pato has them all, and they are packed with flavor.
Northern Peru is known for its savory cuisine that includes meats (duck, goat) macerated in black beer, mint, cilantro, as well as the tastiest ceviches. You can have it all here.
7. New to the ‘hood: Siete in Barranco
One of the newest must-try restaurants in Peru, Siete Restaurante is all about style. Located off a typical, unassuming corner in Barranco, the restaurant offers classic dishes with unexpected twists in flavors and plated perfectly for Instagram.
Try their curry lentil salad with roasted beets or their Angus short ribs with Asian flavors. Whatever you try, make sure to order one of their tasty specialty cocktails.
Fore more restaurants in Peru, visit our Eating in Peru guide.
Cover photo: El Comercio
This article has been updated from its original version published on May 31, 2018.
