Must-see restaurants in Peru

  • Central

    Lima

    Part restaurant, part laboratory, Central reinvents Andean cuisine and rescues age-old Peruvian ingredients not used elsewhere. Dining is an experience,…

  • Maido

    Lima

    True artistry and exquisite flavors make Maido an excellent stop for top-notch nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian) fare that has put it on World's Best lists. The…

  • Via Via

    Ayacucho

    The upstairs plaza-facing balcony has the best views in Ayacucho to accompany your meal of Peruvian-European fusion cuisine, made from ethically sourced,…

  • MIL

    The Sacred Valley

    New in 2018, this lauded Virgilio Martinez restaurant is more an experience than a meal. A set menu showcases the incredibly diverse local Andean…

  • Cicciolina

    Cuzco

    On the 2nd floor of a lofty colonial courtyard mansion, Cicciolina may be Cuzco’s best restaurant. The eclectic, sophisticated food is divine, starting…

  • Cafe Elixir

    Amazon Basin

    You don't find this sort of cafe very often in Peru, let alone in Yarinacocha. Lovely coffee (the city's best), freshly squeezed juices and 100% homemade…

  • Astrid y Gastón Casa Moreyra

    Lima

    The standard-bearer of novoandina cooking in Lima, Gastón Acurio’s flagship French-influenced restaurant, run by Lima native Diego Muñoz, remains a…

  • Isolina

    Lima

    Go old school. This is home-style criollo (spicy Peruvian fare with Spanish and African influences) food at its best. Isolina doesn't shy away from tripe…

  • ámaZ

    Lima

    Chef Pedro Miguel's wonder is wholly dedicated to the abundance of the Amazon. Start with tart jungle-fruit cocktails and oversized tostones (plantain…

  • Mar Picante

    Trujillo

    This hugely popular place has recently undergone an overhaul and is now all polished concrete and industrial metal beams, but the food remains…

  • Indio Feliz

    Aguas Calientes

    Hospitality is the strong suit of French cook Patrik at this multi-award-winning restaurant, but the food does not disappoint. Start with sopa a la…

  • Restaurante Mococho

    North Coast

    This tiny place sits secluded in a walled garden where the legend of chef don Victor is carried on by his widow and son, Wen. It’s not cheap, but it’s…

  • El Celler de Cler

    Trujillo

    This atmospheric spot is the only place in Trujillo to enjoy dinner (coupled with an amazing cocktail) on a 2nd-floor balcony – the wraparound number…

  • Inti-Mar

    South Coast

    One of our favorite places to eat on the entire coast, this breezy spot on the far side of the bay is a working scallop farm with a handful of tables…

  • Buongiorno

    Huaraz & the Cordilleras

    Churning out sophisticated dishes that outpunch its location’s weight class, Buongiorno is a pleasant surprise in a cordial garden setting. The lomo a la…

  • Chicha

    Arequipa

    Peru’s most famous chef, Gastón Acurio, owns this experimental place where the menu closely reflects Peru’s Inca-Spanish roots. River prawns are a…

  • Donde Teresa

    Máncora

    Before Gastón Acurio there was Teresa Ocampo, Peru’s most recognizable celebrity chef (famous before Peruvian food was even famous). She lives in Texas…

  • La Sirena d’Juan

    Máncora

    Local boy done good Juan has turned his intimate little main-drag seafooder into northern Peru’s best restaurant. Yellowfin tuna fresh from Máncora’s…

  • Le Bateau Ivre

    Iquitos

    This is laid out with TLC by the Belgian owner with a New York–style breakfast bar (OK, Amazon version thereof) and upper-level mezzanine seating looking…

  • Mi Comedia

    Huaraz

    Many restaurants claim great pizzas with some even uttering the word ‘Naples’ blasphemously in the description. But at Mi Comedia the Italian boasts are…

  • Manka

    Huaraz

    If you were curious about what happens when Peruvian cocina (cuisine) collides with Italian cucina then, let us tell you, it's a taste worth savoring. For…

  • La Nueva Palomino

    Arequipa

    An unmissable local favorite, this long-running picantería has old-world formal service but a casual atmosphere that turns boisterous even during the week…

  • El Bodegón

    Lima

    Dimly lit with polished hardwood and offering snappy service, this corner taverna feels more Buenos Aires than Lima; we're just thankful it's here. This…

  • Burgos's Restaurante

    Puerto Maldonado

    This has quickly developed into Puerto Maldonado’s standout restaurant. It calls itself an exponent of Novo Amazonica cuisine – that’s like Novo Andino,…

  • Marcelo Batata

    Cuzco

    A sure bet for delectable Andean cuisine with a twist. Marcelo Batata innovates with traditional foods to show them at their best – like the humble tarwi…

  • Barra Chalaca

    Lima

    This casual ceviche and seafood bar combines masterful cooking and playful rapport for the win. Watching the prep cooks from your bar stool, order…

  • Belén Mercado

    Iquitos

    There are great eats at Iquitos’ markets, particularly the Belén mercado where a menú, including jugo especial (jungle juice) costs S5. Look out for…

  • La Pizza del Abuelo

    Huaraz & the Cordilleras

    Most visitors to Caraz, descending from the clouds after trekking at high altitudes, crave carbohydrates. Enter the Abuelo (grandfather), a dark woody…

  • Dawn on the Amazon Cafe

    Iquitos

    This traveler magnet on the Malecón, with its tempting row of street-front tables, sports a menu divided up into North American, Peruvian, Spanish and…

  • Muelle Sur

    South Coast

    Widely regarded as Tacna's best restaurant, this bustling open-air seafood affair fulfills the hype. It gets crowded with Chilean visitors on weekends who…

  • Limo

    Cuzco

    If you must have seafood in Cuzco, make this elegant Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian) restaurant the place. Don't skip the house pisco sour, tinged with ginger…

  • Le Soleil

    Cuzco

    Cuzco’s go-to spot for traditional French cooking, this romantic white-linen restaurant delivers with cool precision. Start with trout in a tart mango…

  • Bojosan

    Cuzco

    This Tokyo-style noodle shop does right in so many ways. Take a stool and watch the cooks prepare your udon noodles from scratch. Oversized bowls have…

  • La Bodega 138

    Cuzco

    Sometimes you are homesick for good atmosphere, uncomplicated menus and craft beer. In comes La Bodega, a fantastic laid-back enterprise run by a family…

  • Café Da Vinci

    South Coast

    There’s a Euro-feel to the food and decor in this wood-paneled domain where well-dressed waitstaff give out Mona Lisa smiles along with menus that…

  • As de Oro’s

    South Coast

    Widely considered Pisco's best restaurant, the plush As de Oro serves up spicy mashed potato with octopus, plaice with butter and capers, and grilled…

  • La Semilla

    Puerto Maldonado

    Clamber up three flights of stairs to this welcoming open-sided vegetarian restaurant with views over the Plaza de Armas. Here you can get about the best…

  • Monkey Cafe

    Cuzco

    Cuzco's finest coffee shop is shoehorned into a tiny locale at the top of San Blas hill. All espresso drinks feature double shots made with Peruvian…

  • El Albergue Restaurante

    Ollantaytambo

    This whistle-stop cafe serves elegant and well-priced Peruvian fare. It’s inviting, with an open kitchen bordered by heaping fruit bowls and candles…

  • Zig Zag

    Arequipa

    Upscale but not ridiculously pricey, Zig Zag is a Peruvian restaurant with European inflections. It inhabits a two-story colonial house with an iron…

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