An Eater’s Guide to Lima

Peru is a culinary jewel in South America and a person could spend a lifetime eating their way through all the region has to offer. Since you’ll have less time while you’re there, here are my suggestions on how to maximize your time in the capital city of Lima - mixing great eating with seeing its top sights.

Styles of Peruvian Cuisine

Criollo

Criollo means ‘creole’ and this style of food represents the blending of Spanish cooking that came in with the Conquistadors and the local indeginous dishes and ingredients. Some of my favorite dishes - which I highly recommend you try at least once on your trip - include:

Ají de Gallina

Shredded chicken in a mild sauce featuring the local yellow chili pepper that dots much of Criollo cuisine. Often served on potatoes and with rice.

Photo by Bex Walton under CC2

Causa

Causas come in a number of flavors. The commonality is mashed potato, which is fashioned into a two patties that sandwich whatever filling you choose. One of the most common is Causa de Cangrejo, a take made with crab. The interior is usually mixed with mayonnaise for a creamy texture.

Photo by WikiHes under CC4

Anticuchos

Often served as a street food, anticuchos are meat on a stick. The meat can vary, but it is usually organ meat, chiefly beef heart.

Photo by Jennifer Woodard Maderazo

Novoandina

Popularized by local celebrity chef Gaston Acurio, “New Andean” is a modern, upscale take on the dishes of the indigenous Andean peoples, which also celebrates the bounty of local ingredients.

Since Acurio’s breakout restauarant Astrid and Gaston made international lists of top restaurants in the world in the early 2000s, several other chefs have garnered international attention for their skill, creativity, and impeccable food. The most recent restaurant to get that honor is Centrale.

Dishes vary across these restaurants - and may borrow ideas from across the other cuisines mentioned here - so rather than list dishes, I’ll offer some top spots to score a reservation on your next trip.

Top Novoandina Restaurants in Lima

Chifa

During the early 1900s, a large number of Cantonese immigrants came to Peru, and their legacy is indebly marked on modern Peruvian cuisine. While there are specific Chifa restaurants which are absolutely worth seeking out, some of the most popular Chifa dishes are so ingrained in the Peruvian food culture that they are on the menu of more traditional Criollo restaurants.

The best two examples of that, below, are Arroz con Mariscos and Lomo Saltado.

Lomo Saltado

Stir-fried beef dish with French fries!

Photo by Wikihes under CC4

Arroz con Mariscos

This dish doesn’t make every ‘top’ list of Peruvian must-haves, but it happens to be my favorite dish. It’s a rice dish with a bounty of seafood, usually including squid and shrimp.

Photo by Dtarazona

Ceviche & its Variations

While technically Criollo dishes, ceviche is such an art in Peru that there are plenty of restaurants that specialize in it exclusively. When you head to one of those, you’ll benefit from knowing a few other variations that are worth a try.

Ceviche

Classic ceviche is all white fish, doused in lime juice and served with choclo, a type of corn with very large kernels. There are many versions that include other seafood, like clams, shrimp or squid. In the Andes, you’ll find versions made of trout.

Photo by Pirata Studio Film via Unsplash

Tiraditos

Tiraditos are also raw fish, but they have a different, spicier sauce than classic ceviche. The preparation is in slices rather than cubes and is closer to sashimi or crudo than the lime juice marinated ceviche.

Photo by Manuel González Olaechea under CC3

Leche de Tigre

Traditionally, Leche de Tigre was the citrus marinade byproduct of making ceviche, taken after marinating the raw fish in it, so it usually had a few small chunks of fish in it still. Now, many restaurants make it specifically to offer as a separate dish. It is usually sipped.

Photo by Carlos Varela under CC2

Eating and Exploring in Lima’s Top Neighborhoods

Below, I’ve included a few great neighborhoods to explore. Each one has its own top sights and great restaurants to try each of the cuisines and dishes mentioned above. Happy eating!

Miraflores

Safe, easy to walk around neighborhood with great views and good food.

Barranco

Hip, trendy neighborhood that’s great for a night out.

Downtown Lima

The historical part of Lima, with Spanish colonial architecture and world-class museums.