Cuisine
Lima is one of the best places in the world to eat. Maido was named the number one restaurant in the world in 2025, Central held the same title in 2023, and multiple Lima restaurants sit in the global top 50.
That said, Peruvian food is simply delicious. It’s a reflection of the country’s diversity, with influences from Indigenous, Spanish, African, and Asian cuisine.
The Traditions
Comida criolla
Spanish recipes adapted to local ingredients, layered with Indigenous, African, and Asian influence over five centuries. Iconic dishes include ají de gallina, causa, and arroz con pato.
Chifa
Chifa is the product of Chinese "laborers" brought to Peru in the 1800s to work on plantations and railroads. Most were Cantonese, and they brought their culinary traditions with them. Try arroz chaufa or tallarín saltado, ideally with a glass of Inca Kola, Peru’s iconic national soda. It’s bright yellow and tastes like bubblegum (or Big Red, for our Texans).
Nikkei
Peru saw a large influx of Japanese "laborers" in the early 1900s, also to work on plantations. Nikkei cuisine fuses Japanese culinary traditions with Peruvian ingredients, like ají amarillo, lime, and cold Pacific seafood. Tiradito and acevichado rolls are the classics.
Must-Try Dishes
Ceviche
Most Latin American countries have their own version of ceviche (raw fish cured in lime). Taste is, of course, subjective, but many believe Peruvian ceviche is the best. It’s served with red onion, ají, sweet potato, and corn.
Tiradito
Peru’s version of sashimi: thin-sliced raw fish with Peruvian pepper sauces, flavorful rather than spicy. A tricolor tiradito lets you try three sauces at once.
Anticuchos
Marinated skewers grilled over an open flame. These are traditionally beef heart (don’t worry, it tastes like steak, not liver). You can also find chicken, pork, and fish versions. These are traditionally a street food, but you can find them in most restaurants.
Lomo saltado
Beef stir-fry with onions, tomatoes, soy sauce, and ají peppers, served over rice with fries. This is a fusion of Chinese and Peruvian flavors and can be found almost everywhere.
Pollo a la brasa
Rotisserie chicken, but with a deeply seasoned, flavorful Peruvian marinade. Especially delicious with the sauces.
Pisco
The national spirit
Pisco is Peruvian grape brandy, produced only in five coastal regions and distilled from a handful of aromatic grapes. The pisco sour (pisco, lime, syrup, egg white, bitters) is the national cocktail, and variations are everywhere: the maracuyá sour with passion fruit, the chilcano with ginger ale, and the creamy algarrobina. The bar at Casona Clark will handle your first introductions on the wedding night.
Meal Culture
How Lima eats
Breakfast is light, lunch (almuerzo) is the main event, and dinner is late and often small. Restaurants in the tourist areas serve all day, though cevicherías are traditionally a lunch outing, since the fish comes in that morning.
The Fruit
Peru has amazing fresh fruit. We recommend you try a few while you visit:
Lucuma
Best as an ice cream flavor.
Chirimoya
Best fresh or in juices.
Maracuyá
Also known as passionfruit. Best in anything, and super fresh in Peru.
Granadilla
Best eaten fresh.
Camu camu
Best in juices.
Our Restaurant List
A starting list of places we love. We will keep adding to it as the date gets closer.
Maido · Miraflores
Nikkei food, named the world’s best restaurant in 2025. Reservations open about two months in advance. The dining room serves the tasting menu, but if you get a small group together, you can order à la carte on a lower budget. The food is absolutely amazing.
Mérito · Barranco
Venezuelan chef Juan Luis Martínez’s intimate two-story house, currently number 26 on the World’s 50 Best list. Peruvian and Venezuelan influence. We’re yet to go, but it’s top of our list.
Demo · Barranco
Mérito’s casual sibling right across the street. It’s got great coffee, even better baked goods, and relaxed plates. We went 3+ times the last time we were in Lima.
Clon · Barranco
The third corner of the Mérito family. It’s a more budget-friendly version of Mérito.
El Pan de la Chola · Miraflores
Lima’s beloved bakery on Avenida La Mar. They serve coffee, croissants, fresh breads, and sandwiches.
Isolina · Barranco
Award-winning tavern-style restaurant serving nostalgic, homestyle Peruvian dishes like ají de gallina and arroz con pato. The flavors are amazing, and the décor is inspired by old-school Lima.
Canta Rana · Barranco
A local cevichería. We haven’t been yet, but Katherine’s sister Annie approves!