The kitchens of Lima are heating up. Peru’s capital finds itself in the midst of a culinary renaissance. National Geographic Travel includes Lima in its “Where to travel for Food in 2016” list; Bon Apetit Magazine calls it “The Next Great Food City” and it has been recognized as the “Gastronomic Capital of Latin America”.
Combining its deep traditions dating back from centuries of rich history with plentiful and fresh native ingredients, international influences and top-notch talent, Lima offers an exquisite and innovative ‘fusion’ cuisine lead by a new generation of professional Lima chefs. The first thing people think of when they hear “Peru” is Machu Picchu. Today, a close second is food.
Miraflores
This exclusive residential and commercial neighbourghood in Lima features a six-mile stretch of Ocean view parks known as El Malecon, and is home to some of the best restaurants in the city.
Central
Central, led by the renowed chef Virgilio Martinez, offers high-end service, a glass-walled kitchen, wonderful food presentation and concept of ingredient diversity through “vertical ecological monitoring” similar in style to the Andean peoples of pre-Hispanic times. Central ranked #4 in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. We recommend their exquisite Octopus in purple coal and to make reservations 2 months in advance.
Website: http://centralrestaurante.com.pe/en/
Phone number: +51 1-242-8515
Reservations: Monday – Saturday from 12:45 pm to 1:30 pm and 7:45 pm to 8:30 pm
New address: Av. Pedro de Osma 301 – Barranco
Price range: $$$$$
Huaca Pucllana
Huaca Pucllana is a pre-Hispanic pyramid set in the midst of Miraflores. The restaurant’s unique real estate is impeccable, giving way to the illuminated ruins at night. Here you’ll find national flavors delicately prepared with contemporary style, all using Peru’s cornucopia of local ingredients. Try their grilled alpaca in a porcino mushroom sauce with corn soufflé. Restaurant Huaca Pucllana was listed in Time Magazine’s “10 Things to Do In Lima.”
Website: http://www.resthuacapucllana.com/es/
Phone number: +51 1-445-4042
Open: Every day from 12 to 4pm and from 7 to midnight
Address: General Borgoño cdra. 8, Huaca Pucllana – Miraflores
Price range: $$$$
Maido
Innovative fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine, a must for food connoisseur visiting Lima. Artfully constructed dishes are the result of Japanese techniques combined with local high-quality natural ingredients. Maido features a superb wine list, as well as artisanal Peruvian beers and an excellent Pisco Sour.
Website: http://www.maido.pe/
Phone number: +51 1-446-2512 / 447-7554
Open: Monday – Saturday from 12.30 to 4pm and from 7 to 11pm / Sundays from 12.30 to 5pm
Address: Calle San Martin 399 – Miraflores
Price range: $$$$
Rafael
A local favourite known for its creative international spin on local Peruvian dishes. Chef Rafael Osterling recently became the first Peruvian to receive a Gourmand World Cookbook Award for his book Rafael, El Chef. We recommend their grilled octopus with pimento chimichurri, Kalamata olives and garlic confit. Enjoy!
Website: http://www.rafaelosterling.pe/en/lima.html
Phone number: +51 1-242 4149
Open: Monday – Friday from 1 to 3.30pm and from 8 to 11.30pm. Saturdays from 8 to midnight
Address: Calle San Martin 300 – Miraflores
Price range: $$$$
Amaz
In case you didn’t make it all the way to the Amazon rainforest on your Peru adventure (or perhaps you did reach the Amazon and loved the locally-sourced cuisine), then you have a chance to sample rainforest-inspired fare right in the capital city at Amaz. Also mentioned in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Website: http://www.amaz.com.pe/
Phone number: +51 1-221-9393
Open: Monday – Saturday from 12.30 to 11.30pm and Sundays from 12.30 to 4.30pm
Address: Avenida La Paz 1079 – Miraflores
Price range: $$$
El Señorio de Sulco
This gourmet chef-driven restaurant serves up a nightly buffet (Thu – Sun) where the entire spectrum of traditional Peruvian dishes (with modern twists!) can be sampled. They specialize in ceviches, seafood stews and salads. The restaurant’s celebrity chef/owner, Flavio Solorzano, is the renowned author of several books and cookbooks about Peruvian cuisine.
Website: http://www.senoriodesulco.com/
Phone number: +51 1-441-0183 / 441-0389
Open: Monday – Saturday from 12.30 to midnight and Sundays 12.30 to 4.30pm
Address: Malecón L. Cisneros 1470 – Miraflores
Price range: $$$$
Pescados Capitales
Ceviche and much, much more! A must-do for the coastal seafood experience in Lima. Octopus, squid, clams, shellfish, crabs, shrimp – Pescados Capitales offers a seemlingly endless lists of fresh seafood grilled and seared in new and distinctly Limeño ways! Featured as a lunch spot to rival Chez Wong in TripAdvisor’s Lima in 3 days guide.
Website: http://www.pescadoscapitales.com/index.htm
Phone number: +51 1-421-8808
Open: Monday – Saturday from 12.30 to 11.30pm and Sundays from noon to 5pm
Address: Avenida La Mar 1337 – Miraflores
Price range: $$$$
La Rosa Nautica
Since 1983, La Rosa Nautica has been the way to go for fine cuisine with a romantic view of the Ocean water. Its tables and terraces spill out over the pier, where the sound of the waves crashing will serenade your meal. In this iconic restaurant, high romance meets high cuisine. Dessert and a drink at La Rosa Nautica are a great end to a novoandine culinary adventure in Lima.
Website: http://www.larosanautica.com
Phone number: +51 1-447-0057
Open: Every day from 12pm to 12am
Address: Espigon 4 Circuito de Playas – Miraflores
Price range: $$$$$
I.K.
IK Restaurant offers Signature Contemporary Peruvian Cuisine, the legacy of chef Ivan Kisic. The architecture and interior design of the restaurant is inspired by a jaba, a traditional wooden fruit box. Here, fresh and organic local ingredients are perfectly combined resulting in unique and unconventional dishes. A rising star among Lima’s finest restaurants.
Website: http://www.ivankisic.pe/
Phone number: +51 1-652-1692
Open: Mondays from 7.30pm to 11pm / Tuesday – Saturday from 12.30 to 3pm and from 7.30 to 11pm
Address: Calle Elías Aguirre 179 – Miraflores
Price range: $$$$
La Gloria
A legendary restaurant in Lima, and located in the heart of Miraflores, La Gloria features fine Mediterranean cuisine and exquisite seafood. Impeccable service and a great wine list make this restaurant an all-time favourite among sophisticated local connoisseurs.
Website: http://www.lagloriarestaurant.com/home.html
Phone number: +51 1-445-5705 / 446-6504
Open: Monday – Saturday, lunch from 1pm and dinner from 8pm
Address: Calle Atahualpa 201 – Miraflores
Price range: $$$
Fiesta Gourmet
The best of the northern coast of Peru has been served at Fiesta Gourmet for over 35 years. Try their famous Arroz con Pato (duck and cilantro rice dish), arguably the best in Lima, or the kid goat seco, along with a trendy Pisco-based cocktail prepared at your table.
Website: http://www.restaurantfiestagourmet.com/
Phone number: +51 1-242-9009
Open: Monday – Friday from 12:30 to 10pm and Saturday – Sunday from 12.30 to 5pm
Address: Avenida Reducto 1278 – Miraflores
Price range: $$$
San Isidro
San Isidro is the major financial district of Lima, as well as a quite exclusive residential area with a traditional past. Here you’ll find exclusive shops, inviting bars, 1st-class hotels and excellent restaurants.
Astrid & Gaston’s Casa Moreyra
Gaston Acurio, founder and chef, is perhaps the biggest name in Peruvian cuisine. He has gained celebrity status for shining the international spotlight on “novoandina” (new Peruvian) cuisine and popularizing it abroad. In spring of 2014, Gaston Acurio transformed a centuries-old estate into a culinary complex with several distinct dining areas and styles. We recommend reserving two months in advance, since Astrid & Gaston ranks third in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in Latin America
Website: http://astridygaston.com/en/
Phone number: +1441-5757
Open: Monday to Saturday from 1:00pm – 3:00pm and from 7:00pm – 11:00pm
Sunday from 12:30pm to 3:30pm
Address: Avenida Paz Soldán 290 – San Isidro
Note: by taxi allow 20 min each way from Miraflores.
Price range: $$$$$
Malabar
Owner Pedro Miguel Schiaffino likes to highlight foods from the Amazon jungle in his cuisine. The Malabar kitchen is a hotbed of creativity, where botanical mastery and sustainability combine to create extraordinary dishes. Malabar ranked #11 in the world on the prestigious San Pellegrino list of restaurants in 2015.
Website: http://malabar.com.pe
Phone number: +51 1-440-5200 or 440-5300
Open: Monday – Friday from 12.30 to 4pm and from 7.30 to 11.30pm / Saturday from 12.30 to 4pm and from 7.30 to midnight / Sunday from 7.30 to midnight
Address: Camino Real 101 – San Isidro
Price range: $$$$
La Balanza
A fresh and healthy proposal featuring organic local ingredients, with Gluten Free, Vegan and Dairy Free options. La Balanza offers an innovative balance between food and the planet, incorporating superfoods in a fusion of Peruvian and International cuisine. A healthy alternative with perfectly blended flavours!
Website: http://www.labalanza.pe/
Phone number: +51 1-222-2659
Open: Monday – Saturday from 12:30 to 11.30pm
Address: Avenida Emilio Cavenecia 162 – San Isidro
Note: by taxi allow 20 min each way from Miraflores
Price range: $$$
Chez Wong
Hailed by many as simply the best cevicheria in Lima, Chez Wong requires some seeking out but is well worth the reward. The restaurant is in his three-story home, so don’t bother to look for a sign outside! No menu, no order a la carte, isnpired meals are cooked by the chef on sight each day. Open only for lunch and reservations are required far in advance. Ceviche here isn’t just a dining experience but also an entertaining showtime display of master chef Javier Wong’s talents.
Phone: +51 1-470-6217
Open: Monday – Friday for lunch
Address: Calle Enrique Leon Garcia 114 – La Victoria, Santa Catalina (close to San Isidro)
Note: by taxi allow 40 min each way from Miraflores.
Price range: $$$$
Buen provecho!