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AmorAmar
One of the city’s hot spots, AmorAmar is a chic watering hole in the Barranco district that is known for its Peruvian fusion cuisine and its fashionable crowd. The arty scene is enhanced by the fact that there is an...
- An imaginative dish at Astrid & Gastón, LimaRead More
Astrid & Gastón
One of South America’s most celebrated chefs, Gastón Acurio has become a true ambassador for Peru through his culinary talent. The menu at this landmark restaurant calls Peru “a land of unlimited ingredients, . . . of infinite dishes, ....
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Blu Gelateria
Bohemian Barranco’s BLU Gelateria is a beloved neighborhood gelato shop, and for good reason. An assortment of rich, inventive flavors are made fresh daily, such as maracuya, hazelnut and lemon, and it’s the perfect place to stop for a sweet...
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Café del Museo Larco Herrera
Tucked in the gardens of the 18th-century colonial villa–turned-museum, Museo Larco Herrera, this café is the perfect spot for a relaxed midday meal. Tables are set under a pergola surrounded by bougainvillea and hanging plants with views of the sprawling...
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Cala
For years the beachfront restaurant that Limeños headed to when they wanted to eat by the water was La Rosa Náutica. Unfortunately, it became Lima’s version of New York’s Tavern on the Green, as cruise-ship passengers and tourists started streaming...
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Central Restaurant
Virgillio Martinez Veliz, who heads the kitchen of this eatery, right around the corner from the Miraflores Park Hotel, is another of the young chefs who studied abroad (Lutèce in New York) and returned to create contemporary Peruvian food. Central...
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Chala
This Barranco favorite occupies a colonial house with sleek modern interiors. An enormous Italian light hangs over the long wooden bar where red- and yellow-seated stools alternate. The atmosphere is that of a trendy café or lounge rather than a...
- An avocado sushi roll at El Mercado, courtesy Pierre MonettaRead More
El Mercado
Peruvian celebrity chef Rafael Osterling’s lively bistro, El Mercado prepares fabulous ceviche (which Limens know is only eaten at lunch) like scallops served still in the shell and other dishes such as duck tacos and shrimp curry. El Mercado does...
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Isolina Taberna Peruana
Just a few blocks from the beach and in the heart of the bohemian arts district of Barranco, Isolina is a neighborhood hangout helmed by highly revered chef Jose del Castillo. Located in a historic building, the eatery retains its...
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LA 73
One of the city’s trendiest restaurants is named for the bus line that runs past the restaurant. The owner wanted to create a nostalgic kitchen ambience, so the walls are covered in subway tiles, diners sit on simple wooden chairs...
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La Gloria
Long considered one of the best restaurants in Lima, La Gloria is a favorite of the city’s elite, drawing both businessmen and the society crowd. The atmosphere is as urbane as that of a stylish restaurant in New York or...
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Los Bachiche
The latest from Gaston Acurio, Los Bachiche offers Peruvian-Italian cuisine in a bistro-like setting. You can order typical Italian favorites like burrata, prosciutto, pizza and pasta but also Italian classics which take advantage of the Pacific bounty such as octopus...
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Mangos Café
A beloved institution, Mangos presides over a gorgeous view of the Pacific Ocean. The food is only so-so but dining on its patio with the ocean breezes is pure Lima tradition.
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Mercado 28
The first indoor gastronomic market in Lima, Mercado 28 is an ideal spot for a quick bite, a leisurely lunch or a cup of coffee. With 18 different vendors, Mercado 28 is like the Peruvian equivalent of New York’s Chelsea...
- Photo by Paige Gordon. Courtesy IndagareRead More
Mérito
This restaurant in Lima’s trendy Barranco neighborhood has become one of the hottest tables in town, with a waiting list even for lunch. They offer inventive tapas-style Peruvian dishes in an intimate setting.
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Osaka
Located in the San Isidro neighborhood of Lima, Osaka is the first of several international outposts from Peruvian born Chef Ciro Watanabe. The restaurant focuses on Nikkei Cuisine, which is the combination of Japanese and Peruvian food, and the menu...
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Panchita
One more eatery by Peru’s celebrity chef Gastón Acurio, Panchita specializes in meat barbecued on skewers. Much less formal than Astrid & Gastón, it has a lively modern canteen feeling. Despite his gourmet credentials, Acurio loves street food and sampled...
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Pescados Capitales
This stylish seafood restaurant in Miraflores attracts Lima’s business class, ladies who lunch and well-heeled families. What you will rarely see is tourists. It’s a true locals’ canteen and, despite being in the center of the city, feels like a...
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Puku Puku Cafe
Aptly named for a little bird that chirps at dawn, Puku Puku is a rise-and-shine type of place, where local business owners, harried mothers and up-and-coming literati come together over a freshly brewed cup of medium roast coffee. With multiple...
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Rafael
Like so many of Peru’s modern chefs, Rafael Osterling fell in love with cooking and eating in his native country but went abroad to apprentice. He hired on at London’s Bibendum then studied at the Cordon Bleu, in Paris, before...
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Restaurant Huaca Pucllana
This restaurant has one of the most spectacular settings in the city: inside the monumental ruins of Huaca Pucllana, an ancient religious structure. The interior resembles an old-world estancia, with antler chandeliers, leather club chairs and massive wooden racks of...
Lima

As astute foodies know, Peruvian cuisine has emerged in recent years as one of the world’s most buzzed-about. But as long ago as the turn of the last century, the famed chef Auguste Escoffier declared that the country’s cooking ranked just below French and Chinese in quality. Ceviche, which is a national obsession, is traditionally eaten only at lunch, to be sure that the fish is fresh, and many of the best seafood restaurants are not open for dinner. Also don’t miss trying coca tea, which is great for altitude sickness, and the national cocktail, a pisco sour.