20 Best Places to Eat in Peru: The Ultimate Culinary & Dining Guide

Peru is celebrated globally as one of the world's premier gastronomic capitals. Shaped by a rich fusion of ancient Inca agriculture, Spanish, African, Chinese (Chifa), Japanese (Nikkei), and Italian influences, Peruvian cuisine spans fresh coastal seafood, rich Andean stews, and exotic Amazonian fruits. From world-renowned award-winning fine dining in Lima to lively traditional picanterías in Arequipa and Cusco, eating in Peru is an extraordinary culinary adventure.

Must-Try Traditional Dishes

Ceviche: Peru's national dish—fresh raw ocean fish flash-cured in tart Key lime juice, tossed with red onions, rocoto chili, giant Andean corn (choclo), and sweet potato.
Lomo Saltado: A beloved Chinese-Peruvian (Chifa) stir-fry of tender beef strips, red onions, tomatoes, and yellow chilies, tossed with french fries and served with white rice.
Causa Rellena: Layered whipped yellow potato cakes seasoned with lime and yellow chili, stuffed with shredded chicken, tuna, or crab salad and avocado.
Aji de Gallina: Comforting shredded chicken cooked in a creamy, velvety sauce made from yellow chilies (ají amarillo), milk, walnuts, and evaporated cheese over rice.
Pachamanca: An ancient Andean earthen-oven feast of spiced meats, potatoes, corn, and broad beans roasted over hot underground stones.

20 Best Places to Eat in Peru

1. Central Restaurante

Cuisine: High-End Conceptual Fine Dining ("Alturas")
Location: Barranco, Lima
Must-Try Dish: Multi-Course Altitude Tasting Menu (Exploring ocean depths to high Andes)
About the Place: Consistently ranked among the world's absolute best restaurants (World's 50 Best #1), Chef Virgilio Martínez explores Peru's biodiversity across altitude ecosystems.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Central Restaurante

2. Maido

Cuisine: Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian Fusion)
Location: Miraflores, Lima
Must-Try Dish: 50-Hour Braised Short Rib with Miso & Nigiri Sushi with Ají Amarillo
About the Place: Chef Mitsuharu "Micha" Tsumura’s world-famous Nikkei dining room celebrating the harmonious marriage of Japanese culinary precision and Peruvian ingredients.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Maido

3. La Mar Cebichería

Cuisine: Fresh Seafood & Cebiche
Location: Miraflores, Lima
Must-Try Dish: Cebiche Mixto & Whole Charcoal-Grilled Catch of the Day
About the Place: Gaston Acurio’s legendary open-air lunch cebichería, serving ultra-fresh ocean catches delivered daily by local artisanal fishermen.
Explore More: Read our full guide to La Mar

4. Isolina Taberna Peruana

Cuisine: Traditional Peruvian Comfort Food
Location: Barranco, Lima
Must-Try Dish: Lomo Saltado & Seco de Res with Tacu Tacu
About the Place: Set inside a historic Barranco mansion, serving generous family-style platters of generous traditional Creole and limeño comfort classics.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Isolina Taberna

5. Picantería La Nueva Palomino

Cuisine: Traditional Arequipeña Picantería
Location: Yanahuara, Arequipa
Must-Try Dish: Rocoto Relleno (Stuffed Spicy Pepper) & Chupe de Camarones (Prawn Chowder)
About the Place: The premier traditional picantería in Arequipa, serving spicy wood-fired local specialties passed down through generations.
Explore More: Read our full guide to La Nueva Palomino

6. Astrid y Gastón

Cuisine: Haute Modern Peruvian
Location: San Isidro, Lima
Must-Try Dish: Crispy Peking-Style Guinea Pig (Cuy) & Tasting Menu
About the Place: Located inside 300-year-old Casa Moreyra hacienda, the flagship restaurant of Gastón Acurio credited with launching Peru's modern global culinary boom.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Astrid y Gastón

7. Cicciolina

Cuisine: Mediterranean Andean Fusion & Tapas
Location: Historic Center, Cusco
Must-Try Dish: Seared Alpaca Tenderloin & Tapas Platter
About the Place: A warm, charming top-floor Cusco culinary institution serving seared alpaca steaks, tapas, and fine wines near the Plaza de Armas.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Cicciolina

8. Pachapapa

Cuisine: Traditional Andean & Roasted Meats
Location: San Blas, Cusco
Must-Try Dish: Traditional Wood-Oven Roasted Cuy (Guinea Pig) & Seco de Cordero
About the Place: Set in a rustic outdoor courtyard in bohemian San Blas, famous for traditional roasted meats cooked in wood-fired clay ovens.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Pachapapa

9. Canta Rana

Cuisine: Traditional Seafood & Bohemian Bar
Location: Barranco, Lima
Must-Try Dish: Causa de Cangrejo (Crab Causa) & Ceviche Canta Rana
About the Place: A bustling, flag-adorned bohemian neighborhood taberna in Barranco famous for lively lunch atmospheres and fresh seafood.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Canta Rana

10. Morena Peruvian Kitchen

Cuisine: Modern Contemporary Peruvian
Location: Historic Center, Cusco
Must-Try Dish: Ají de Gallina & Crispy Pork Belly with Tacu Tacu
About the Place: A bright, modern restaurant set near Cusco's main plaza, serving beautifully presented regional dishes from coast, Andes, and Amazon.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Morena Kitchen

11. MIL Centro

Cuisine: High-Altitude Research & Gastronomy
Location: Moray Terraces, Sacred Valley
Must-Try Dish: 8-Course High-Altitude Andean Ecosystem Tasting Menu
About the Place: Virgilio Martínez's spectacular culinary research center perched directly above Moray ruins, serving crops grown by neighboring Quechua farmers.
Explore More: Read our full guide to MIL Centro

12. Chicha by Gastón Acurio

Cuisine: Regional Andean Fine Dining
Location: Arequipa & Cusco
Must-Try Dish: Pork Adobo Arequipeño & Trout Ceviche
About the Place: Celebrates regional Andean ingredients and traditional cooking techniques elevated into modern fine dining in central Arequipa and Cusco.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Chicha

13. Panchita

Cuisine: Traditional Criollo Grill & Anticuchos
Location: Miraflores, Lima
Must-Try Dish: Anticuchos de Corazón (Grilled Beef Heart Skewers) & Picarones
About the Place: The ultimate spot to taste authentic street-style anticuchos, slow-roasted meats, and hot pumpkin picarones donuts in a sit-down setting.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Panchita

14. Chez Wong

Cuisine: Minimalist Master Ceviche
Location: La Victoria, Lima
Must-Try Dish: Sole Fish Ceviche & Stir-Fried Flounder
About the Place: Chef Javier Wong operates this legendary no-menu garage dining room, carving fresh sole fish right before guests' eyes.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Chez Wong

15. Kishan & Huacachina Desert Restaurants

Cuisine: International & Peruvian Fusion
Location: Huacachina Oasis
Must-Try Dish: Lomo Saltado & Fresh Passion Fruit Pisco Sours
About the Place: Relaxed desert oasis dining spots serving hot local dishes and craft drinks after sunset dune buggy tours.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Huacachina Dining

16. Al Toke Pez

Cuisine: Casual Street-Style Cebiche Counter
Location: Surquillo, Lima
Must-Try Dish: Combined Trió (Cebiche, Fried Squid, & Seafood Rice)
About the Place: A tiny, cult-favorite counter-service spot serving mind-blowing street-priced seafood combos featured on global food television.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Al Toke Pez

17. El Mercado

Cuisine: High-End Coastal Seafood
Location: Miraflores, Lima
Must-Try Dish: Yellowtail Tuna Ceviche with Choclo & Grilled Octopus
About the Place: Chef Rafael Osterling’s stylish lunch-only open-air venue, serving creative high-end seafood and pisco cocktails.
Explore More: Read our full guide to El Mercado

18. MAP Café

Cuisine: Contemporary Gourmet Andean
Location: Pre-Columbian Art Museum (MAP), Cusco
Must-Try Dish: Quinoa-Crusted Lamb & Red Truffle Potato Puree
About the Place: Set inside a glass cube structure in the courtyard of Cusco's Pre-Columbian Art Museum, offering refined art-inspired dining.
Explore More: Read our full guide to MAP Café

19. La Zona Rosa & Picantería Arimena

Cuisine: Amazonian Jungle Cuisine
Location: Iquitos / Puerto Maldonado
Must-Try Dish: Juane (Rice & Chicken wrapped in Bijao leaves) & Tacacho con Chacina
About the Place: Authentic Amazonian restaurants serving traditional jungle dishes infused with wild herbs, river fish, and exotic fruits.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Amazon Cuisine

20. Antigua Taberna Queirolo

Cuisine: Historic Tavern & Pisco Tasting
Location: Pueblo Libre, Lima
Must-Try Dish: Jamón del País Sandwich with House Pisco Chilcano
About the Place: Operating since 1880 inside a historic pisco winery tavern, perfect for sampling traditional pisco cocktails and Creole sandwiches.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Antigua Taberna Queirolo

Featured Image

Fresh Peruvian Ceviche with Choclo & Sweet Potato