-
$$$ | Miraflores |
Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino (of Malabar fame) spent years exploring the Peruvian Amazon and experimenting with its ingredients before opening this low-key Miraflores bistro. The result is a world-class eatery that lets you experience the flavors of the rainforest without leaving the urban jungle. His versions of traditional dishes such as patarashca (catfish fillet cooked in a bijau leaf) or tacacho (fried plantain-and-smoked-pork balls) are excellent but so are inventions like chunks of paiche (an Amazon fish) stewed in coconut milk. Choose between the dark dining room in back or a brighter front room hemmed by foliage and tropical colors.
Av. La Paz 1079, Lima, Lima, 18, Peru
Known For
- Inventive Amazonian dishes
- Nine-dish "abruta fiesta" menu
- Upscale, eclectic environment
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.
-
$$$$ | Barranco |
After years working in some of the best kitchens of Europe and Asia, superstar cuisinier Virgilio Martínez returned to Lima to launch this chic, airy venue for his culinary talents—and quickly garnered a reputation as one of Latin America's best chefs. He and his wife, María Pía Leon, change their menu every six months, but each iteration celebrates the country's edible biodiversity with fresh and often organic ingredients. They offer eight- and 16-course menus, which take your taste buds on a journey through Peru's coastal, Andean, and Amazon regions. The restaurant's new incarnation in Barranco is in every way worthy of its past. This is currently Lima's hottest restaurant, so reserve tables at least a month in advance.
Av. Pedro de Osma 301, Lima, Lima, 18, Peru
Known For
- Exquisite gastronomic experimentation with multicourse menus
- Coastal, Andean, and Amazonian cuisine
- One of Lima's hottest restaurants (reserve at least a month ahead)
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Sat., Reservations essential
-
$$ | Miraflores |
Just when you thought Gastón Acurio couldn't possibly do anything more for his country's gastronomy, he opens this nostalgic homenaje to Peru's home cooking of yesteryear. In a corner tavern filled with dark wood and old photos, he polls his customers on their favorite dishes from their childhoods, and then makes them new. Cebiche-style chicken with papa a la huancaína, arroz con chancho (pork with rice): it's all here. This is his love letter to Peru's common people, at prices everyone can afford.
Av. Tarapacá 197, Lima, Lima, Peru
Known For
- Homey ambience
- Ridiculously good crab causas (potato salads)
- Classic Peruvian cooking, done to perfection
-
$$$ | Miraflores |
Chef Gastón Acurio's reinvention of the traditional cebichería is one of Lima's most popular lunch spots. The décor is minimal, but the menu offers a kaleidoscopic selection of delectable seafood dishes. Start by sharing a degustación de cebiche (various types of fish or seafood marinated in lime juice) or a chalana de causas (various mashed-potato appetizers with seafood-and-mayonnaise fillings). Then try the picante de mariscos (sautéed seafood in a spicy cream sauce) or one of the catches of the day. The servings tend to be large, so you may want to share. The place doesn't take reservations, so arrive before 1 or you'll wait an hour for a table.
Av. La Mar 770, Lima, Lima, 18, Peru
Known For
- Amazing seafood
- Bustling atmosphere
- Large shareable portions
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner, Credit cards accepted, Reservations not accepted
-
$$$$ | Miraflores |
Mitsuharu Tsumura is one of Lima's most innovative chefs, and his exquisite Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian) creations have garnered for Maido the top slot on San Pellegrino's Best Latin American Restaurants list for three years running (be sure to reserve at least three months in advance). Tsumura changes things up frequently, but his menus always include cebiches and nigiris (sushi with Peruvian flavors), plus cooked dishes such as asado de tira mitsuke (braised short ribs with pickled ginger and fried rice), cod misayaki (marinated in miso with sweet potato and Brazil nuts), and sanguichitas (a plate of unique sandwiches). Seating is on the second floor, at wooden tables beneath hundreds of hanging ropes, plus a few spots at the sushi bar.
Cl. San Martín 399, Lima, Lima, 18, Peru
Known For
- Nikkei cuisine
- 13-course tasting menu
- Superb sushi and sashimi
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.
-
Recommended Fodor’s Video
-
-
$$$ | Miraflores |
Though its name evokes folklore, "Witches of Cachiche" is an elegant, modern spot that offers variations on traditional Peruvian cuisine. Delicacies include as corvina en salsa de camarones (sea bass in a roasted-crayfish sauce) or cabrito a la norteña (stewed kid). The lunch buffet is an opportunity to sample an array of local dishes. An extensive wine list features top South American vintages. The cozy bar in back is a good spot for appetizers or a light meal in the early evening, when most restaurants are closed.
Cl. Bolognesi 472, Lima, Lima, 18, Peru
Known For
- Elegant atmosphere
- Extensive wine list
- Classy bar/lounge
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. night, Credit cards accepted
-
$$$ | Miraflores |
Cebiches and tiraditos made with sustainably sourced fish are the focus at this hot new seafood emporium from Rafael Osterling (of Rafael fame). The open kitchen and interior-patio design complement the lightness of the recipes, which frequently incorporate Asian accents. Don't overlook the cooked dishes: the pulpo a la parrilla (grilled octopus) is ridiculously good.
Av. Hipólito Unanue 203, Lima, Lima, Peru
Known For
- Melt-in-your-mouth causas
- Inventive cebiches
- Sushi and sashimi
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner. Closed Mon.
-
$$$ | Miraflores |
Owner Isabel Álvarez has authored several cookbooks on traditional Peruvian cuisine, which is the specialty here. Start with one of various cebiches or chupe de camarones (a creamy river-prawn soup) if in season, then move on to arroz con pato (rice and duck with a splash of dark beer) or huatia sulcana (a traditional beef stew). Weekend lunch buffets offer an excellent opportunity to sample a variety of Peruvian dishes.
Malecón Cisneros 1470, Lima, Lima, 18, Peru
Known For
- Cebiche
- Traditional food
- Good service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun., Credit cards accepted
-
$$$ | Miraflores |
The view of the adjacent, 1,500-year-old, pre-Inca ruins is reason enough to dine at Huaca Pucllana, but the sumptuous Peruvian and international cuisine is a close second. The best tables are outside, with a view of the ruins, which are spectacularly floodlit at night. You can combine dinner with a 40-minute guided tour of the pyramids from 7 to 10 pm, except on Tuesday. The Peruvian-fusion menu includes treats such as grilled alpaca in a mustard sauce with corn soufflé and paiche (an Amazon fish) with Brazil-nut flakes and a spicy cocona (jungle fruit) sauce.
Cl. General Borgoño at Cl. Ayacucho, Lima, Lima, 18, Peru
Known For
- Priceless view of pre-Inca ruins
- Quality Peruvian cuisine
- Yummy desserts
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed 4–7 pm, Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
-
$$$ | Miraflores |
Located just steps outside Miraflores near the Mercado No. 1 in Surquillo, this rustic tavern harkens back to Peru's picanterías (country restaurants) of old. The drill is simple: you sit down on one of the wooden benches, you choose your fish (or shellfish), and you tell the waiter how you want it prepared. Fried, grilled, as a cebiche, or as a delicious sudado (soup) or estofado (stew): it's all good. The menu has a few landlubber entrees, but make no mistake: it's the seafood that makes this joint a regular on 50 Best lists.
Cl. Francisco Moreno 388, Lima, Lima, Peru
Known For
- Fresh-off-the-dock seafood
- Traditional country hospitality
- Great beef ribs
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner. Closed Sun.
-
-
$$$$ | Miraflores |
This rambling, Victorian-style complex perched over the Pacific at the end of a breakwater serves up quality seafood with spectacular views, complete with surfers riding the waves as the sun goes down. Signature dishes include a mixed fish, scallops, and octopus cebiche, and grilled corvina (sea bass) with a leek fondue sauce. There's also a small but decent selection of meat dishes. On a sunny afternoon, the restaurant is a great place to watch the sunset.
Circuito de Playas, Lima, Lima, 18, Peru
Known For
- Great ocean views
- Various cebiche options
- Elegant service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
-
$$$ | Miraflores |
This old-fashioned Swiss eatery first flung open its doors in 1936, and little has changed since. It still serves a selection of quality European and Peruvian cuisine in a refined atmosphere, with ornately painted wooden details on the doors and along the ceiling that evoke the Old Country. Rösti (grated potatoes with bacon and cheese) and three kinds of fondue are among the traditional Swiss options. The kitchen also offers three-course meals, and the glass case is filled with eye-popping pastries. The front terrace, which faces the busy Óvalo de Miraflores, is a great people-watching spot.
Av. José Larco 111, Lima, Lima, 18, Peru
Known For
- Three kinds of fondue
- Excellent three-course lunches
- Decadent desserts
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
-
$$ | Miraflores |
After a quarter-century in business, this remains one of Lima's best Italian restaurants. The proof is on the plate: dishes such as artichoke ravioli and fettuccine magnífico (with a prosciutto, Parmesan, and white-truffle sauce) are perennial favorites. Be sure to save room for dessert: co-owner Sandra Plevisani is one of the country's most famous pastry chefs. This is one of the few Lima restaurants that serve dinner on Sundays.
Malecón de la Reserva 610, Lima, Lima, 18, Peru
Known For
- Homemade pastas
- World-class desserts
- Unhurried customer service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
-
$$ | Miraflores |
Situated on a quiet Miraflores side street, and featuring a wood-burning oven and a cozy lounge where locals linger over cocktails late into the evening, this understated eatery serves up comfort food, Gastón Acurio–style. Nearly everything on the menu is good, but standouts include the anticuchos (kebab-like skewers, usually of beef hearts, but here also with more imaginative options such as swordfish) and cochinilla de 21 días, a whole suckling pig with meat so juicy you won’t need the accompanying zarza criolla (pickled onions) Go late at night, when the mood is mellow and romantic.
Av. Dos de Mayo 298, Lima, Lima, 18, Peru
Known For
- Classic criollo cooking
- Excellent tacu-tacus
- Multidish samplers
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun., Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
-
$$ | Miraflores |
This vast, whitewashed restaurant with a laid-back vibe is popular with limeños, who flock here for its inventive recipes and fresh seafood. The name is a play on the Spanish term for the seven deadly sins, and gula (gluttony)—think fettuccine with a mix of scallops, shrimp, and squid in a spicy cream sauce—is one of many sins worth committing here. Another is avaricia, or covetousness: the paiche fillet served with tacacho quinoa and the cecina (smoked pork)-and-chonta (heart of palm) salad will have your palate lusting. Forget morality, and just dig in!
Av. Mariscal La Mar 1337, Lima, Lima, 18, Peru
Known For
- Inventive seafood dishes
- Busy lunchtime vibe
- Good jungle-accented selections
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun., Credit cards accepted
-
-
$$ | Miraflores |
On a sunny afternoon, the view of the malecón and its graceful paragliders from the upper floors of this restaurant is as good as the food—which is excellent. Dishes include classic cebichería fare such as tiradito criollo (thin slices of marinated fish covered in a yellow-pepper sauce), conchitas a la parmesana (scallops on the half-shell smothered in garlic and toasted cheese), or pescado a la chorrillana (fish fillet in a tomato, onion, and chili sauce). Piqueos, platters of appetizers, are fun to share. This place has another, less-crowded (but also less-scenic) location on Avenida Conquistadores in San Isidro. Arrive before 1 pm to get a window table.
Malecón Cisneros at Av. Tripoli, Lima, Lima, 18, Peru
Known For
- Classic limeño seafood
- Great view
- Packed on weekends
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner, Credit cards accepted
-
$$ | Miraflores |
Generous portions of quality seafood at reasonable prices are the reason there's usually a line at this Miraflores standby. Classic Peruvian dishes such as cebiche,arroz con mariscos (rice with seafood), and parihuela (a seafood soup) keep the locals coming back. The kitchen also offers some original concoctions, such as fettuccine in a huancaína sauce with spicy panko shrimp. The restaurant occupies an old white house with blue trim on a corner one block east of Avenid José Larco. It's well worth the wait.
Cl. San Martín 595, Lima, Lima, 18, Peru
Known For
- Traditional seafood dishes
- Affordable prices
- Good rep among locals
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun. No lunch Mon.
-
$$$ | Miraflores |
This small corner house seems inconspicuous, but at mealtimes it's invariably packed with foodies feasting on Rafael Osterling's culinary creations. One of Lima's best chefs, Osterling mixes Peruvian, Mediterranean, and Asian influences in a menu brimming with innovation. There are plenty of pastas, such as gnocchi in a shrimp, scallop, and squid pesto, but the eclectic carta ranges from fish curry to roast suckling pig. If you don't have a reservation, you may be able to grab a small table in the bar.
Cl. San Martín 300, Lima, Lima, 18, Peru
Known For
- Pastas with seafood
- Mediterranean flavors
- Delicious duck dishes
-
$$ | Miraflores |
On a quiet street a block and a half from the busy intersection of Larco and Benavides, this small restaurant in a renovated house is known for its southern-Italian cuisine. The Peruvian owner worked at one of Miami's best Italian eateries before setting up shop in Miraflores. The menu includes pasta dishes such as linguini in pesto with gamberi (shrimp), a small selection of risottos, and a traditional osso buco.
Cl. Colón 161, Lima, Lima, 18, Peru
Known For
- Great pastas
- Reasonable prices
- Traditional osso buco
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
-
$$ | Miraflores |
The name of this attractive eatery is Quechua for "little devil," which captures well the kitchen's playful take on Peruvian cuisine. Here you'll enjoy smash-up dishes such as gnocchi a la huancaína and panko-crusted prawns with a passion-fruit ginger-pisco sauce. Start with quinoa tabouleh on a tomato pesto with goat cheese, then sink your teeth into adobo arepiqueño (pork loin stewed in a chili sauce) or octopus on an olive risotto. Save room for dessert: the raisin-and-carob-filled bombitas are indeed, the bomb.
Av. La Paz 646, Lima, Lima, 18, Peru
Known For
- Creative recipes
- Funky but romantic setting
- Pleasant terrace
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
