Eat List: Lima, Peru

The ultimate guide of where to eat, drink and shop for food products in the Peruvian capital.

Javier Wong and his wok at Chez Wong. Photo: Nicholas Gill.

Lima, Peru is one of the world’s great dining destinations. At every level, from sidewalk vendors grilling beef heart skewers over charcoal to the world’s very best fine dining restaurants, the city’s culinary scene excels.

I have spent nearly 20 years living here on and off, relentlessly writing about Lima’s culinary offerings, from classic cebicherías to burgeoning new Chinatowns, and I’ve accumulated a long list of things to eat. My list is a bit different than others you might find on Lima, so hear me out. For one, it’s longer. Rather than being a best of list where you don’t know where to start, it’s broken into sections by the type of food served (such as Nikkei, fine dining, chifas, cebicherías, cafés, etc). As it is so long, I added a list of 10 starred establishments of can’t miss things to eat for those visiting on shorter trips.

One thing you will notice, when compared to other lists of Lima, is that this list is not just what is being currently hyped in the media. I want you to understand dining out in the Peruvian capital. There are a lot of classic restaurants here. Places that hold the foundations of Limeño cooking. Many are decades old and have recipes that have changed little, and they’ll be relevant for years to come. They are often ignored by trendier lists that only focus on what’s new and different. These cebicherías, tabernas, market stalls and street food vendors serve some of the city’s most emblematic dishes and should not be missed. Some of these are quite humble and in out of the way neighborhoods, but if you’re limiting yourself to only dining at upscale restaurants you are only tasting a fragment of what the city has to offer. Not to mention you won’t really be able to comprehend it’s gastronomic vastness.

As Lima is a city where ingredients and cooking styles from all over the country can be found, I pay special attention to regional cuisines. There are excellent options for Arequipeñan, Chiclayana, Amazonian and other regional cooking styles and all are mentioned here.

What’s new and interesting is here too, and I’ll keep adjusting this list regularly, so you always have updated information.