New Restaurants in Lima, Peru: 2025 Edition

Plus, an updated Eat List to the Peruvian Capital.

Arepa Andina at Clon in Barranco. Photo: Nicholas Gill.

Aside of updating the much larger Eat List to Lima (which is now live!), I wanted to highlight the considerable amount of new restaurant openings that have occurred in the city over the past year or so. Few cities in the world have so much energy behind their dining scene and right now Lima is branching out into dozens of different concepts.

While fine dining has had some movement with the complete restructuring of Central and Kjolle, not to mention a tasting menu being served at Mérito, most of the movement has been in the middle. It’s less about ratings and international appeal than just having nice food and drinks that those in the barrio will appreciate. It means restaurants can cook progressive food and be creative with their bar menu yet still charge relatively accessible prices.

There is now a much more varied array of Chinese-Peruvian, Nikkei, North Coastal and Amazonian concepts. They aren’t traditional recipes nor are they fine dining. Some of the most movement is occurring in the areas where food and drink meet. The cocktail scene has exploded and most of the alcohol driven establishments have

Most openings are still concentrated in a central bubble, especially in the San Isidro-Miraflores-Barranco triangle. Avenida La Mar has quadrupled the number of restaurants on the strip in recent years. However, there are growing clusters of new restaurants from established names in neighborhoods like Surquillo and Chorrillos, not to mention nearby beach towns like Punta Hermosa. Maybe some bigger changes are on the horizon?

La Perlita

Ricardo Martins has opened this cevichería and tavern on the same Barranco street as his restaurant Siete. Open during the lunch time hours only, the menu is comprised of frequently changing small plates like navajas en escabeche and causas filled with whatever seafood they have available. The space pays tribute in food and music to the criolla tabernas that once filled the neighborhood.

Ototo

An intimate sushi counter where the chef is behind the counter preparing the food, something that’s common in Japan, is something Lima has always lacked. Ototo will now fill that void. This 8-seat bar in Surquillo is from Marco Palma, who previously cooked at Maido for 10 years. He’s serving nigiris, ceviches, karage and okonomiyaki, using beautiful ingredients and serving them simply.

Alegrîa Picantería Piurana

Francesco de Sanctis, formerly of Sibaris in Barranco, has opened a picantería in the style of Piura, the north coastal region renowned for its food though has little presence in Lima. The Miraflores restaurant serves many dishes that are rarities outside of the region, like seco de chable and majarisco, both made with mashed green plantains seasoned with sofrito, and ceviches garnished with canary beans.