4 Best Restaurants in San Isidro, Lima

The flagship restaurant of Peru's most celebrated chefs, spouses Gastón Acurio and Astrid Gutsche, occupies a meticulously restored colonial mansion named Casa Moreyra. Dishes are available à la carte, but the big event here is the 16-course, prix-fixe tasting menu, which takes you on a journey through Peru's culinary regions in the span of two hours. The menu changes with the seasons to ensure fresh ingredients, but expect a good mix of meat and seafood, plus a chocolate apocalypse at the end. Reserve tables at least two weeks ahead.

Even if you don't have a reservation, you can try to get a table on the patio, where you can order from the à la carte menu.

Chalaco is an affectionate appellative for natives of Callao, Lima's rough-and-tumble port, and this lively seafood stand is chef Gastón Acurio's love song to the district's culinary heritage. As always, Acurio's genius is evident in the menu's mix of tradition and creative flair: jalea chalaca throws together fried fish, two types of squid, and abundant pickled onions, while the unusual tiradito chucuito combines raw fish, olives, and avocado in a Parmesan-based broth. Don't overlook the piqueos: the seafood empanadas and croquettes are heavenly. At this point, Acurio has shown that when it comes to showcasing the gastronomy of ordinary Peruvians, there's nothing he can't do. 

Set inside the Westin Lima Hotel, this elegant restaurant is a good place to try a Peruvian tasting menu without breaking the bank. For S/240, chef Rafael Piqueras regales diners with 14 courses of delicacies, including charbroiled arapaima (an Amazon fish) and short ribs with lentils and Iberian sausage. You can also order most of the courses à la carte, for reasonable prices. The desserts here are especially scrumptious, and there's a heated outdoor terrace for romantic outings.

At this bistro run by an Australian Peruvian couple, the emphasis is on sustainable, locally sourced, organic ingredients. Lofty sentiments, to be sure—but it also helps that this pair can really cook. Their cebiche is a fresh take on a criollo classic, combining bonito with avocado, pickled papaya, and watermelon, while the pulpo mediterráneo features octopus tentacles atop a bed of ratatouille and rustic potatoes. Vegan-friendly options abound, as do scrumptious desserts.