The Best Restaurant in Lima, Peru

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Lima has long been a popular destination among foodies, but its dining scene is now hotter than ever. Three of the city's eateries were listed in the World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2017; nine were included in the list of 50 Best Restaurants in Latin America; and the World Travel Awards has named Peru the World's Leading Culinary Destination for five years in a row. When Peru's celebrity chefs Gastón Acurio and Astrid Gutsche moved their flagship Astrid & Gastón to a refurbished colonial mansion called Casa Moreyra, they inaugurated it with a week of activities attended by some of the world's top chefs and restaurant critics, and the reservation book was already filled for the next four months. Luckily, there are other world-class dining options in Lima, and the midranged restaurants are pretty impressive, too.

Taj Mahal

$ | Miraflores Fodor's Choice

At long last, an Indian restaurant has opened in Lima that's worthy of the name. True, this Miraflores hole-in-the-wall is tiny, with barely space enough to seat eight people, but the authenticity of the masalas and biryanis makes it worth the effort of squeezing in here. The tandoor (clay oven) turns out light and puffy breads, and there's a respectable complement of vegetarian plates. Peruvians tend to be militantly nationalistic about their country's cuisine; that they've taken so enthusiastically to this outsider is a testament to the chefs' talents.