223 Best Restaurants in Peru

Chef Mònica Huertas is one of the great promoters of arequipeña cuisine, and, to many, this is the most authentic restaurant in town. She uses many of the same classic recipes—some more than a century old—that her mother and grandmother used, and her preparations of regional standards such as rocoto relleno, adobo, lechón al horno (oven-roasted pork), chupe de camarones, and queso helado have become the definitive recipes. This sprawling picantería with a maze of pleasant patios and dining rooms is a great place to come on the weekend and spend the entire day eating, drinking, and listening to live music.

This rambling, Victorian-style complex perched over the Pacific at the end of a breakwater has long dished up good seafood with spectacular views, complete with surfers riding the waves as the sun goes down. In 2023, however, renowned Peruvian cuisinier Pedro Miguel Schiaffino took over the kitchen, and the quality restaurant's food is now commensurate with the splendid location. Classic dishes such as sea bass are still on the menu, but Schiaffino has added his takes on clams au gratin, parihuela (mixed seafood in a spicy broth), and more.

On sunny afternoons, the restaurant is a great place to watch the sunset.

Chef Juan Seminario rides his motorcycle to local markets every day to find the fish and produce that make this narrow restaurant the rival of many top eateries in Lima. This means Mediterranean and Asian elements inevitably find their way into dishes such as Nikkei-style tiradito (Peruvian sashimi in a spicy sauce) and house-made seafood ravioli. Don't overlook the landlubber entrées: the osso buco risotto is heavenly, as are the tropical-themed cocktails.

Walk through a dimly lit tunnel directly below the Mirador de San Blas to find this stylish bistro boasting some of the best views of Cusco—especially from the balcony terrace after sunset, when the city lights start flicking across the hills like fireflies. Besides the views, patrons come for the menu of burgers, Peruvian mains like cebiche and lomo saltado, and grilled meats. It’s also a great place for a sundowner, with disco music beats, a relaxed atmosphere, a great wine list, and a creative selection of cocktails that blend local tastes such as agave, hibiscus, and herbal infusions with international spirits.  

Mitsuharu Tsumura is one of Lima's most innovative chefs, and his exquisite Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian) creations have earned Maido top slots on San Pellegrino's Best Latin American Restaurants list for nearly 10 years running. 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. This place is much sought-after, so be sure to make reservations at least two months in advance.

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.

Located in a beautiful colonial building, there are a couple of intimate tables on the balcony overlooking the Plaza de Armas, while the more lively interior rooms make it seem like a popular place to eat for both Peruvians and travelers. Mojsa, which means "delicious" in the Aymara language, serves reasonably priced Novo Andino cuisine, fused with fresh traditional and criollo flavors in an elegant space with wood floors and a long bar.

Nestled amid the charming cloisters of Belmond’s posh Hotel Monasterio, OQRE opened in 2024 and offers the haute pan-Peruvian cuisine of Michelin-star chef Jorge Muñoz, who mixes ingredients from the coast, the mountains, and the forest. Standout dishes include tiradito al olivo (with leche de tigre, olive oil, and crispy garlic) and the delicious cochinillo crujiente (chunks of pulled pork compacted into a crispy, irresistible skin, served with mashed potatoes). A live band performs romantic opera music in this dimly lit space.

Twice daily, at noon and 2:30, El Albergue organizes the pachamanca (meaning "earthen oven" in Quechua), one of Ollantaytambo’s most distinctive traditional culinary experiences. Used across the country for special celebrations, this traditional Peruvian method—which entails burying hot stones in a pit and covering it with wet cotton sheets, leaves, and soil—produces an unforgettable lunch of tender meats, fresh vegetables, and steamed quinoa. The property hosts this experience under a rustic portico with a backdrop of mountains on one side and views of the whistling trains to Aguas Calientes on the other.

The menu at this restaurant, which is modeled after a typical open-air quinta, with wooden tables scattered around a large patio, gets its influences from all over Peru, and the waiters are happy to explain what makes each traditional dish special. For a special treat, go for the underground-oven-baked pachamanca, in which different types of meats are slow roasted together with potatoes and aromatic herbs. This dish, as well as the cuy, has to be ordered 24 hours in advance, so plan ahead.

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 (kebablike skewers, usually of beef hearts, but here also with more imaginative options such as swordfish) and codillo de cerdo crocante, pig's knuckles with meat so juicy you won’t need the accompanying zarza criolla. Go late at night, when the mood is mellow and romantic.

Ask anyone in Piura the best place to go for typical local cuisine, and they'll tell you to come here. Two dining rooms—one air-conditioned, one not—with cracked white walls and waitresses in flowing peasant dresses form the backdrop for regional fare like tamales verdes (green tamales) and seco de chavelo (fried green bananas and pork). Wash everything down with algarrobina, a pisco-based cocktail flavored with the syrup from the area's carob trees.

This hillside restaurant is a perfect lunchtime pit stop after seeing Quinua's battlefield and before heading back to Ayacucho. The owners work with a Dutch nonprofit to provide training for disadvantaged local kids, and the food—including a heavenly asado negro con puré (beef roast over mashed potatoes)—rivals that of any (okay, almost any) top Lima chef.

The restaurant in the Sumaq Hotel is a must-experience for foodies thanks not only to culinary offerings that can easily hold their own against anything Lima's finest restaurants can dish out but also to a first-class setting and the utmost in professional yet warm service. European dishes like ravioli are given an Andean slant by stuffing them with ají de gallina, and traditional Peruvian fare is infused with international flavor. Reservations are a good idea, especially if you plan to opt for the six-course degustation menu, a true gastronomic delight.

There's a reason why this 30-year-old criollo eatery is consistently mobbed by hungry locals at lunchtime: its innovative cooking is some of the best in northern Peru. From shellfish and goat to duck and causas, the menu goes on and on. Locals swear by the meat-and-rice norteño staples, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a weak spot here. Come hungry.

Reconstructing rich ancestral dishes in a modern way, Salamanto prepares locally sourced meats and fish, together with native corn, papas andinas, and algae and mushrooms from El Valle Sagrado, with centuries-old methods and modern spices and sauces. Salamanto's location at the Mirador de Carmen Alto is spectacular, offering sweeping vistas of the Chachani and Misti volcanoes and the Rio Chili flowing through the valley below. Try a 7- or 10-course tasting menu, accompanied by carefully selected local wines. This is bucket-list dining, worthy of a special occasion. Reserve ahead.

What's not on the menu at this eclectic eatery is the standard Peruvian gastro-repertoire. Instead, chef Ricardo Martins fuses Asian, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern accents to create dazzling, taste-bud-popping confections such as grilled pork tomahawk steak in harissa butter or razor clams in Chinese-style yuxiang sauce. Even humble ingredients such as anchovies and red peppers take on new meaning in the hands of this culinary wizard. The vintage cocktails are also inspired, meshing perfectly with the wood-paneled ambience of the restaurant's 19th-century digs. Look sharp: this place shows every sign of becoming a foodie pilgrimage point.

Long lines outside this wildly popular chain, whose name translates to "Seven Soups," are an indicator of just how avid limeños are to slurp up its hearty broths. Those craving something more filling than the rotating soups of the day can also try the pollo a la brasa (chargrilled chicken), pastas, and other Peruvian classics. Believe the hype: this place is worth the wait.

Inventive twists on classic seafood dishes make this one of Trujillo's best restaurants. The exhaustive (and exhausting) menu runs from risottos and tiraditos to chicharrones and rice plates, making choosing very difficult. Shrimp lovers will find something unusual in the langostinos Mister Berry, which are bathed in a coconut-and-mango chutney, while the crunchy causa of crab and shrimp is wrapped in a light, tempuralike shell. The drink list alone occupies six whole pages.

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.

Sporting a welcoming plant-flanked garden gazebo with wooden tables, Tio Dario is one of Yanahuara's most popular restaurants and an offshoot of the famous Zig Zag Restaurant. On the menu, Arequipa specialties mix with food from other Peruvian regions, using seafood as the main leitmotif. Try the pulpo al olivo clásico in a creamy black olive sauce, or the parihuela en fuente de barro, a rich stew of shellfish made in a traditional pot.

In a city where chifa, Peru's version of Chinese food, is ubiquitous, with cheapo order-by-number establishments on practically every corner, Titi towers above the competition. This is a kitchen that works magic with even the simplest ingredients. Tallarín saltado with chicken and pork is subtly smoky and crackling with fresh vegetables, while kru yoc, the most requested plate, dresses crisp pork slices with a delicately sweet glaze. Chinese immigrants to Peru say the cooking here holds its own against heavy hitters in Beijing and Shanghai.

Everything here—from its grand iron spiral staircase (built by Gustave Eiffel) and sillar stone walls to its Novo Andino cuisine, extensive wine list, and decadent desserts—is done with exquisite detail and attention. The menu, using a fusion of gourmet techniques from the Alps and Andes, is a harmonious mix of fresh local foods. Try the quinoa potato gnocchi (served with your own choice of mushroom or meat sauce), the meat fondue, or the notable Trios, a prime cut of three meats: alpaca, ostrich, and beef, slow-cooked and served on a hot stone with three dipping sauces. You'll want to make reservations, especially for dinner, and if you book ahead of time, you can reserve one of the romantic balcony nooks.

With this simple but classy Italian trattoria, artisanal pizza comes to Trujillo. The pies are, indeed, tempting—with thin, flaky crusts and generous toppings—but don't let them distract you from the excellent pastas, which are homemade and inventive.

With its placement in the gorgeous Casa Andina Premium hotel, a historic monument, this gourmet restaurant is worth a visit for the setting alone. The menu is quite varied, using local ingredients to create international dishes as well as give a new flair to traditional Peruvian ones, like rocoto relleno con pastel de papa (stuffed red peppers) or carpaccio de lomo (beef carpaccio). The bar has some tasty craft beers and a popular happy hour from 6 to 8.

Inside the Casa Andina Premium Puno hotel, this contemporary eatery with cozy fireplaces is one of the few upscale options in the city. The lake views alone are worth the visit, and prices are similar to those at the town's lesser alternatives. Although options include international dishes, among them sandwiches and salads, more enticing are the modern takes on dishes that use regional ingredients like trout, lamb, quinoa, and herbs.

This Italian eatery is the place to head on a cool night, offering a rustic but warm ambience and great food. The extensive menu includes a wide array of salads and fresh pastas served with your choice of a dozen sauces, but Antica is best known for its pizza: more than 50 different kinds baked in a wood-fired oven.

The San Isidro branch of this restaurant, located on Avenida Dos de Mayo, offers an even cozier atmosphere.