8 Best Restaurants in The Amazon Basin, Peru

Step through the unassuming doorway on Avenida La Marina, descend the long stairway to the dock, and a boat will ferry you to this floating, thatched-roof restaurant on the Itaya River. The setting is gorgeous, and they prepare excellent versions of traditional dishes such as patarashca (a fish fillet topped with herbs and garlic and roasted in a bijao leaf) and doncella (Amazon catfish) fillet à la loretana (in a mild chili sauce), as well as ample other intriguing favorites. Bring a bathing suit to lounge in the floating pool after your meal.

This funky, thatched-roof restaurant with river views in the back has one of Puerto Maldonado's best kitchens, offering up a wide variety of local favorites such as pollo con salsa de castañas (chicken in a Brazil-nut sauce), pescado en hoja (fish fillet cooked in a leaf), or lomo (grilled tenderloin) with tacacho (fried plantain balls) and ensalada de palmito (heart-of-palm salad). The environment is appropriately Amazonian, with Indigenous art on the walls.

A great place for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, the menu here is so vast that even the pickiest eaters will find something to enjoy. Selections include lighter fare such as soups, salads, and grain bowls, as well as heartier mains that include Peruvian favorites, American-style comfort food, international dishes, and plenty of vegetarian/vegan options. Coffee, smoothies, and desserts round out the menu, so no matter what time of day you go to people-watch along the malecón, you will leave satisfied.

Conveniently located on the Malecón Maldonado, this restaurant specializes in traditional regional specialties such as cecina con tacacho (a smoked pork steak with fried plantain balls) and pescado à la loretana (fish fillet in a mild chili sauce). The restaurant occupies a historic building and has one air-conditioned room, an airy front dining room with ceiling fans, and sidewalk tables on the malecón.

Conveniently located on the Plaza de Armas, this popular restaurant is a good spot for a light meal, dessert, or fresh fruit drink. The menu includes a selection of sandwiches and salads, tamales, and entrées like chicken cordon bleu, but most people come for the homemade pastries and ice cream flavored with castañas (Brazil nuts) and local rainforest fruits such as aguaje and camu camu. Wooden tables fill the front room next to the display cases, and there is a large patio in back. A Swiss priest known as Padre Xavier opened it, and the profits go to a home for at-risk children in Puerto Maldonado.

Away from the touristy scene of the Malecón Maldonado, this stylish air-conditioned bar and restaurant pairs international wines and cocktails with Peruvian staples from Lima to the jungle. There are also a few global options like pizza and burgers, plus soccer on the flat-screen TVs and salsa music blasting from the speakers. Visit at lunchtime for the well-priced three-course "executive menu."

This tastefully restored rubber-boom-era mansion is well worth a visit—if not for a meal, at least for a drink or much-needed espresso—with sidewalk tables on the malecón and plenty more inside. The French-inspired menu features basic bistro fare (think crepes, fish sautéed in butter, or chicken cordon bleu) and international favorites like hamburgers and pastas, as well as lighter salads and sandwiches. Try the doncella al ajillo (Amazon catfish fillet sautéed with garlic) or the tenderloin Chateaubriand.