Lima has been named the gastronomic capital of Latin America. With such fame it should be no surprise that the list of the best restaurants in Lima is full of competition and delectable food.
Peruvians love good food, and they love a good price. They know their gastronomy, respect their traditions, and appreciate the use of local ingredients. They can also be picky when it comes to the flavor of their traditional dishes.
Lima has been in the international spotlight for having one of the most diverse and delicious gastronomic options in the entire coastal region. This means that the level of the restaurants in Lima has been raised to a standard where almost anywhere you go, you will find something delicious.
Gastronomic tours of Lima are becoming increasingly popular, and the different types of cuisine is almost overwhelming. For those who want a broad experience of the different cuisines typical to Peru, we have prepared a list of the best restaurants in Lima.
We have gathered all the top choices, ranging from exquisite fine dining to affordable favorites, to help you try all the best spots that you can’t miss when you’re in Lima.
Website | Tripadvisor | Address: Calle San Martin 399, Miraflores
This restaurant combines the best of the Japanese gastronomy, nikkei, with classic Peruvian flavors. By definition, “nikkei” represents the people and traditions of Japanese ascendancy. In the case of Maido, this is marked as an approach that earned the first place among the best restaurants in Lima for two consecutive years. It also boasts number 7 on the world’s 50 best restaurants of 2018.
Website | Tripadvisor | Address: Av. Pedro de Osma 301 Lima, Barranco.
This restaurant is another crown jewel of Peruvian gastronomy. Occupying the 6th place in the list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants for 2020, Central has taken Peruvian food to the next level.
The people of Central are fervent believers and defenders of the native Peruvian ingredients of the different regions. This is a project crafted by the awarded chef Virgilio Martinez and is a “must visit” stop for the most demanding tastes (and those with a big budget) that visit Lima.
Important: They do not serve clients without a reservation.
Website | Tripadvisor | Address: Calle Bolívar 164, Miraflores.
Saha is a new and innovative restaurant. Peruvian cuisine in the perfect balance of affordable, traditional and innovative, Saha is a trendy and fresh place where you can enjoy the best of Coastal Peruvian cuisine and cocktails. New, fresh and affordable, Saha has everything you need in a restaurant!
Website | Tripadvisor | Address: Av. Mariscal La Mar 770.
It’s a Peruvian tradition not to eat ceviche at night and, true to that, La Mar is the perfect cevicheria for lunch time. The menu is dynamic, changing with fluidity to what the sea has to offer during the day, meaning that you can visit several times without getting bored and be guaranteed the catch of the day, every day.
Looking to learn how to make traditional Peruvian Dishes? Check out this top-rated cooking class in Lima, a unique hands-on lesson and best part of it all is that no experience is needed!
Website |Tripadvisor | Address: Calle 2 de Mayo 298, Miraflores.
The traditional dishes of Lima have found their home in Panchita. It promises to offer the native food of yesteryear and is regularly described as “tasty, spicy and generous” with the same flavors used by Peruvian abuelas. It is a great place to try real Peruvian food in a homely yet elegant environment.
Website | Tripadvisor | Address: Av San Martin 101, Barranco.
Isolina is one of the best restaurants in Lima for you to try traditional food with generous servings in a fun and casual environment. The price-quality relationship is unbeatable, and the concept of a tavern creates a relaxed environment for the customers.
You don’t need a reservation, but you may have to wait for a table because it is almost always full.
Website | Tripadvisor | Address: Av. Mariscal La Mar 1285.
Mayta means “noble land” in the Aymara language. Here you can expect an unequivocal eagerness from the chef, as he uses local products with contemporary culinary techniques to transform traditional recipes into more sophisticated creations. It’s an elegant, refined, expensive and delicious restaurant.
Website | Tripadvisor | Address: Calle San Martin 300, Miraflores.
This restaurant is so good that it has opened another establishment in Bogotá, Colombia. They aim to pass to another frontier with their flavors that combine Italian, Japanese and Peruvian food. It is a high quality fine dining restaurant, which is reflected by their prices- but it’s worth it.
Website | Tripadvisor | Address: Jiron García y Garcia 175, Barranco.
Found in the yard of an old house in Barranco, this place has been transformed so that you can enjoy an innovative and contemporary menu, full of Peruvian flavors. These are the flavors that have managed to position Amoramar as one of the best restaurants in Lima.
From the traditional ceviche to the quinoa bowls, even passing through the nikkei tiraditos, this is a great place to enjoy a drink in the bar and then taste the best of it’s diverse and delicious menu. You can also enjoy artworks in a small gallery attached.
Website | Tripadvisor | Address: Av. Simón Bolivar 1509, Cercado de Lima
A great plan for a day in Lima is to go to the Larco Museum in Pueblo Libre and then stay for supper in its magnificent restaurant with a garden view. Its menu consists of a varied selection of homemade food, designed to help diners rediscover native flavors of different regions of Peru. You may feel like someone who sets off a journey without stepping away from the table.
Website | Tripadvisor | Address: Av San Martin 1090, Pueblo Libre.
When it comes to trying the most typical Peruvian drinks, the Antigua Taberna El Queirolo is the place where you want to go. With traditional music, good service and the best piscos right from the famous cellar El Queirolo, you can live a proper Peruvian tavern experience.
Website | Tripadvisor | Address: Av. Arequipa 2394, Lince / Av. Angamos 609, Surquillo
This place is a classic spot in Lima. The food is outstanding, the prices are more than fair, the service is incomparable, the only problem? It’s so good that it’s always full, so you’ll probably have to wait in line for lunch or dinner time.
Website | Tripadvisor | Address: Diagonal 308, Miraflores
Traveling to Lima is a synonym with trying the traditional sanguches (yes, with “g”) with the Jamón del País (smoked ham), Chicharrón (fried pork) or Pavo a la Leña (turkey cooked in firewood). In La Lucha, the sanguches are always made with fresh ingredients and prepared at the moment you order.
You can also find Huayro french fries, which are the best fries you’ll try in the whole of Peru. They have several restaurants for you to try, so there is no excuse!
Tripadvisor | Address: Jr. Unión 126, Barranco.
Chifas are restaurants that fusion the Chinese and Peruvian gastronomies. Thanks to the enormous influence of the Chinese migration to Peru at the beginning of the last century, today we can enjoy this unique food that combines the culinary techniques that combine the best flavors of both Chinese and Peruvian cuisine.
One of the best places to try this fusion food is the Chifa Union in Barranco. Simple, warm, with good prices and the best flavors.
With such a wide selection of the best restaurants in Lima, every taste and every budget is catered for. It’s impossible for you to visit this city without sampling some of these options, allowing you to try the best of the Peruvian cuisine in a city like Lima, globally renowned for its delicious food.
