12 Delicious Restaurants in Lima Peru

El Muelle Cevicheria

This restaurant in Lima is, a haven for seafood. In the heart of Lima’s Barancco neighborhood, this unassuming gem serves up amazing classic Peruvian seafood. The leche de Tigre is amazing, the Conhas a la Parmesan is great, and the arroz con mariscos was among the best we had in Peru.

El Muelle is one of those places that’s been doing it for years and doing it well. One of those gems that managed to survive the renaissance  of an up and coming neighborhood full of new, and great, restaurants. It’s usually packed, but worth the wait. 

Al Toke Pez

Al Toke Pez, which is featured in the Netflix documentary, Street Food: Latin America, is an absolute gem.

Tomás Matsufuji, better known as “Toshi”, is a Peruvian cook of Japanese descent. He studied Agricultural Engineering at the Universidad Agraria la Molina, and has a doctorate in Supramolecular Chemistry specializing in Thermodynamic Chemistry from the University of Surrey in England. Simply said, Toshi is brilliant. However, Toshi’s real passion is cooking, which he learned in his father’s restaurants in Lima. Tired of the stress and BS that goes into owning an upscale restaurant, Toshi decided to do something a lot of people would call crazy. He opened a street food stall. Thus was born Al Toke Pez.

Al Toke Pez is a little off the beaten path. It took us some wandering and second guessing Google maps to find it. Brightly colored signs adorn the beige tile storefront. When we got there, there was already a line of hungry tourists and locals waiting patiently for an open stool at the small horsehoe shaped counter surrounding the open kitchen.

We waited patiently for our turn, trying not to stare too much at the lucky dozen or so patrons already eating at the counter. Bursts of flames roared from chef Toshi’s wok every few minutes as he prepared the next order of Arroz con Mariscos.

Huaca Pucllana

How many places can you say you’ve dined in the midst of a historical marvel? Welcome to Huaca Pucllana Restaurant. What makes this different than other restaurants in Lima Peru is the location. It’s nestled right in the heart of a pre-Inca archaeological site.  What better way to soak up the ancient culture than with a mouthful of contemporary Peruvian cuisine? The menu is a symphony of local ingredients, with dishes that honor the past while playfully cavorting with the present. This was our very last meal in Peru, so we both opted for more traditional Peruvian plates. Zanna had the amazing Rocoto Relleno and DJ had the Aji de Gallina. 

The decor is beautiful with tons of greenery in a fine dining setting, but not over the top fancy. We saw people dressed in everything from suits and nice evening dresses to the “tourist casual” style we’ll call it. And when night falls, the illuminated ruins transport you back in time, transforming the dining experience into a multisensory journey.

Pithaya Lounge

If you’re searching for a refreshing change of pace, Pithaya Lounge is your oasis. It’s like stepping into an avant-garde art exhibition that serves food – vibrant, bold, and unapologetically inventive. 

Pithaya’s cuisine is a flavorful mash-up of Asian and Peruvian flavors. Think Nikkei, but with a whimsical twist. Their sushi rolls would have made Picasso envious with their riotous colors and arrangement. Their cocktail list is a trip, too! They have creative twists on old classics, tiki drinks, and a ton of interesting cocktails that are dreamed up by the bartenders. The decor is whimsical and posh without being pretentious. We sat in some really cool over the top chairs that felt like they came straight out of a Tim Burton movie. It’s a spot made for lingering, sipping, and savoring.

Mangoes Restaurant Lima Peru

Located in Larcomar shopping center, this place has a view of the Pacific Ocean that will make you want to melt into a chair and never leave their patio. 

We ate here twice and everything we had was amazing. From the catch of the day to lomo saltado, everything was a hit. The mango ceviche is top notch! We hear they also have a buffet, but it wasn’t open when we visited.  Don’t you dare miss their desserts, the picarones (sweet potato and pumpkin doughnuts) are a perfect snack to munch while watching the waves roll in off the cliffs of Lima. The atmosphere at Mangos is friendly and laid-back, modern and clean – perfect for a long leisurely lunch with the sound of the waves in the background.

El Bigote Coffee & Waffles

El Bigote is the kind of place you stumble upon on a lazy Sunday morning and instantly want to keep as your little secret. It was actually just a few doors down from our AirBnB on the border of Barancco and Miraflores. It’s the quintessential neighborhood café. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the sight of golden, crispy waffles is a hug in breakfast form. The waffles are a canvas for their creativity – think toppings like lucuma cream, seasonal fruits, and local honey. It’s the sort of place that makes you want to linger, sip slowly, and watch the world go by. El Bigote is more than a café; it’s a cozy corner of Lima that feels like home.

La Bodega Verde 

If you’re seeking a peaceful haven amidst the urban hustle, look no further than La Bodega Verde. This café, tucked away in Barranco near the bridge of sighs, is a retreat where the city’s concrete and chaos give way to lush greenery. The menu is a modern health-conscious, vegan forward approach. They have local kombucha, amazing fruit bowls, great coffee and a selection of teas that feels never ending. It’s the perfect spot to relax with a good book or catch up with friends, all while savoring the simple pleasures of good food. They even have board games for the tables. 

Picarones Mary

Some of the best restaurants in Lima Peru don’t have a brick and motar. This place is a testament to the saying, “don’t judge a book by its cover.” Dulces & Picarones Mary may be a humble street stall, but it’s been doling out happiness one plate at a time for years. When you can bring the flavors of a dish you only expect to come from your grandmother’s kitchen to a street cart, why would you change a thing?Mary has become a staple of Kennedy Park in the Miraflores neighborhood. 

Their specialty? Picarones, those golden, deep-fried rings of sweet potato and pumpkin dough, served piping hot with a drizzle of sugarcane syrup. Biting into a picarón is a delightful experience, the crispy exterior giving way to a fluffy interior, all awash with the molasses-like sweetness of the syrup. It’s a taste of pure, unadulterated Peruvian goodness.

Sofa Cafe

A charming little nook in Barancco that feels like your best friend’s living room—if your best friend made killer coffee. This was our first meal of the entire trip, and the vibe reminded us a bit of Central Perk from FRIENDS if it were real – minus annoying Gunther. 

Their carefully curated menu of single-origin brews is a coffee lover’s dream come true. Their breakfast menu is amazing as well. The waffle with avocado and poached eggs (how millennial of us, right?) is to die for. 

Sink into a comfy couch, sip on your meticulously crafted flat white, and you might just forget you’re in the middle of Peru’s bustling capital.

Ayahuasca Restobar

This was another restaurant we visited twice because it is so damn good and the environment is A+.

Tucked within a refurbished 19th-century mansion, Ayahuasca is a sensory spectacle – see what we did there 😉 . The décor is a heady mix of vintage charm and modern quirkiness, each room a different theme, each corner an Instagram-worthy moment. The courtyard with original and stunning tile is an easy place to get lost, and drunk, on a lazy afternoon. 

Don’t miss their eponymous Ayahuasca cocktail. It’s a riff on a Pisco sour with aguaymanto juice, tumbo juice, and macerated coca. Pair it with their fusion tapas for a culinary experience that is as eclectic as the surroundings.

Anticuchos Betty

Betty’s is the kind of place you go to when you want to taste tradition. Another unassuming food cart that would be really easy to dismiss if it weren’t for the omnipresent line. 

The star of the show here is the “anticuchos,” skewers of marinated beef heart grilled over charcoal. The meat is tender and flavorful, the smoky char adding an extra layer of deliciousness. Served with boiled potatoes and giant corn kernels, it’s a hearty, satisfying meal that offers a window into Peru’s rich culinary heritage. Come for the food, stay for the warm, no-frills ambiance, and leave with a deeper appreciation for Peru’s street food scene.

Juanito’s Barancco

If walls could talk, Juanito’s would tell tales of writers, artists, and musicians who’ve flocked to this legendary bar for decades. Juanitos was apparently a favorite hangout of Allen Ginsburg. It was opened over 70 years ago by Don Juanito, and operates today mostly unchanged. 

This is the place to rub elbows with locals while enjoying an ice-cold Cusqueña beer or cheap Pisco Sour – just because they affordable doesn’t mean this isn’t one of the best Pisco sours you’ll have anywhere. The décor is a charming hodgepodge of memorabilia, each piece with a story to tell. The bar food is just what you need after a few beers, hearty and comforting. The “butifarras,” traditional Peruvian ham sandwiches, are one of those perfectly simple dishes that just hit the spot. The perfect accompaniment to your late-night musings, or in our case mid-day. Step into Juanito’s, and you’re not just entering a bar, you’re becoming part of a storied Lima tradition.