6 Best Restaurants in Lima, Peru

Chalkboard menus, shelves piled to the ceiling with locally made wines and piscos, a worn wooden bar, and even a hand-cranked telephone give this venerable institution—a Lima mainstay since 1880—its nostalgic charm. The place serves delicious ham sandwiches smothered in zarza criolla and chilcanos made with pisco bottled in the factory next door.

One of Lima's few Mexican restaurants, this colorful spot near Parque El Olivar serves some innovative dishes as well as the usual tacos and enchiladas. The house specialties are barbacoa de cordero (lamb grilled in avocado leaves), pescado a la veracruzana (fish in a slightly spicy tomato sauce), and albóndigas al chipotle (spicy meatballs served with yellow rice), but you can also get fajitas and good quesadillas.

With its flagstone path and leafy lucuma tree dappling a quiet patio with shade, this green café is an oasis. The gourmet teas and coffees, artisanal sandwiches, and fruity milk shakes rejuvenate even the most worn-out traveler.

The green-and-white striped awning ensures that you won't miss this café, which is a favorite among young couples and harried parents with children in tow. Although it's menu includes pastas, sandwiches, and economical lunch specials, most people come here for one thing: ice cream. The more than 50 varieties of gelato include sassy tropical flavors like tamarind, coco (coconut), and the local fruits chirimoya and lucuma.

This is a good spot for a break after visiting the nearby archaeological site of Huaca Pucllana.

This family-run restaurant serves the kind of traditional dishes limeños have eaten for generations, such as anticuchos and sudado. Owner Hernán Vega doesn't strive to please the gourmets; he focuses on authentic cuisine. He and other local musicians often perform traditional música criolla at night.