7 Best Restaurants in Lima, Peru

Amoramar

$$$ | Barranco Fodor's choice

Amoramar doesn't look like much from the street, but step through the door, and you'll discover an oasis of poinciana trees in a restored adobe house. Seafood dominates the menu, with a selection ranging from the traditional pulpo a la parrilla to creative recipes such as atún saltado (tuna strips sautéed with onions and aji peppers), chaufa de quinua (vegetarian stir-fry with quinoa), and canilla de cordero (roast lamb in a mild chili sauce).

Arrive and leave by taxi at night.

Jr. García y García 175, Lima, Lima, 04, Peru
01-619–9595
Known For
  • excellent seafood
  • eclectic dining setting
  • scrumptious pastel de choclo con mariscos (corn pudding with seafood)
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed 4–8 pm. No dinner Sun.

Antica Pizzeria

$$ | Barranco

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.

Av. Prolongación San Martín 201, Lima, Lima, 04, Peru
01-247–3443
Known For
  • super-thin-crust pizza
  • rustic ambience
  • excellent salsa arrabiata
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted

Cala

$$$ | Barranco

One of Lima's surprisingly few waterfront dining options, Cala has an impressive selection of dishes to complement its ocean vistas. The Peruvian-fusion cuisine ranges from crab ravioli in seafood soup to quinoa-crusted salmon and tenderloin with mushrooms, quinoa, and spinach. You can also order from the sushi bar. The dining room is upstairs, with a wall of glass on the ocean side and tables on a narrow balcony above the rocky beach.

Circuito de las Playas, Lima, Lima, 04, Peru
01-477–2020
Known For
  • great seafood and sushi bar
  • ocean vistas
  • well-stocked bar
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun., Reservations essential

Recommended Fodor's Video

Chifa Chung Yion

$$ | Barranco
Don't let the unremarkable facade fool you: the food at this historic chifa can hold its own with the best in Lima's Barrio Chino. Soups are a standout, as are delicacies such as chancho asado (roast pork) and pato al ajo (garlic duck). Locals typically refer to this joint as "Chifa Unión," after the street on which it's located.

Isolina Taberna Peruana

$$$ | Barranco
Meat lovers wait in line here for a chance to savor chef José del Castillo's slow-cooked osso buco, seco de asado de tira (short-rib stew), or costillar de cerdo a la chorrillana (crispy pork ribs with tomatoes and onions). It's the kind of food Peruvians have eaten for centuries, impeccably prepared and served in a tavern setting. The menu also includes sangrecita (blood sausage), hígado (liver), mondonguito (tripe stew), and other delicacies. Most plates hold enough food for several people, so share or order a half portion. Starters include some tasty seafood dishes.
Av. San Martín 101, Lima, Lima, 04, Peru
01-247–5075
Known For
  • traditional meat dishes
  • big portions
  • great lomo saltado
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.

Restaurante Arlotia

$$ | Barranco
Basque food in Lima? Claroque sí—and it's one of the freshest, most welcome additions to Barranco's dining scene in recent years, with quinoa salads, ham-and-cheese empanadas, croquettes, quiches, and a range of tapas that is surprising for such a small kitchen. For something more substantial, try one of the Basque main courses like rabo de toro (oxtail) or bacalao al pil-pil (salt cod in garlic).

Songoro Cosongo

$ | Barranco

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.

Jr. Ayacucho 281, Lima, Lima, 04, Peru
01-247–4730
Known For
  • home-style Peruvian cooking
  • excellent pisco sours
  • owner performs music at night
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted