Food · Lima · Peru
What to eat in Lima
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Lima, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: David Felipe Ruiz Hoyos, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Start with Ceviche, Leche de tigre and Lomo saltado. Eat ceviche, tiradito and leche de tigre at a busy cevichería at lunchtime, the traditional time for raw fish. Ceviche is a lunch dish; many cevicherías close in the late afternoon.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Ceviche
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 4
- Tipping
- In restaurants, 10% is customary if no service charge is included.
- Food experiences
- 4
12 foods to try
Dish
1.Ceviche
Peru's national dish: raw white fish cured briefly in lime juice with red onion, chilli and coriander, served with sweet potato and toasted corn. Limeños eat it at lunch, when the fish is freshest.
Where: Cevicherías across Miraflores, Barranco, San Isidro and Surquillo; many close by late afternoon.
Drink
2.Leche de tigre
The spicy, citrusy marinade left over from ceviche, served in a glass, sometimes with pieces of seafood. It is said to cure hangovers.
Where: Cevicherías, often as a starter.
Dish
3.Lomo saltado
Stir-fried strips of beef with onion, tomato and soy sauce, served with chips and rice — a classic of Chinese-Peruvian fusion.
Where: Criollo restaurants and menu lunches everywhere.
Dish
4.Ají de gallina
Shredded chicken in a creamy yellow ají amarillo, bread and walnut sauce, served with rice, potatoes and black olives.
Where: Criollo restaurants and set lunch menus.
Dish
5.Causa limeña
Layers of cold yellow potato mashed with lime and ají amarillo, filled with tuna, chicken or crab and avocado.
Where: Cevicherías and criollo restaurants as a starter.
Street food
6.Anticuchos
Skewers of marinated beef heart grilled over charcoal, served with potatoes and corn and a spicy sauce. A favourite evening snack.
Where: Street carts in the evening and anticucherías in Barranco and Miraflores.
Dish
7.Pollo a la brasa
Rotisserie chicken marinated with spices and cooked over wood, served with chips, salad and creamy sauces such as ají and huacatay.
Where: Pollerías on every main street; a classic Sunday family meal.
Dish
8.Chifa
Chinese-Peruvian cooking, with dishes such as arroz chaufa (fried rice), tallarín saltado (stir-fried noodles) and wonton soup.
Where: Barrio Chino in the centre and chifas across the city.
Dessert · Vegetarian
9.Picarones
Ring-shaped fritters made from squash and sweet potato dough, fried and drizzled with chancaca (spiced cane-sugar syrup).
Where: Street stalls and traditional restaurants, especially in the evening.
Dessert · Vegetarian
10.Suspiro a la limeña
A rich dessert of manjar blanco (milk caramel) topped with port-flavoured meringue, said to be as sweet as a woman's sigh.
Where: Criollo restaurants and pastry shops.
Drink · Vegetarian
11.Pisco sour
Peru's national cocktail of pisco (grape brandy), lime juice, sugar syrup and egg white, finished with drops of bitters.
Where: Bars and restaurants everywhere; historic bars in the centre and Pueblo Libre serve classic versions.
Drink · Vegetarian
12.Chicha morada
A non-alcoholic drink made from purple corn boiled with pineapple, cinnamon and cloves, served chilled.
Where: Almost every restaurant, especially with set lunches.
Food experiences
Cevichería lunch
Eat ceviche, tiradito and leche de tigre at a busy cevichería at lunchtime, the traditional time for raw fish.
Market tour
Guided tours of Mercado de Surquillo explain native potatoes, chillies and Amazonian fruits, with tastings.
Tasting menus
Several Lima restaurants rank among the world's most acclaimed, with tasting menus built on ingredients from the coast, Andes and Amazon; book well ahead.
Menú lunch
Local restaurants serve a set menú of starter, main and chicha morada at low prices, the best way to eat Peruvian home cooking.
Quick bites and street food
- Anticuchos — Street carts in the evening and anticucherías in Barranco and Miraflores.
Vegetarian options
Of the 12 foods in this guide, 4 are usually vegetarian: Picarones, Suspiro a la limeña, Pisco sour and Chicha morada. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Ceviche is a lunch dish; many cevicherías close in the late afternoon.
- Book top restaurants weeks or months ahead, especially tasting menus.
- Drink bottled or filtered water rather than tap water.
- Ask for dishes 'sin picante' if you want less chilli.
- Upscale restaurants may add a service charge; check the bill before tipping.
Tipping
In restaurants, 10% is customary if no service charge is included. Tip guides and drivers on tours; taxi fares are agreed in advance and not usually tipped.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Buenos días | Good morning |
| ¿Cuánto cuesta? | How much is it? |
| La cuenta, por favor | The bill, please |
| Chévere | Cool, great |
| Sin picante | Not spicy |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Lima famous for?
Ceviche, Leche de tigre, Lomo saltado and Ají de gallina. Peru's national dish: raw white fish cured briefly in lime juice with red onion, chilli and coriander, served with sweet potato and toasted corn.
+Is Lima good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Picarones, Suspiro a la limeña and Pisco sour.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Lima?
In restaurants, 10% is customary if no service charge is included. Tip guides and drivers on tours; taxi fares are agreed in advance and not usually tipped.