Peruvian cuisine is widely considered to be the best in South America, and the capital, Lima, is known as one of the world’s culinary hotspots. Over the years, the indigenous way of cooking was influenced by Chinese and Japanese immigration, Spanish colonisation, and African and Arabian cultures, and the food today is varied, vibrant, and flavourful.
Generally speaking, Peruvian cuisine is pretty meat-heavy, with indigenous meats like guinea pig and alpaca frequently eaten, as well as chicken, pork, and beef. Thanks to nearly 2,000 miles of coastline, fresh fish and seafood is also abundant. While vegetables tend to be the secondary focus of most meals, veggies won’t go hungry and, in touristy places, most vegetarian dishes are clearly marked on the menu.
Fruits and vegetables are mostly locally grown – usually in the Andes and Amazon – and avocados, yuca, quinoa, beans, and corn are some of the most commonly used fresh produce. Potatoes are particularly popular; there are over 4,000 types found in Peru, including purple, pink, and blue varieties.
So, if you’re visiting the Peruvian capital, what are some of the dishes (and drinks) to keep an eye out for? Here are 10 things to try.
1. Ceviche
If Peru has a signature dish, it’s got to be ceviche. Believed to have originated with the Moche people, a pre-Incan civilization, ceviche has been eaten by locals for around 2,000 years, and it’s served in just about every seafood restaurant in Lima.
It consists of the morning’s catch – usually sea bass, but not always – marinated in fresh lime juice and hot chillies, which ‘cooks’ the raw fish. Sometimes shrimp, scallops, or squid are used instead of fish – and sometimes all four are thrown into the mix. Then, it’s garnished with red onions, corn, sweet potato, and fresh coriander, and often served with plantain chips.
Once you’ve eaten the ceviche, you can drink the leftover marinade. Locals call it leche de tigre – tiger’s milk – and the zingy, spicy liquid is incredibly refreshing (locals use it as a hangover cure!). Ceviche is best eaten for lunch, as the fish is fresher, but can be enjoyed in the evening too.
2. Cuy
Another quintessentially Peruvian dish is cuy – better known as guinea pig in the UK. While the idea of eating guinea pigs may seem strange in the UK, where they’re kept as pets, these rodents are actually indigenous to Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, and Ecuador, and have been raised for consumption by local people for hundreds of years.
Traditionally, cuy is considered a ‘mountain food’, as the animals are native to the Andes and are most commonly eaten by Andean people. However, because many tourists see trying cuy to be part of the Peruvian experience, many restaurants in Lima serve it. Cuy is usually stuffed with herbs, then roasted and served with baked potatoes or chips. It has a rabbit-like flavour and is traditionally eaten as a delicacy.
3. Rocoto Relleno
Stuffed peppers are eaten all over the world, but the Peruvian version is in a league of its own. Like many Peruvian dishes, rocoto relleno was inspired by the Spanish version – but because sweet Spanish peppers weren’t available in Peru, indigenous rocoto peppers were used instead. While they look similar, rocoto peppers are super spicy; in their raw form, they’re at least 10 times spicier than jalapeño peppers!
They’re cooked in water and vinegar to remove as much heat as possible, but they still pack a punch. While this recipe originated in the city of Arequipa, they’re eaten all over Peru, and can be stuffed with pretty much anything – although minced meat, onions, garlic, cheese, and raisins are most common. The peppers are said to represent Arequipa’s fiery volcano, Misti, and they’re believed to be an aphrodisiac – so this dish may leave you hot in more than one way!
4. Sopa de quinua
One for the veggies now – sopa de quinoa, or quinoa soup. Long before quinoa became a popular superfood in the west, it was a staple of Peruvian cuisine. It’s been eaten by Andean people for around 5,000 years, and it was the Quechua and Aymara people who began cultivating it, long before the Incas. Back then, it was a sacred crop that was known as chisaya mama – the mother of all grains.
Quinoa soup is hearty, rustic, and incredibly nourishing – rather like a Peruvian minestrone. If you don’t eat meat, do make sure the soup is vegetarian before tucking in, as there are versions made with and without meat. Usually, the soup contains vegetables like potatoes, celery, carrots, peppers, leeks, and courgettes, and has warming vegetable broth that’s flavoured with spices.
5. Pisco sour
If you’re partial to a cocktail, you can’t come to Lima and not try its signature drink: the pisco sour. The national cocktail of both Peru and Chile, the pisco sour origin story is disputed, with both countries laying claim to creating it. However, most experts believe it was first knocked up by an American bartender in Lima between 1915 and 1925, where it was probably influenced by cocktails like the whiskey sour.
What both countries agree on is that the pisco sour is a cocktail worth fighting over. The key ingredient is pisco brandy, which is drunk all over South America. There are many types of pisco, and all can be used; the other essential ingredients are fresh lime juice, Angostura bitters, and egg white. The pisco sour has an earthy, sweet, and tart flavour; and a potent, floral perfume – making it dangerously moreish!
6. Lomo saltado
Fans of stir-fries will probably want to try the Peruvian version: lomo saltado. Translated as ‘jumping beef’, this dish perfectly encapsulates the fusion influence of Peruvian cuisine, particularly chifa – which is Peruvian food fused with Cantonese elements. The first Chinese immigrants arrived in Lima in the 1850s, and they introduced new ingredients and ways of cooking – like stir-frying meat and veg in soy sauce.
Lomo saltado is one of the most popular dishes in Peru. Though it originated in the mountains, it soon spread across the country, and is now part of mainstream culture. Juicy pieces of soy-marinated beef are fried with Peruvian chillies, onions, and tomatoes, and served with a double helping of carbs: rice and chips. If this wasn’t filling enough, it’s often accompanied by a fried egg too, so there’s no chance of going hungry.
7. Picarones
If you have a sweet tooth, you won’t want to miss trying picarones – doughnut-shaped sweet treats that originated in Lima. While they’re similar to buñuelos (doughnuts brought to South America by Spanish conquistadors), picarones are entirely unique to Peru. Because buñuelos usually contained egg and milk, they were too expensive for many people to make – so picarones were created to replace them.
Picarones are made from sweet potato and a local squash called macre, which are boiled, mashed, and mixed with flour, yeast, and sugar. They’re then shaped into rings, deep fried, and topped with cinnamon and syrup. You can buy picarones from street vendors all over Lima, and they’re seriously delicious. Plus, because they’re made from squash and sweet potatoes, they’re rich in fibre, vitamin A, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and potassium, and, unlike buñuelos, they’re also vegan.
8. Causa
Causa – or causa limeña (from Lima) to use its full name – is a popular dish that’s usually eaten as a side or starter. Essentially a mashed potato terrine, it also contains layered yellow potatoes, chicken or tuna, and sometimes hard-boiled eggs, avocados, and olives. It’s been eaten in Peru since ancient times, although it’s evolved significantly over the years.
In ancient Peru, causa was prepared with yellow potatoes that were kneaded with crushed chillies, and lemons were first added during the Viceroyalty era (1542–1824). This was when the presentation of the causa became more artistic – and, today, every household and restaurant seems to prepare it slightly differently. Aside from citrus, causa is flavoured with mayonnaise and ají amarillo chillies, which gives it a lovely flavour without making it spicy.
9. Papa a la Huancaina
Papa a la Huancaína is one of those dishes that might not look or even sound like much, but somehow is deceptively delicious. It originates in Huancayo, a city high in the Andes, but is eaten all over the country. In Lima, it’s on the menu at most local restaurants, and street vendors sell it too. It’s a popular starter or side dish, and every town seems to add their own tweaks and twists.
Papa a la Huancaina consists of sliced boiled potatoes smothered in a creamy, spicy, cheesy sauce, served on a bed of lettuce, and topped with black Peruvian olives and hard boiled egg halves. The sauce is the secret ingredient: it’s made from ají amarillo peppers, which are native to Peru, and add a lovely pungent depth of flavour. They’re a key ingredient in many Peruvian dishes, including causa.
10. Tamales
Tamales are eaten throughout Central and South America, and Peru is no exception. Almost every Latin American country has their own version of the tamale, and Peruvian tamales are slightly different from most others. They’re made from white corn rather than yellow corn, and are wrapped in banana leaves rather than corn husks (which is the wrap of choice in Mexico).
In terms of filling, while pork, chicken, beef, and cheese are common in most Latin American countries, the typical Peruvian tamale has a very different filling. They’re usually stuffed with black olives and the ever-pervasive ají amarillo. Eggs and peanuts are often added too, which may sound a bit unusual, but it works! Tamales are one of the most popular street foods in Lima, and the wraps are often colour coded for hotness.
Final thoughts…
Peruvian cuisine can sometimes seem quite simple, but it’s deceptively flavoursome. One of the reasons the food tastes so good is the quality of the produce; fruits and vegetables are sourced from the Andes and the Amazon, and the bordering Pacific Ocean means seafood is as fresh as it is plentiful.
What’s particularly exciting about the food scene in Lima is the diversity. If you like fine dining, some of the world’s most highly-regarded restaurants can be found here, from chic ceviche bars to fancy fusion eateries. But there are also plenty of wallet-friendly ways to eat, from street vendors and local markets to tiny family-run restaurants called huariques.
Wherever you choose to eat in Lima, the chances are, you’ll enjoy a warm welcome, vast and varied flavours, and a fusion of cultural influences – which is why it’s become the gastronomic epicentre of South America.
Have you been to Lima before, or are you interested in going? Do any of these dishes tempt you? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.