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Peru: A Culinary Journey  

Ready to eat your way through Peru? Peruvian gastronomy is one of the world’s most exciting culinary adventures.  

Peru is not just a country of ancient ruins and breathtaking landscapes; it’s a culinary powerhouse that has taken the global food scene by storm. Maido, a restaurant located in Lima, was ranked as the best restaurant in the world in 2025 by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Three other restaurants (Kjolle-9, Merito-26 and Mayta-39) ranked in the top 40. From the Andean highlands to the Pacific coast, Peruvian cuisine is a celebration of biodiversity, indigenous heritage, and cultural fusion.  

Lima: South America’s Culinary Capital 

Start your gastronomic adventure in Lima, often called the food capital of South America. Here, you’ll find a dynamic mix of traditional flavors and modern innovation. The city is home to world-renowned restaurants like Central, Maido, and Astrid y Gastón, which showcase Peru’s ingredients through avant-garde techniques.  

The city’s street food is equally compelling. Grab a paper cone of anticuchos (grilled beef heart skewers), sip on a refreshing chicha morada (a sweet purple corn drink), or sample ceviche, the national dish. Made with fresh fish cured in citrus juice and spiced with aji peppers, Peruvian ceviche is bold, bright, and unforgettable. 

Regional Diversity in Every Bite 

Peru’s geography, from coastal deserts to Amazonian jungles and Andean peaks, has given rise to a dazzling variety of regional cuisines that utilize millennia-old native crops.

• The Andes: Hearty and rich, mountain dishes often rely on native ingredients like potatoes (over 2,500 varieties!), quinoa, and alpaca meat. Pachamanca is a traditional meal cooked underground with hot stones, where meats, potatoes, and vegetables are slow-roasted to perfection. 

• The Amazon: In jungle regions, you’ll encounter exotic fruits, freshwater fish, and dishes like juanes (rice and meat wrapped in banana leaves) and camarones (river shrimp). Amazonian cuisine is rustic, flavorful, and deeply connected to the land. 

• The Coast: Aside from ceviche, the coast offers multiple specialties in seafood. Other dishes like tacu tacu (a crispy bean and rice pancake), ají de gallina (creamy chicken stew), and causa rellena (a cold layered potato dish) show the variety of ingredients that the coast has to offer. 

Influences from Around the World 

Peruvian cuisine is a melting pot of influences from Spanish, African, Chinese, and Japanese immigrants. This fusion is perhaps most evident in chifa, the Peruvian-Chinese culinary tradition. Dishes like arroz chaufa (Peruvian fried rice) and lomo saltado (stir-fried beef with soy sauce, onions, and tomatoes) are staples across the country. 

Japanese immigration also gave rise to Nikkei cuisine, a unique blend of Japanese techniques and Peruvian ingredients. Think sashimi with tropical fruits or sushi rolls with quinoa and avocado. 

A Destination for Food Lovers 

Food is more than sustenance in Peru, it’s a point of pride and a cultural expression. Culinary tours, cooking classes, and market visits are increasingly popular among travelers who want to engage more deeply with Peru’s food culture.