Top things you have to eat while in Lima, Peru

Jun 6

There are so many fun and exciting things to do and places to explore in Lima, however, one thing you absolutely cannot miss out on is trying Peruvian food! Lima is often called the food capital of South America and we didn’t have a hard time figuring out why. Lima is a beautiful, historic city full of culture and throughout the years it has experienced influxes of immigrants from other parts of the world, making their food interesting and diverse!

We’ve put together a list of all the different types of Peruvian food we tried while in Lima to better help you decide what to eat while visiting the city.

Ceviche:

Raw but very fresh fish “cooked” in a liquid referred to as tiger’s milk. Tiger’s milk is typically made with lime juice, salt and pepper, onions, and chilies. We’d had ceviche numerous times in other countries such as Mexico and Costa Rica, but found it quite a bit different in Peru. Here the chunks of fish are much larger and there are fewer ingredients. Also in Peru, ceviche isn’t served with tortilla chips. You can find fresh ceviche all over the place in Lima, but we tried it at La Casa Del Ceviche.

Chicarron:

Our delicious sandwiches at the Lucha Sangucheria

One of our favourite dishes we tried was a pork sandwich called Chicarron. Also on the sandwich you’ll find red onions and sweet potato. It really is a fantastic combination! We tried this sandwich at one of the places most famous for it called La Lucha Sangucheria

Limeña:

We tried this dish as a starter during our dinner at a restaurant called Panchita. It’s essentially a layered dish with potatoes, chicken, egg, mayonnaise and avocado, and yes, it’s delicious.

Anticuchos de Corazo:

This one sounds quite intimidating, it’s basically cow heart on a stick, which sounds terrible but was quite tasty! If you can try to forget what you’re eating it will likely seem just like steak. We had this as a main dish at Panchita.

Picarones:

This is a typical street food in Lima, it’s a type of deep fried dough, somewhat similar to a doughnut but made with squash and sweet potato and covered in a sweet sauce. We found them one evening in Parque Kennedy in Miraflores. We did actually look during the day but none of the stalls we’re open.

Aji de Galina:

Similar to a stew, this is a chicken dish served in sauce made with a type of Peruvian pepper called Aji. You’ll often find a similar sauce served on the side as a hot sauce in a lot of places in Lima. We had this as a main dish at Panchita.

Nikkei:

Lima apparently has a very large Japanese population, and along the way a new type of sushi has come to existence. It basically combines traditional sushi with a Peruvian twist, it’s a must try if you’re a fan of sushi. We tried it at Edo Sushi bar in Miraflores.

Lomo Saltado:

While there’s a big Japanese population in Lima, there is also a large Chinese population. They also have a word for Chinese Peruvian food called Chifa! Lomo Saltado is one of the more popular Chifa dishes (this does some to be contested as some people have claimed Lomo Saltado has nothing to do with Chifa cuisine) and is made from beef and rice. We tried this dish at a fast food restaurant called Sr. Saltado.

Pisco Sour:

Admittedly this isn’t a food, it’s a drink. But you cannot visit Lima and not try a Pisco Sour. Pisco is a spirit from Peru made from grape juice (but not at all similar to wine). A pisco sour is made by combining pisco with lime juice, simple syrup, egg whites and bitters, and trust us, it’s delicious!