Whenever we tell people about the best restaurants in Lima and that there are five* in Peru on The World's 50 Best Restaurants annual list, they can't believe us. The question usually follows jokingly, "Did they serve you guinea pig?"

And then we deadpan, "Yes." Because, yes, they do serve guinea pig. And YES, it was one of the most savory, succulent, and delicious things we've ever eaten. Ever.

When Annie, TTLT’s founder, was planning her first Peru research trip she heard from most people that the capital city was "skippable." Well...we’re telling you from experience... if you like food, it is decidedly not skippable.

Christiana, TTLT’s Peru tour host, and Annie, TTLT owner, have eaten at three of the five restaurants on Pellegrino’s best restaurants list and can attest that these are some of the best restaurants in Lima and in the world.

The five restaurants in Peru on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list are Maido, Mil, Mayta, Kjolle, and Mérito.

Check out Annie and Christiana’s review and recommendations for Maido, Mil, and Mayta. They also awarded a TTLT Honorable Mention at the end that you don’t want to miss.

Maido (#5 on World’s Best Restaurants 2024 List)

In the words of Annie, “Unlike your inability to tell your children that one of them is your favorite, I have no qualms about picking my favorite restaurant in Lima. Although I loved all of my eating in Peru, Maido stole my heart.”

Atmosphere

Maido in Japanese means “welcome” and upon entering the restaurant the entire staff always shouts out “Maido” to greet you. Maido has a partly open kitchen concept where you’ll see some of the chefs in action. Because of this element, the place is energetic and lively. If you’re looking for a quieter spot, we recommend one of the other options.

Food

During the 13-course tasting menu at the Maido sushi bar, we were blown away by every single serving—a fusion between Japanese and Peruvian food, better known as "Nikkei" cuisine. Annie’s favorite dish was a thinly sliced and seared steak nigiri with a ponzu-infused quail egg on top. “It was the most umami-based flavor explosion I've ever tasted. There is so much to say about this one piece of nigiri that in reality there is nothing I can say to do it justice.”

Christiana’s favorite items on the menu are the pork taco and lamb dumplings. “These dishes are incredibly delicious and I recommend them to everyone.”

One aspect of Maido that Christiana likes is that you can recognize what you’re eating during each course. At some of the other world-famous restaurants, the food is more like a piece of art and you don’t always know what’s edible versus what’s not.

TTLT Top Tips

If you are a group of 6 - 12 people, we recommend you request their private room upstairs. You can choose their tasting menu with or without the drink pairing. They do offer alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. Or you can choose a la carte and just pick from the menu.
The majority of the menu is fish and seafood, but there are some meat options. There are little to no vegetarian or vegan options.
Don’t skip dessert! There are some light and refreshing options that we love.
If you’re trying to choose between Central versus Maido, both Annie and Christiana would pick Maido. Christiana says that Central is a little too “artsy” for her, and Annie prefers the flavors of Maido over those at Central.

Mil (#73 on World’s Best Restaurants 2024 List)

Next on the best restaurants in Peru list is Mil. This is Virgilio Martínez’s second restaurant and his first outside of Lima.

Atmosphere

The restaurant exclusively serves lunch to respect the local community and minimize traffic and light pollution at night. Upon arrival, guests are given a tour of the space and a brief history of the restaurant's concept.

You'll see their “lab” where they experiment with indigenous ingredients and cooking techniques. The dining area is peaceful and quiet, with few tables, offering serene views of the mountains and blue sky through the windows. Soft music enhances the calm ambiance, making it an ideal setting for a leisurely meal.

Food

The restaurant features a tasting menu, consisting of eight courses, with options for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink pairings. There is no à la carte option available. They have a variety of dishes that showcase Andean ingredients and culinary traditions. Some courses tend to be more memorable than others; for Christiana, the highlights were the corn course, the alpaca course, and the chocolate course.

TTLT Top Tips

The restaurant is quite remote and not within walking distance of any hotel. If you are traveling from Cusco, we recommend that you hire a car or driver for the day since it takes a little over an hour each way.
Your driver will need to wait for you during your meal and then take you back to Cusco or on to your next destination. For those staying in Urubamba or elsewhere in the Sacred Valley, the drive is shorter, around 30 to 45 minutes, but a driver is still necessary.
Plan to spend a few hours at the restaurant. Although the tasting menu is shorter than others, it still requires a leisurely pace typical of such dining experiences.
This restaurant is a fantastic choice for those who wish to experience Peruvian fine dining without spending time in Lima, especially if your itinerary includes Cusco, the Sacred Valley, or Machu Picchu.

Mayta (#41 on World’s Best Restaurants 2024 List)

Atmosphere

The restaurant has a large space for seating so that even when it’s a full house it doesn’t feel too crowded. It also makes it easier to secure a reservation compared to the other restaurants. However, booking in advance is still recommended.

Food

The cuisine is focused on Amazonian ingredients, offering a unique culinary experience compared to the other restaurants. Much like Maido, the food is not as "artsy" as Central or Kojlle, and is easily identifiable and true to its Amazonian roots. You can opt for their lengthy tasting menu or order a la carte if you prefer.

Astrid & Gastón (TTLT Honorable Mention)

Astrid & Gastón was on the World’s Best Restaurant List years ago and we still think it’s worth an honorable mention.

Gastón Acurio, one of the chefs behind the restaurant, is extremely important and relevant to modern-day Peruvian cuisine because he is responsible for putting Peruvian food on the map and making Lima a foodie destination. Gastón has many restaurants that are a favorite among locals - Madame Tusan, Tanta, La Mar, etc. Astrid y Gaston is the high-end fine dining restaurant that he started with his wife, Astrid Gutsche, who is a pastry chef. In the restaurant, he’s in charge of the savory and she’s in charge of the sweet!

Atmosphere

Astrid & Gastón is housed in a beautiful mansion with a garden used for herbs and vegetables in the restaurant's daily preparations. It’s an environment where you feel at ease, welcomed, and befriended by the hosts and servers, to the point where you feel like we’re sitting in a friend's home kitchen. At every other top restaurant in Peru, the diners are almost exclusively all foreigners and not locals, but Astrid y Gastón is a popular local spot for special occasions, business meetings, and more.

Food

This is where our guinea pig fantasies became realities. The guinea pig was served in a trio of tastings—all with an Asian flare. They have a tasting menu with or without alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink pairings. But if you’re short on time, we recommend skipping the tasting menu and instead ordering a few items from the a la carte menu.

After four unforgettable meals at some of the best restaurants in Peru, we can assure you that if you're lucky enough to get reservations (or come on our Taste of Peru group tour), it is a country where your taste buds will be delighted.

Authentic? Definitely.

Some folks have told us they don't like the idea of dining in "fancy, famous" restaurants while they're traveling because it doesn't feel like an authentic, local experience. We would beg to differ. At least in Peru, we would.

In Annie’s words, “as I sat solo dining in these fantastic restaurants I eavesdropped on conversations all around me. The majority of diners were locals, who worked nearby, or had a special occasion, or in one circumstance had been trying to get a reservation for a year. They were trying food that they deemed, rightfully so, to be a modern representation of their local cultural cuisine.”

Join our Taste of Peru group tour and see for yourself just how delicious these experiences are!

*This article was originally published in 2017 and is consistently updated. Most recent update was July 2024.

Ready to visit Peru? Join us on our Taste of Peru and Machu Picchu Tour and experience the vibrant culture, incredible history, and delicious flavors this beautiful country has to offer. Groups are limited to 12 travelers for intimate experiences. Contact us here if you have any questions or concerns and we’d be happy to set up a time to talk.

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