Our 5 Favorite Peruvian Foods and Easy Places to Find Them
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Peru is a foodie paradise, not only because it is home to three of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, but also because it offers a wide variety of flavors. Each region - the jungle, the mountains, and the coast - has unique dishes and distinctive flavors that are rooted in local ingredients and traditional cooking practices specific to each area.
Christiana, our Taste of Peru tour host, has been living in Peru for the last 10 years and she’s here to share some of her favorite Peruvian foods and where to find them. With so many delicious foods to try and Peru’s massive portion sizes, you definitely won’t be hungry during your trip.
Lomo Saltado
Lomo Saltado is to Peru as sushi is to Japan; it is one of the most iconic Peruvian dishes and you can’t leave the country without trying it at least once.
Lomo Saltado is a stir-fry made of tender, flambeed beef, crispy red onion, and juicy tomato strips. And because we’re in Peru, it’s served with a side of rice and fried potatoes.
The dish is so popular that there are variations like Pollo Saltado (same idea but with chicken) and Tallarín Saltado (Lomo Saltado with noodles, similar to chow mein).
You’ll find Lomo Saltado in just about every restaurant, but not every Lomo Saltado is created equal. Sometimes the beef is overcooked or isn’t flambeed, so it doesn’t have the rich, smoky notes that elevate the dish, or the sauce is too thin, or the vegetables are mushy.
One place you can count on getting a good Lomo Saltado is Tanta. Tanta is a chain restaurant started by Gastón Acurio, a chef and restaurateur famous for introducing Peruvian cuisine to the rest of the world. We don’t typically recommend chain restaurants, but the benefit is that you know what you’re getting when you sit down at any location and can be fairly confident that you’re going to get a good Lomo Saltado.
Tanta’s menu is full of Peruvian classics, like Ceviche and Ají de Gallina, so take advantage and order a few different dishes. Make sure to go hungry and with a few friends to help you eat - the portions are large.
Choclo con Queso
Choclo con queso is Andean corn with fresh cheese. It’s served in the corn husk and makes a delicious snack.
You can often find choclo con queso around the markets in the Andes - look for the ladies with the huge steaming pots. In Lima, you will sometimes find street vendors with stalls serving it.
Pachamanca
Pachamanca is often translated to “earth oven" or “earth pot” from the Quechua language and is a traditional Inca meal cooked on hot rocks in the ground. Pachamanca is often served in the Andes for special occasions or celebrations, so not only is it a way of cooking, but it’s also a time to come together and enjoy delicious food that has come from Pachamama, or Mother Earth.
People in the Andes have been making Pachamanca for centuries; archaeologists have found remains of underground ovens that are 7,000 - 8,000 years old.
What is included in a Pachamanca varies depending on who is preparing it, but often there will be two to three different types of meat (pork, chicken, and lamb are common), sweet potatoes, different varieties of Andean potatoes, Andean corn, and fava beans.
As we’ve stated, Pachamanca is more than just a meal, it’s an experience full of history and tradition. For the full experience, we enjoy having Pachamanca at El Albergue Hotel & Organic Farm in Ollantaytambo. Not only is the food delicious, but the views of the farm are the perfect backdrop for this traditional Andean culinary experience.
Picarones
Peruvians love sugar, and we’re so glad they do because it led them to invent picarones, which look like a skinny donut. Unlike traditional donuts that have flour as their main ingredient, picarones are primarily made up of squash and sweet potato, which explains their soft texture underneath their crunchy exterior. After frying, they’re covered in a brown sugar syrup flavored with clove, anis, cinnamon, and orange peel.
Picarones were invented in Lima, and you can find street vendors all over the city with carts frying them fresh. You’ll usually find some carts in Parque Kennedy in the Miraflores neighborhood, or near anticucho restaurants. Make sure to get them fresh right as they come out of the oil!
Mango Sour Catedral
Ok, so this one isn’t a food, but we had to include one of our favorite Peruvian cocktails to round out the list. You may have heard of the Pisco Sour - which you should definitely try during your trip - but Mangos Restaurant at Larcomar in Lima serves a Mango Sour Catedral that is delicious and strong. Make sure you’re taking a taxi once you leave the restaurant - you’ll need one!
The restaurant has a great view of the Pacific Ocean from its patio. It gets very busy in the summer months (December - March), so make sure you get a reservation, especially if you want to enjoy the sunset.
We hope we’ve awoken your taste buds and inspired you to try some of Peru’s tasty treats. 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. Contact us here if you have any questions or concerns and we’d be happy to set up a time to talk.
If you’re traveling to Peru on your own and don’t know where to start or want to tap into our travel expertise to make the most of your trip, check out our customized travel coaching and optional booking service.
No matter where you travel, we always recommend purchasing travel protection to safeguard against sudden changes or cancellations. If you don’t already have a preferred vendor, you can check out ours - Travel Insured - who offers a “Cancel for Any Reason” policy.
