San Isidro
The oldest olive grove in the Americas hosts Lima’s most aristocratic quarter. The 18th-century palace of the Moreyra family houses Astrid y Gastón, the restaurant that pioneered modern Peruvian cuisine.
El Olivar has always amused me.
It stands as a reminder that Spanish colonists brought Mediterranean trees with them as soon as they could, yet, without irony, it sits just blocks away from Huaca Pucllana. That thousand-year-old pyramid was a site for marine worship, where sharks, waves, sea lions, eels, and octopuses were revered by ancient Peruvians..
This historical weight constantly contrasts with the unbearable lightness of Lima’s bourgeoisie, strolling with their hired help for every single moment of life.
See the map to discover every spot mentioned here.
Culinary Landmarks
Neighborhood Favorites
Cuts of the land
Cuts of the sea
Nikkei Traditions
La Mar
What was once part of the Santa Cruz hacienda became a working-class neighborhood right beside the affluent side of Lima.
Later, Gastón Acurio’s cevichería, La Mar, triggered a rapid gentrification process. Quickly, raw concrete architecture and design boutiques overtook the one-story old garages. Today, shoe designer Jessica Butrich’s flagship store stands directly next to a street stall serving anticuchos.
The reality is that the original residents of La Mar Street are gradually leaving. It is painful to admit that this was the price of witnessing the birth of a culinary laboratory, where research restaurants, specialty coffee shops, and street-food traditions move into spaces designed by major architecture firms.
See the map to discover every spot mentioned here.
Culinary Landmarks
Casual & Heartwarming
Neighborhood Favorites
Nikkei Tradition
Cuts of the Sea
Coffee & Pastries
Surquillo
Migrants from the Andes. Afro-Peruvian families. Street vendors. Landmark markets. Artisans' private ateliers.
Tourists are rarely invited outside of Lima’s wealthiest districts, yet Surquillo stubbornly keeps its working-class pulse.
While tourists usually head to Market No. 1, I have always preferred Market No. 2, which acts as a Charlie’s Chocolate Factory for every single ingredient that can be cooked in Peru.
The huariques, those traditional neighborhood kitchens, are still here. Yet young chefs are moving into Calle Santa Rosa, opening neo-bistros. I suppose that in a way, the substance remains and the form keeps changing.
See the map to discover every spot mentioned here.
Culinary Landmarks
Casual & Heartwarming
-
Cumpa
Cuts of the Sea
Traditional Eateries
Tusan Traditions
Larco
Unpretentious as it may appear, Avenida Larco has always been a landmark in Lima. It remains the heart of Miraflores. This is the kind of street where you go on your first dates, or where you wander when you are finally allowed to go out alone for the very first time.
Everything can be found here, from lechón sandwiches and neo-trattorias to the whole range of cevicherías and top-ranked contemporary Nikkei restaurants like Maido.
This grid is also where Gastón Acurio, Rafael Osterling, and Virgilio Martínez started in small, repurposed houses before global acclaim. Today, some believe that Angelo Aguado's Contraste might just continue that same path.
As much as I like the sound and furor of Larco, I always end up walking down the much more discreet parallel streets, Alcanfores or Ocharán, until I hit the sea.
See the map to discover every spot mentioned here.
Culinary Landmarks
Neighborhood Favorites
Casual & Heartwarming
-
Ché Chá
Cuts of the Sea
Nikkei Tradition
Coffee & Pastries
Andean Infusion
Cocktails
Barranco
Barranco has always belonged to the artists. Painters, poets, musicians, and now, chefs.
Lady Bee, known for its cocktails, now operates its pairing experiences from a new space on Avenida Pedro de Osma.
A few blocks away, Central, Kjolle, Mater, and Masi form a hub where Virgilio Martínez, Pía León, and Malena Martínez research the Andean terroir.
It was Venezuelan-born Juan Luis Martínez who first drew global attention to Barranco when he opened Mérito. Today, alongside his wife Michelle Sikic, their collective operates Clon and Demo under that same raw, minimalist, ingredient-driven philosophy.
On Calle Domeyer, cafés and neo-bistros line one of the oldest streets in the district. Here, Ricardo Martins runs Siete, Menú, and La Perlita. All three spaces share an intimate atmosphere and an intimate connection to art and design.
Nearby, on Calle Colina, El Cacaotal and Ciclos Café introduce visitors to the world of Peruvian cacao and coffee beans.
See the map to discover every spot mentioned here.
Culinary Landmarks
Neighborhood Favorites
Casual & Heartwarming
Traditional Eateries
-
Cevichería Canta Ranita
Coffee & Pastries
Cocktails
Navigating Peru's Complexity
Our Expert-Guided
Full-Day Discoveries
Part 1
Hispanic Lima
Small-groups of 6
4 hours of shared exploration
Museums, Temples & Art
All entries included
60€ / $65
Part 2
Andean Lima
Small-groups of 6
4 hours of shared exploration
Museums, Temples & Art
All entries included
60€ / $65
