Sánguches (sandwiches) are an important part of Peruvian culture and usually enjoyed at breakfast, although you can enjoy them at any time. Chinese immigrant Félix Yong opened this traditional sangucheria in 1960 in Lima’s historic center. The signature sandwich is the chicharrón: a French baguette filled with fried pork that’s both crunchy and juicy, topped with sweet potato, yellow-pepper sauce, salsa criolla (onion, lime, rocoto pepper, parsley), and pickled purple onions. There is usually a line if you arrive before midday, but it moves fast. [$-$$]

Vegetarians, look away; this place is meant for meat lovers. Renzo Garibaldi started Osso as a butcher shop in the upscale suburb of La Molina and has since expanded with a full restaurant, as well as a franchise in the San Isidro district. Head to the La Molina restaurant and grab one of the 12 seats at Garibaldi’s tasting-menu-only butcher’s table. The feast begins with house-made charcuterie, followed by tartare, hot dogs, sliders, and grilled cuts in various dry-age stages, all showcasing the chef’s skills and profound knowledge of both meat and fire. And dessert? You can expect bacon to feature. [$$$-$$$$]

Every day, two brothers alternate as cook and floor manager at this institution of traditional northern Peruvian cuisine. The restaurant has been in operation for 27 years, but the humble dining room still gets packed at lunch from Tuesday to Sunday, with diners seated around a fig tree in the middle of the room. Garlic, onion, chile, tomato, and lemon star in the brothers’ energetic seasoning, and Don Fernando is especially known for hearty stews, as well as seafood and fish dishes like ceviches. If you order the fresh clams (only served on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays), the server will likely advise you, “If they don’t move, return them.” [$$$]

Tucked away in the Jesús María district far from the usual gastronomic areas, this casual and colorful restaurant run by Fransua Robles specializes in traditional Peruvian staples, with an emphasis on the raw bar. The kitchen sources fresh market produce daily. If it’s in season, order the sea urchin ceviche, and don’t miss the popular clams with lemon or the chef’s homey rice dishes. [$$]

On a busy street of the Lince neighborhood, a line of people wait to eat anticuchos (beef skewers) from Doña Pochita’s little street cart, which opens every day from 5 p.m. until midnight. Pochita has laid claim to this corner for more than 20 years. She grills beef heart marinated with panca chile, vinegar, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper, and serves the skewers with slices of potatoes and chile sauce. The cart also offers tripe, sweetbreads, chicken hearts and breast, and for dessert, picarones and rice pudding with purple porridge. [$]

Whenever you ask a Limeño for a favorite Chifa restaurant, most will direct you to this well-established restaurant that exemplifies the Chinese influence on Peruvian cuisine. It can be difficult to pick from the sprawling menu, so go for the well-executed classics like wonton soup, chaufa pork fried rice, roasted duck, steamed fish with salted fermented beans, or Titi-style squab roasted with soy sauce, Chinese spices, and molasses. Portions are meant to be shared, so visit with a large party to enjoy a bit of everything. [$$$-$$$$]

Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, was the first chef in Peru to really explore the country's biodiversity. Open since 2004, Malabar is where he experiments with Amazonian fermentations and potatoes that grow on jungle vines. His work with indigenous communities to supply him with sustainable ingredients sets him apart. [$$$]

The iconic restaurant from Gastón Acurio — the renowned chef who helped popularize ceviche around the world and established Peru as a gastronomic powerhouse — just turned 25 years old. Head chef Jorge Muñoz, who used to run the kitchen at Pakta in Barcelona, has returned to Peru after almost 19 years abroad. Throughout his inventive menu he utilizes distinct northern Peruvian seasoning in dishes such as sudado (deeply savory fish stew) and ceviche that uniquely includes loche squash in the leche de tigre. At the end of the meal, guests receive a map of the country indicating where the team sourced all the produce. [$$$$]

This is no ordinary cocktail bar. Peruvian mixologist and founder Aaron Diaz wanted to immerse people in a fine-drinking experience. Carnaval’s sophistication can be seen in his creative flair, as well as the unexpected ceramic goblets and eye-catching cocktail glasses designed for his creations. More than 20 forms of ice emerge from the impressive ice lab, which includes ice-carving machines and a water purification system that utilizes reverse osmosis. [$$-$$$]

This Nikkei mainstay is where many of Lima's best known Japanese-Peruvian chefs got their start. The restaurant, now with several international locations, has transitioned away from Japan and more toward Peru in recent years, with a menu that is less sushi bar than Peruvian izakaya. It isn’t shy about using native ingredients, such as smoked aji peppers and cushuro, a spherical bacteria found in Andean lakes. [$$]

Lima has long lacked laid-back neighborhood restaurants with forward-thinking food and good cocktails, and Cosme helped fill that void. Beneath a ceiling of multicolored recycled bottles, chef James Berckemeyer pairs grilled chicken gizzards and pork belly buns with pisco drinks and house-made sodas. [$$]

Rafael Osterling’s consistent quality makes his lunchtime-only cevicheria and Peruvian seafood restaurant a favorite in Lima. As you walk into the semi-open patio, the pleasant atmosphere makes you want to stay the whole afternoon. That’s plenty of time to sample the extensive menu, but start with a ceviche or tiradito combined with the must-have Parmesan scallops, followed by the chicharron sandwich. A pisco sour makes a sure pairing to any order. [$$$]

One of Lima’s favorite bread and pastry shops, Pan de la Chola is housed in a lofty space with floor-to-ceiling windows. There, Jonathan Day distinguishes his artisanal breads with a strong commitment to craft, the best ingredients, and respect for natural fermentation. A blackboard menu touts rustic loaves, focaccia, sandwiches, cookies, vegetable and fruit juices blended to order, specialty coffee, and the must-have avocado toast. [$$]

Chef Arlette Eulert’s restaurant boasts Peruvian and organic ingredients that change according to the seasons, and her menu is one of few in town to specify dishes that are gluten or lactose free, vegan, or vegetarian. The chef puts spins on classic dishes like tiradito — adding popped quinoa for crunchiness and salsa-like chalaquita with roe — and she loves to mix Indian and Thai spices into dishes like grilled scallops with curry or the catch of the day in a sauce of coconut milk and yellow curry. Leave space for dessert and order the shareable alfajor (layers of cookies and dulce de leche, locally called manjar blanco). You won’t regret it. [$$$]

This hole in the wall in the Surquillo district used to be a hidden gem, but chef Tomas Matsufuji’s skills are now well known. The small counter only sits eight to 10 people and only at lunch, but for a surprisingly fair price guests enjoy abundant flavor. Matsufuji’s combinado includes ceviche, deep-fried calamari, and seafood rice, and lucky diners may also find daily specials. If you want to wash it down with beer, bring your own, because the chef only offers chicha morada, a traditional corn beverage that pairs well with his food. Don’t leave without drinking the leche de tigre, concocted to be both delicious and restorative for hangovers. [$-$$]

La Mar is one of Gastón Acurio’s flagship restaurants. It has launched franchises abroad and is partly responsible for earning Peruvian cuisine its global reputation, but if you head to the Miraflores location, prepare your appetite for a seafood feast. It’s fun to begin with the raw bar, where ceviches are carefully prepared with the daily catch, alongside tiraditos, nigiri, and maki. Generously portioned dishes from the kitchen might consist of grouper head in a Nikkei curry sauce, whole salt-roasted sea bass with ginger scallions and butter, or noodles in a creamy huancaina (cheesy pepper) sauce with crab and shrimp. [$$$]

André Patsias forged his career through fine dining restaurants such as Noma in Denmark, Quique Dacosta in Spain, and Astrid y Gastón and Central in Peru until 2018, when he decided to venture out on his own. At Statera, he serves sophisticated, contemporary dishes showcasing Peruvian ingredients such as sweetbreads with arracacha (Andean tuber) and coffee nectar, or cactus sorbet with chile cream and razor clams. Building on the aesthetic he developed at Central, Patsias also focuses on avant garde presentation in each dish. The dining room is equally beautiful, combining modern concrete walls with warm wood and greenery.

Picanterias, humble restaurants often run by women in small Peruvian towns, especially in the northern Arequipa and Cusco, inspired chef-owner Héctor Solís to open his restaurant in the middle-class Surquillo suburb, where he serves only the highest-quality fish. The dining room features long wooden tables to be shared among guests and an open counter where the chef displays fresh catches in huge ice buckets. Choose your fish and your preferred seasoning style, and order some white rice to soak up any juices left over on the plate. The menu also includes ceviches, causas (potato casseroles), stuffed rocotos (red hot Peruvian peppers), and parihuela (seafood soup). [$$$]

You don’t come to Costanera 700 for the atmosphere or the buzz, which is minimal, perhaps due to chef Yaquir Sato’s introversion. You come for the food. Dishes at the pioneer of traditional Nikkei cuisine aren’t overly complicated, just well executed and very tasty. Sato’s extensive menu features classic dishes such as causa (potato casserole) with crab, fish ceviche, or sumptuous duck rice. The precise minimalism of the conchas de abanico (scallops) and the house-made pasta are worth a visit alone. [$$$]

Limeños usually go to their nearest local market, but if you’re looking to visit one, go to Mercado No. 1 Surquillo, the best organized in the city. Discover Peruvian produce, seafood, herbs, and local fruits like cherimoya, lucuma, and granadilla. Luciano Pachas opened the popular El Cevichano stall in 2014 and has expanded three times since in order to accommodate throngs of guests coming to taste his ceviche. Go for the mixto with chicharrón (fried calamari), one of the most popular dishes. [$-$$]

This much-loved restaurant keeps getting better after 18 years of operation, and you’ll often find it packed even on Monday nights. That success is based on a combination of lively ambience and incredibly pleasurable dishes. Chef-owner Rafael Osterling imbues dishes with inspiration from his worldly travels while celebrating Peruvian flavors and produce. Meanwhile, head chef Rodrigo Alzamora gets credit for exacting technique and quality ingredients. The menu offers subtlety in the crab ravioli, lavishness in the spaghetti with duck, and excitement in the tuna tiradito, the grilled scallops with lemon butter, and the sea urchin rice with leche de tigre. Be sure to stop by the bar for a pre-dinner cocktail too. [$$$$]

At Maido, chef Mitsuharu Tsumura is known for bringing Peruvian-Japanese Nikkei cuisine to the next level. Although you can order a la carte, choose the tasting menu showcasing the wonders of two lands, including the rich flavors of a northern dish like sudado stew with algae and the more subtle notes of scallop and sea urchin sushi. In the last few years, Tsumura has been introducing more native ingredients, such as ollucos (an Andean tuber), native potatoes, macambo seed (a nut from the cacao family), and huacatay (an aromatic herb), among others. Book your reservation at least a month in advance. The restaurant has received many accolades and a spot in the top 10 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. [$$$$]

With 18 vendors serving local and global cuisines, this market presents a great opportunity to sample a huge range of foods under one roof. At Provinciano, order traditional Peruvian dishes such as flavor-packed lomo saltado (sautéed filet mignon with tomatoes, onions, and french fries) or causa limeña (potato casserole with chicken, avocado, boiled egg, and tomato). La Patarashkita features Amazonian delicacies like cocoa-smoked ribs and paiche skewers (arapaima fish) with green fried plantains. Mitsuharu Tsumura’s fast-food chain Sushi Pop serves a variety of sushi, pokes, and sandwiches. And at Blu, native ingredients like cherimoya, aguaymanto (cape gooseberry), and muña (Andean mint) are converted into scoops of creamy gelato and sorbet. [$-$$]

In a converted home from the 1900s in the bohemian neighborhood of Barranco, Isolina recreates an old tavern where Limeños can refuel with nostalgia. Chef Jose del Castillo recovers recipes from his mother and grandmother while revamping the traditional cuisine of Lima. Expect hearty preparations like cau cau (tripe and potato stew with blood sausage) and chicken sweetbread stew, as well as lighter starters like ceviche or pejerrey (a small fish) sandwich. Most of the dishes are meant to be shared, so bring your friends. [$$-$$$]

Whether you’re just looking to drink a cocktail or you’d prefer a sit-down dinner, you are guaranteed a good time at Siete. A hip crowd fills this cozy and entertaining Barranco bistro where Ricardo Martins commands the back of house. His style relies on quality produce, minimal ingredients, and a free hand, resulting in rich and unique flavors. Take for instance his razor clams with chickpeas cooked in chicha de jora (a traditional Andean fermented drink), the fork-tender angus short rib, or the fish with curry sauce, yellow Peruvian chile, and sweet plantain. [$$-$$$]

One of the latest Barranco district restaurants, Mérito is commanded by two Venezuelan chefs who pay tribute to their roots using the Peruvian pantry in innovative ways. Try to get a seat at the kitchen counter where you can watch them craft sophisticated dishes like yucca quesadillas with mashuas (an Andean tuber), or scallops with ñame (yam) and barbecued sachatomate (tamarillo). For dessert, ask for the crema volteada (similar to creme caramel) or the seared cherimoya when it’s in season. Bear in mind the restaurant doesn’t take reservations. [$$$]

This cozy Barranco restobar draws a young crowd with local craft beers, house cocktails, and eclectic cuisine ideal for snacking. Look out for dishes like lentils with caramelized pork and fried bananas or beef tartare with crunchy bread. The pizzas are thin as flatbread and help soak up the booze. [$$]

In August 2018, Central co-chef Pia León opened her own restaurant upstairs. Although more relaxed than Central, Kjolle’s price and León’s focused, precise cooking still qualify as a fine-dining experience not to be missed. The chef treats Peruvian ingredients with modern techniques and forward-looking sensitivity. An a la carte menu is available, but go for the tasting menu to sample León’s cool, sophisticated dishes like sea bass and razor clams with black mashwa (Andean tuber) and Amazonian nuts, or cured duck with squid and kañiwa (Andean cereal), all served in beautiful tableware. [$$$$]