WHAT TO EAT IN PERU
Peru is becoming world renown for its culinary scene. In fact, in 2012 it claimed the "Worlds Leading Culinary Destination" at the World Travel Awards. Peru's rich culinary escapades are related to its rich landscapes. On my trip I traveled through deserts, climbed high altitudes, drove around volcanoes and great lakes and traipsed through jungles. This means that Peru has a great variety of ingredients from all these different climates. Peruvian dishes are also considered to be a unique combination of their native ingredients as well as a reflection of the colonial and migrant history of the country.
No matter the ingredients and influences, Peru presents an exciting and delicious culinary adventure for everyone, especially the avid foodie. Experiencing as much food as possible was one of my missions for my trip. I was lucky enough to be able to eat everything that I had on my Peruvian foodie bucket list. Peruvian dishes are slowly becoming favorites around the world, with many successful chefs opening Peruvian restaurants across the globe. However, there are a couple of dishes you should definitely be delighting your tastebuds with on your way to Machu Pichu. Read on for what to eat in Peru.
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1. What to eat in Peru: Ceviche
According to locals, the national dish of Peru is ceviche, and this is hotly contested with the neighboring country of Chile. Regardless, ceviche has to be one of my favorite dishes ever. Ceviche is essentially raw fish marinated in citrus juices. The fish is "cooked" by the acid in the juice, and is served with onion, ahi pepper, spices, sweet potato and choclo (a type of corn with large kernels). This is definitely a must-eat when in Peru.
2. What to eat in Peru: Cuy
Guinea Pig. Cuy is Guinea Pig. Guinea Pigs are often raised in many households in Peru, and are often part of a staple diet in parts of the country. They are also often served whole, with the head in-tact, which can be somewhat off-putting. But if you are traveling to a new country, you have to experience and taste everything it has to offer right? It has a very gamey taste to it!
Our Lovely Tour Guide Gaby with her mom’s Cuy cooked up for us.
3. What to eat in Peru: Causa
Peru is the home of the Incas and potatoes, with some experts estimating over 4000 different kinds having originated in Peru. Causa a light meal and is basically layers of mashed or pureed potato, served chilled, with different kinds of meats or other foods served with it. I had the luxury of trying a la cause platter that had chicken salad, chicken, seafood and shrimps served with the potato.
4. What to eat in Peru: Lomo Saltado
Lomo Saltado is one of my favorite Peruvian dishes. It blends beef, tomatoes, onions, peppers, soy sauce, and in many cases, chips (fries) served with a side of white rice. If you think this dish is reminiscent of an asian or Chinese meal you've had before, you are not mistaken. In its history, Peru had an influx of Chinese immigrants, and consequently, introduced new flavors and influences into the Peruvian cuisine.
5. What to eat in Peru: Rocoto Relleno
Rocoto Relleno is synonymous with the beautiful white city of Arequipa, definitely one of my favorite places in Peru. Rocoto Relleno is essentially a stuffed pepper, with an incredibly spicy, firey kick! These little guys are not to be messed around with if you cannot handle any spicy food. That being said, this baby is delicious. The pepper is often stuffed with seafood or beef, and is topped with cheese and then baked. The pepper is actually a Capsicum pubescens, a incredibly hot pepper. Seriously not for the faint of heart but a must on the avid spicy foodie fan (like me)!
6. What to Eat in Peru: Alpaca
In the Andes, alpaca has been a source of meat for thousands of years. It is a cousin of the llama, and is known around the world for its wool. In Peru however, it is also an incredible dish. Alpaca meat is actually incredibly healthy, and better for your heart than most other meats. Definitely a meal not to be missed!
7. What to Drink in Peru: Pisco Sour
I tried many, many Pisco Sours on my trip, possibly too many, and they ranged from pretty darn good to extremely strong and designed to knock me off my light-weight drinking feet. The one's that were not too strong sour-wise and not too potent-alcoholic wise were the best for me! This drink is the national cocktail of both Chile and Peru and is concocted from pisco, lime, egg white and sugar.
Chica Morada (left) and Pisco Sour (Right)
8. What to Drink in Peru: Chica Morada
The national drink of Peru is the Morada, a beverage made from purple maize/corn. It is a staple in Peru and has been around since before the Incan civilization.
9. What to Drink in Peru: Coca Tea
Coca tea is used to ward off altitude sickness, but is also a treat. This is a herbal tea made from raw or dry leaves from the Coca plant, which is native to Peru and the rest of South America.
Coca Tea
Restaurants to Eat at in Peru
Where to Eat in Lima, Peru
Cebicheria La Mar
After a couple hours of researching online, I had my heart set on visiting one of Lima's most popular restaurants: Cebicheria La Mar. Deservedly ranked on Trip Adviser as the second best restaurant (the first was way too expensive for my budget), La Mar is famous for its ceviche and la causa, which happened to be exactly what I had been eying through my Peruvian food research. There are also many La Mar restaurants opened around the world, including New York and Miami. The restaurant is an extremely popular and cosmopolitan luncheon spot, and I was smart to arrive early, about 30 mins after the restaurant opened it's doors. By 1 pm, there was a line of over 30 people waiting for tables outside. This is where I tried ceviche and la causa for the first time.
What to eat in Arequipa, Peru
Arequipa had some of the best food, so if you're a foodie, add it to your itinerary in Peru.
El Tio Dario
The restaurant is located in the Yanahuara district. Like I did, you can enjoy your meal in the wonderful gardens while taking in the view of multiple volcanos. The rocoto relleno (stuffed roasted pepper) was very high on my bucket list of Peruvian food. I had seen a lot of pictures of this dish before so I thought it looked really interesting and tasty. I was lucky enough to snag one of these beauties for lunch. There were not enough for all of us, which I only realized later, so I was very grateful that I was able to try one. It was spicy and superb and definitely something you should try while in Peru.
Zig Zag
One of my favorite restaurants in Peru was the Zig Zag restaurant in Arequipa. The restaurant itself is beautiful and actually the perfect venue for a romantic dinner. Our group spoilt that atmosphere somewhat, as we were very loud, and had a lot of wine. They have a large menu, but the majority of us opted for the volcanic rock alpaca steak. I was somewhat hesitant about trying alpaca, as they look a lot like llamas and I was kind of a big fan of llamas... but when in Peru. The steak was divine, and so was the overall presentation of our meals. I also ordered a chocolate truffle (which only cost me a dollar), as I kept hearing how amazing Arequipa's chocolate is. It was amazing! Only very small. I didn't take a picture of it as a result, as my group and the waitress were all laughing at me with a coin sized truffle on a plate. Still, it was pretty amazing!
What to eat in Cusco, Peru
Besides Lima and Arequipa, Cusco is also a great town for a foodie. Basically, all the larger towns in Peru are great for foodies! Cusco really had some amazing places to eat, I unfortunately was so focused on my food I forgot to take pictures - foodie fail! Some suggestions include:
Papachos for burgers. The servings are massive and the burger was really tasty.
Fallen Angel. On my last night in Peru, our tour manager took us to Fallen Angel - probably my favorite restaurant of the entire trip. It is a little more pricey than most places, but it is so worth it. The ambiance of the restaurant is incredibly unique and different - one of our tables was a sheet of glass over a filled bath tub that had fish swimming in it! We had balloon hats, and dined under disco balls. I ordered a Thai pasta, as it was recommended by our incredible guide Gabi, and as always, it did not disappoint. We were all blown away by our meals! Again, the biggest foodie fail ever to not get a picture to Instagram annoy everyone with!
Organika Restaurant
La Osteria (Italian)
And there you have it! How I ate my way through Peru! The only reason I didn't put on a 100 kg on this trip was because I got sick in the middle of the trip and couldn't stomach any delicious food (I paid 27 soles for a plate of rice at a buffet one day, most expensive plate of rice I've ever had). Just means I have to go back and gorge myself to make up for it!
