PeruWhat to eat in Peru: top 10 dishes
Traveling to Peru? These are the ten dishes it is best known for, from everyday staples to festive classics, with a short background and a tip on where and when to eat each one. Ranked by how widely they are known around the world.
01Ceviche
Ceviche, cebiche, sebiche, or seviche is a traditional cold dish consisting of raw fish or shellfish marinated in citrus and seasonings.
Travel tip Eaten at lunch rather than dinner, since the fish is freshest then. Look for it at cevicherías, often served with sweet potato and corn.
Read more
02Salchipapa
A salchipapa or salchipapas is a South American and Caribbean fast food dish commonly consumed as street food, typically consisting of thinly sliced pan-fried beef sausages and French fries, mixed together with a savory coleslaw on the side.
Travel tip A cheap street food and fast-food snack, sold at stalls and small eateries. It is best shared, with a range of sauces on the side.
Read more
03Anticucho
Anticuchos are popular and inexpensive meat dishes that originated in the Andes during the pre-Columbian era, specifically in the Antisuyu region of the Tawantinsuyu (Inca Empire).
Travel tip Grilled on skewers at street carts in the evening, usually with a potato and a spicy sauce. A classic late snack.
Read more
04Lomo saltado
Lomo saltado is a traditional Peruvian dish, a stir-fry that typically combines marinated strips of sirloin with onions, tomatoes, french fries, and other ingredients, and is typically served with rice.
Travel tip A common lunch and dinner main at restaurants of all sizes, served with rice and fries. Share a plate if you want a smaller meal.
Read more
05Picarón
Picarones (or picarón singular) is a Peruvian dessert that originated in Lima during the viceroyalty. It is somewhat similar to buñuelos, a type of doughnut brought to the colonies by Spanish conquistadors.
Travel tip A street food sold at carts, especially in the evening and during festivals such as the Lord of Miracles procession in October. They are served warm with a syrup.
Read more
06Ají de Gallina
Ají de gallina is a Peruvian chicken stew. The dish is considered a popular Peruvian comfort food, and the name translates to "chicken chili" or "hen's chili" in English.
Travel tip A comforting lunch dish served with rice, potato and olives. It is common in set menus and home-style restaurants.
Read more
07Papa a la Hancaina
Papa a la huancaína is a Peruvian appetizer of boiled potatoes in a spicy, creamy sauce made of queso fresco and sautéed or grilled ají amarillo, red onion and garlic, all traditionally ground or pounded in a batán.
Travel tip Served cold as a starter in most Peruvian restaurants, with egg and olives. Share it before the main course.
Read more
08Ocopa
Ocopa is a smooth sauce flavored with black mint huacatay, originally from the city of Arequipa, Peru. It may be served hot, as dressing for boiled potatoes, or used as a garnish for cold hard-boiled eggs.
Travel tip Served cold as a starter in Arequipa, over boiled potatoes. Look for it in regional restaurants there.
Read more
09Causa a la limeña
Causa limeña, also called causa a la limeña or simply causa, is a typical and widespread entrée of the Peruvian gastronomy which has a pre-Columbian origin.
Read more
10Pollo a la Brasa
Pollo a la brasa, pollo asado, blackened chicken, or charcoal chicken is a variety of rotisserie chicken associated with the cuisine of Peru. The dish was developed by Roger Schuler, a Swiss resident of Chaclacayo, Lima, in 1950.
Read more
Description: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo: Wikimedia Commons