Short answer: The five Peruvian dishes not to miss are ceviche, lomo saltado, ají de gallina, rocoto relleno in Arequipa and anticuchos, washed down with a pisco sour. Eat seafood on the coast at lunchtime, Andean classics in Cusco and Arequipa, and finish with picarones from a street stall.
Peru has one of the most varied kitchens in the world because it has so many landscapes in one country. The cold Pacific off the desert coast is full of fish, the Andes grow thousands of kinds of potato, corn and quinoa, and the Amazon adds fruit and river fish. On top of that sit centuries of mixing: Indigenous cooking, Spanish and African traditions, and the Chinese and Japanese immigrants whose cooking gave Peru chifa and Nikkei food. This guide covers the 15 dishes and drinks we would order first, where in the country each one is best, and how to eat well on any budget. For the bigger picture of the country, start with our Peru travel guide.
The coast: ceviche country
1. Ceviche (cebiche)
Raw white fish cut into cubes and cured for a few minutes in lime juice with red onion, salt and ají chili, served with sweet potato and big-kernel corn. It is the dish Peruvians are proudest of: in 2023, UNESCO added the practices and meanings around preparing and eating ceviche to its list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, noting that recipes vary from region to region and that the dish is central to the feast of Saint Peter, patron of artisanal fishers. Locals eat it at lunch, when the fish is freshest, and many cevicherías close in the late afternoon. Ask for the leftover marinade, leche de tigre, served in a small glass.
2. Tiradito
Ceviche’s Japanese-Peruvian cousin: the fish is sliced thin like sashimi instead of cubed, laid flat and covered with a spicy sauce, often of yellow ají amarillo, just before serving, with no onion. It is a good first order if you find raw onion too strong, and it shows how much Nikkei cooking has shaped Lima’s menus.
3. Causa limeña
A cold, layered terrine of yellow potato mashed with lime and ají amarillo, filled with tuna, chicken or crab with mayonnaise and avocado. It is served as a starter all over Lima and the coast, and it is often vegetarian-friendly: ask for causa de verduras or with avocado only.
4. Arroz chaufa
Peru’s fried rice, from the chifa kitchens of Chinese-Peruvian cooks: rice stir-fried in a very hot wok with egg, spring onion, soy sauce and chicken, pork or seafood. Chifa restaurants are in every town, portions are large and prices low, so it is a reliable, mild choice on a long travel day.
Mains and comfort food
5. Lomo saltado
Strips of beef flash-fried in a wok with red onion, tomato, ají and soy sauce, then served with both french fries and white rice. It is the best-known example of Peru’s Chinese-influenced cooking and is on the menu almost everywhere, from roadside restaurants to smart dining rooms. Vegetarians can often ask for a version with mushrooms or vegetables (saltado de verduras).
6. Ají de gallina
Shredded chicken in a creamy, golden sauce of ají amarillo, bread or crackers, milk, cheese and nuts, served over rice with a boiled egg and black olives. It is mild and comforting rather than hot, and a common choice on Lima’s set lunch menus.
7. Papa a la huancaína
Boiled potatoes covered in a smooth, cold sauce of fresh cheese and ají amarillo, with egg and olive on top. It started in the central highlands but is now a standard starter everywhere and one of the easiest vegetarian dishes to find.
8. Anticuchos
Skewers of beef heart marinated in vinegar, garlic, cumin and ají panca, grilled over charcoal and served with potato and corn. They are classic evening street food in Lima, sold from carts and small grills from late afternoon, and are tender and smoky rather than offaly. If you prefer, many stalls also grill chicken.
The Andes: Cusco, Arequipa and Lake Titicaca
9. Rocoto relleno
A large, fiery red rocoto pepper, blanched to tame its heat, stuffed with minced beef, onion, olives, raisins and peanuts, topped with cheese and baked. It is the signature dish of Arequipa, usually served with a slice of potato gratin (pastel de papa). It can still be hot, so ask how spicy it is before ordering.
10. Cuy (guinea pig)
Guinea pig has been raised for food in the Andes for thousands of years and is still a dish for family celebrations. Around Cusco it is roasted whole (cuy al horno); in Arequipa it is often pressed flat and fried (cuy chactado). It is a special-occasion dish rather than everyday food, and in Cusco Cathedral a colonial painting of the Last Supper even shows one on the table. Order it at a restaurant that specializes in it, and expect to eat it with your hands.
11. Pachamanca
An Andean feast cooked underground: meat (often lamb, pork or chicken), potatoes, sweet potatoes, fava beans and corn are layered with herbs between hot stones and covered with earth for a couple of hours. It is a dish for Sundays, festivals and groups, and in the Sacred Valley some country restaurants and tours prepare it for visitors.
12. Trout and quinoa soup
At high altitude, lunch is simple and warming. Around Lake Titicaca and in the valleys near Cusco, fried or grilled trout (trucha) is on almost every menu, and a bowl of quinoa soup (sopa de quinua) with potatoes and vegetables is the classic starter of a set lunch. Both are mild, simple and cheap; see our Puno travel guide for the lake.
Sweets and drinks
13. Picarones
Rings of fried dough made with squash and sweet potato, served hot and soaked in a syrup of chancaca (raw cane sugar) flavored with spices and orange. They are sold from street stalls and in markets, mostly in the evening and on weekends, and are best eaten straight from the pan.
14. Pisco sour
Peru’s national cocktail: pisco, the country’s grape brandy, shaken with lime juice, sugar syrup and egg white, finished with a few drops of bitters. Pisco has a protected designation of origin in Peru, made in the coastal valleys of Lima, Ica, Arequipa, Moquegua and Tacna; around Paracas you can visit the wineries and distilleries of Ica. It is stronger than it tastes, so order one before dinner, not three.
15. Chicha morada and Andean drinks
Chicha morada is a sweet, non-alcoholic drink made by boiling purple corn with pineapple, cinnamon and cloves, served cold with almost every set lunch. In the Andes and in Arequipa’s picanterías you will also find chicha de jora, a lightly fermented corn beer with a long history. Coca and muña (Andean mint) teas are what locals drink to warm up at altitude.
Where to eat: Lima and beyond
- Lima: the place for ceviche and for Peru’s internationally known dining scene. Go to a neighborhood cevichería at lunchtime, try anticuchos and picarones at night, and book well ahead if you want a tasting menu at one of the famous restaurants. Miraflores and Barranco have the highest concentration of restaurants.
- Cusco: the San Pedro market, near the old train station, sells fruit, juices, cheese, bread, herbs and cheap set lunches, and is the best place to see the variety of Andean potatoes and corn. Keep an eye on your bag. The city’s restaurants around the Plaza de Armas and in San Blas range from simple menú places to modern Andean cooking.
- Arequipa: the city of picanterías, traditional lunchtime restaurants serving rocoto relleno, chupe de camarones (river shrimp chowder), adobo and chicha de jora. Peru’s Ministry of Culture has declared the picantería of Arequipa, and those of several other regions, Cultural Heritage of the Nation. The San Camilo market is good for fruit, juices, cheese and snacks.
- The Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu: valley markets, country restaurants with pachamanca and trout, and simple places in Machu Picchu Pueblo. You may not bring food into the Machu Picchu site, so eat before you go up.
- Puno and Lake Titicaca: trout, quinoa and potatoes, and home-cooked meals on the islands if you stay with a family.
Food etiquette and tipping
Lunch, not dinner, is the main meal for most Peruvians, and the menú del día (also called menú or menú ejecutivo) of soup or starter, main course and a drink is what offices and families eat on weekdays. Seafood is a lunchtime food; many cevicherías do not open at night. Dinner is lighter and later, usually from about 8 p.m. in Lima.
Tipping is appreciated but not a fixed rule. In sit-down restaurants, around 10% for good service is common if no service charge has been added; check the bill first. In markets and simple menú places, people usually round up or leave small change. Our tip calculator helps you work it out, and our phrase cards have the Spanish for “not spicy, please” (sin picante, por favor) and “the bill, please” (la cuenta, por favor).
A few practical notes: ají sauces are served on the side, so you can choose your own heat; most visitors drink bottled or filtered water rather than tap water; and when you arrive in Cusco or Puno, eat lightly for the first day while you adjust to the altitude.
Eating on a budget
Peru is one of the best-value food countries in the Americas. Numbeo’s October 2026 figures, used in our Peru trip cost guide, put a meal at an inexpensive restaurant at about S/ 7 in Cusco and S/ 15 in Lima, so the set lunch is the cheapest good meal in the country. Markets, chifa restaurants and street stalls for anticuchos and picarones keep costs low, while tasting menus in Lima are priced for international visitors and need booking far ahead. For a guided start, a market visit and cooking class is a popular way to learn the ingredients; browse food tours and classes in Lima and Cusco in our tour finder.
Food also shapes when to go. Cusco fills up for Inti Raymi on 24 June, and the wine and pisco harvest festivals around Ica take place in March; our best time to visit Peru guide covers the seasons and festivals month by month.
Plan your trip: our free trip planner can build a day-by-day plan around Lima, Cusco and Arequipa with time for markets and long lunches. Then see our Peru itinerary for 7, 10 and 14 days, and our top 10 places to visit in Peru to decide where to go.
Frequently asked questions
What is the national dish of Peru?
Ceviche is the dish most Peruvians would name, and it is the one UNESCO recognized in 2023 as part of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Lomo saltado and ají de gallina are close behind as everyday favorites.
Is Peru food spicy?
Some of it is, but much less than you might expect. Most dishes get color and flavor from ají amarillo, which is fruity and mild, and the hot sauces come on the side. The exception is rocoto, the red pepper of Arequipa, which can be very hot even when cooked; ask before you order rocoto relleno.
What do people eat for breakfast in Peru?
Bread rolls with cheese, avocado, ham or egg, with coffee or tea, are the everyday breakfast. On weekends, Lima families often eat tamales or a pork sandwich (pan con chicharrón) with sweet potato and onion relish, and in the Andes you will see hot quinoa or maca drinks sold from street carts in the morning.
Is Peru good for vegetarians?
Yes, with a little planning. Papa a la huancaína, causa, quinoa soups and dishes, tamales and vegetable stir-fries (saltado de verduras) are easy to find, and Lima and Cusco have many vegetarian restaurants. Set lunches often use meat stock in the soup, so ask, and learn “soy vegetariano” or “sin carne” (without meat).
When do Peruvians eat ceviche?
At lunch. Ceviche is made with fish bought that morning, so cevicherías are busiest from about noon to mid-afternoon, and many close before dinner. Order it as a starter to share, or as a main with a cold beer or chicha morada.
What drinks should I try in Peru?
A pisco sour, chicha morada (the non-alcoholic purple-corn drink), a fresh fruit juice from a market stall, coca or muña tea in the Andes, and Inca Kola, the golden soda Peruvians drink with chifa and fried chicken.