Choosing according to the time of day
- Breakfast: El Chinito, whose branches open between 7:00 and 8:00, for a pan con chicharrón and a café pasado; La Tiendecita Blanca, in Miraflores, from 8:00; the Tanta branches that serve breakfast; Isolina at weekends, from 9:00 to 11:00; in Arequipa, the Sunday morning adobo at La Nueva Palomino.
- Soup, even late: Siete Sopas, whose Surquillo branch stays open at night, except from Monday to Tuesday.
- A raw fish lunch: La Mar, which only serves at lunchtime and in the afternoon, like many cebicherías; Punto Azul, most of whose branches only serve at lunchtime; El Limón, a neighbourhood cebichería in La Victoria; Al Toke Pez, a ceviche bar near Kennedy Park, for a quick and much cheaper meal.
- A table for several: Panchita, Tanta and Isolina, for their dishes to share; Chulucanas Lima, for its “media fuente” and “fuente” sizes; Rodizio, for big meat appetites.
- After a museum: the Antigua Taberna Queirolo, in the same neighbourhood as the Museo Larco.
- A different cuisine: Japanese at Katana, in the Peruvian-Japanese cultural centre in Jesús María; fondue and rösti at La Tiendecita Blanca, for a Swiss touch.
- A regional cuisine: Piura in Lince with Chulucanas Lima, Arequipa with La Nueva Palomino.
One chain, several branches
El Chinito has about fifteen branches, Panchita two in Lima; La Lucha, Tanta, Punto Azul, Rodizio and Siete Sopas have several. Opening hours change from one branch to another, and some dishes are only served in certain branches: each page specifies the branch whose opening hours it gives. Give the driver the branch’s address, not just the name of the chain.
The bill: what the rules say
According to Indecopi, the Peruvian consumer protection authority, a restaurant must display its list of prices outside, final price including IGV (Peruvian VAT), and may not charge any amount on top of that price, except a service charge announced visibly. A price difference depending on the payment method must also be displayed.
The menus of La Mar, Panchita and Tanta state that their prices include taxes and this charge (“recargo al consumo”). La Nueva Palomino’s mentions only taxes. To compare two places, check this point before adding up, and check the bill: if a “servicio” already appears on it, tipping is optional. See reading the menu.
How we choose these places
A place enters the guide if it publishes its own information (website, menu, opening hours), if at least one other source describes it, if the place is clearly identifiable and if it meets a specific need: a breakfast, a fish lunch, a table to share, a regional cuisine. None is included because it is famous or because it has paid, and we do not publish any ranking.
We have not yet been to these restaurants for the guide, and each page says so: the prices and dishes come from their menu, dated on the page. No partnership, no commission, no free meals.
The selection will grow: a neighbourhood menú, a chifa, places in Cusco and in the north, vegetarian restaurants. In the meantime, the guides where to eat in Lima, reading the menu and regional cuisines help you choose on the spot.
Sources and dates
2 sources
Prices, opening hours and rules change: every piece of information cited links to its source, with the date it was consulted.
Sources consulted
- Indecopi, rights of restaurant and hotel customers (29 June 2022) (new tab) (consulted on 3 October 2026)
- PROMPERÚ, Lima’s cuisine (new tab) (consulted on 2 October 2026)
How we choose and date our information: our method. Has something changed? Let us know.
