- Today, 4 November, the city is hosting the ‘The 50 Best Restaurants’ gala for the first time, and it does so as one of the world’s most renowned gastronomic capitals: seven of its restaurants feature on the latest list of ‘Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants’.
- From markets and ceviche bars to Nikkei and Chifa cuisine, Lima’s culinary scene encapsulates centuries of cultural fusion and the biodiversity of the coast, the Andes and the Amazon.
This week, the eyes of the global gastronomic world are on Lima. Today, Wednesday 4 November, the Peruvian capital will host the gala for The 50 Best Restaurants at its Municipal Theatre – the first such event to be held in Latin America. But anyone travelling to Lima doesn’t need a ceremony to understand why the city has been chosen to host one of the world’s most important culinary events: all they need to do is sit down at a table.
Lima, a gastronomic capital
Few cities boast such a highly acclaimed culinary scene. Seven restaurants in Lima feature in the latest edition of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants: Kjolle (2), Mérito (4), Cosme (8), Mayta (11), La Mar (26), Rafael (33) and Osso (44). Added to these are Central, run by Virgilio Martínez and Pía León, and Maido, run by Mitsuharu “Micha” Tsumura, voted Best Restaurant in the World in 2023 and 2025, respectively. No other country in South America has achieved this top spot twice.
But Lima’s culinary scene is not limited to haute cuisine. It can be found in its markets, in the cevicherías, at the anticucho stalls, in Nikkei and Chifa cuisine – legacies of Japanese and Chinese immigration – and in characterful neighbourhoods such as Barranco. It is this coexistence of signature cuisine and popular fare that makes the city a destination in its own right.
“Lima stands out as one of the world’s great gastronomic destinations, thanks to a cuisine that combines tradition, creativity, cultural diversity and an extraordinary array of produce from Peru’s various regions. Hosting The 50 Best Restaurants in Lima presents an exceptional opportunity to showcase our culinary talent to the world. Furthermore, Lima is the starting point for discovering Peru’s diversity. From the capital, the gastronomic journey can extend to other destinations such as Cusco, Arequipa or Loreto. In each of these regions, the range of options allows culinary experiences to be complemented by cultural, nature and adventure activities, tailored to the interests of each traveller”, says PROMPERÚ’s Executive President, Teresa Mera Gómez.
A cuisine that reveals itself through travel
The international recognition of Peruvian cuisine has its roots in the country’s diversity. Its dishes reflect the coast, the Andes and the Amazon, as well as centuries of cultural fusion between Andean traditions and Spanish, African, Chinese and Japanese influences. Ceviche, pisco, cocoa, chillies and the thousands of varieties of native potatoes are all expressions of this biodiversity, and the best way to understand it is to explore it.
From Lima, the journey continues to the Sacred Valley of Cusco, where Andean crops surround the archaeological complex of Moray and where Virgilio Martínez opened the restaurant Mil, at an altitude of over 3,500 metres, which this year ranks among the world’s top 100 restaurants; on to Arequipa, with its traditional picanterías and one of the country’s most robust regional cuisines; to the valleys of Ica, the birthplace of pisco, Peru’s flagship spirit; and to the Amazon, whose produce has found its way into haute cuisine thanks to Peruvian chefs.
For the traveller, the experience goes far beyond simply booking a table: market tours, cookery classes, visits to producers or pisco trails allow you to discover Peru through the people who grow and cook its food.
Peru, ever closer
The destination has never been better connected to Spain: in addition to direct flights from Madrid, a direct route between Barcelona and Lima will be introduced from June 2026. In 2025, 144,294 Spaniards visited Peru, 4.7 per cent more than the previous year, with an average stay of around 12 nights, allowing them to combine Lima with other regions of the country.
About PROMPERÚ
The Commission for the Promotion of Peru for Exports and Tourism (PROMPERÚ) is an agency under the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism and the body responsible for formulating, approving, implementing and evaluating strategies and plans to promote Peru’s image in the areas of tourism, exports and foreign direct investment in the country.
Further information on Peru as a destination can be found at https://www.peru.travel/
Source: COMUNICACIÓN IBEROAMERICANA