Peru's food scene is regularly named among the world's best, and Lima restaurants such as Central and Maido have topped global rankings. The secret is diversity: thousands of native potato varieties, chillies (ají), seafood from the cold Humboldt Current and fusion traditions brought by Spanish, African, Chinese and Japanese immigrants.

Ceviche

Ceviche is the national dish: raw white fish cured briefly in lime juice with red onion, ají limo chilli and coriander, served with sweet potato and toasted corn kernels (cancha). The marinade, leche de tigre ("tiger's milk"), is sometimes drunk as a shot and said to cure hangovers. Peruvians eat ceviche at lunchtime, when the fish is freshest.

Classic dishes

  • Lomo saltado: beef stir-fried with onions, tomatoes, soy sauce and chips, served with rice, a product of Chinese-Peruvian chifa cooking.
  • Ají de gallina: shredded chicken in a creamy sauce of yellow chilli, bread and walnuts.
  • Causa: layered mashed yellow potato seasoned with lime and chilli, filled with chicken or tuna.
  • Anticuchos: grilled skewers of marinated beef heart, a street food with Afro-Peruvian roots.
  • Pollo a la brasa: rotisserie chicken, the country's favourite takeaway.
  • Rocoto relleno: stuffed spicy peppers from Arequipa.

Fusion: chifa and Nikkei

Chinese immigrants arriving from the 1850s created chifa, Peruvian-Chinese food found on almost every street. Japanese immigrants created Nikkei cuisine, combining Japanese technique with Peruvian ingredients, as in tiradito, a sashimi-style dish with chilli sauce.

Andean foods

Peru is the homeland of the potato, with thousands of varieties, and of quinoa. In the highlands, try cuy (guinea pig), traditionally roasted for celebrations, and pachamanca, meat and vegetables cooked underground on hot stones.

Drinks

The pisco sour, made with grape brandy, lime, sugar, egg white and bitters, is the national cocktail. Chicha morada is a sweet drink of purple corn, and Inca Kola, a golden soft drink, outsells Coca-Cola in Peru.

Festivals

  • Inti Raymi (24 June): the Inca sun festival re-enacted at Sacsayhuamán above Cusco.
  • Candelaria (February): one of South America's biggest festivals, in Puno, with thousands of dancers.
  • Fiestas Patrias (28–29 July): independence celebrations.
  • Señor de los Milagros (October): huge purple-robed processions in Lima.

Etiquette

  • Greet with a handshake, or one cheek kiss among friends.
  • Lunch is the main meal; many restaurants offer a cheap set "menú".
  • Bargaining is normal in markets, but be fair.
  • Ask before photographing people in traditional dress; some may ask for a tip.
  • Tip around 10% in restaurants.

See our Peru country guide for costs and data.