Shopping and Eating in Peru

WHAT AND WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK

According to Historyaah, Peru is considered to be the gastronomic capital of South America. Peruvian cuisine is very diverse, and gastronomic tours in Peru are in greater and greater demand every year. Here you will taste dishes from fresh fish and seafood, and a variety of potato varieties – over 2000, and amazing tropical fruits of the Amazonian selva. Peruvians use numerous spices, but most of the food is not spicy at all.

We recommend trying ceviche (raw fish, shrimp or shellfish marinated in lime juice, onions and hot peppers, served with a side dish of sweet potatoes, boiled or roasted corn and green seaweed).

• Causa reyena – boiled and pounded yellow potatoes stuffed with boiled vegetables, chicken or tuna.
• Parihuela is a thick, rich soup made from fish and seafood.
• Lomo saltado – pieces of fried beef with french fries, tomatoes and onions. Served with rice.
• Ahi de gayina – thin pieces of boiled chicken in a sauce of milk, cheese, hot ahi peppers and nuts. Served with boiled potatoes and rice.
• Carapulcra – a dish of boiled dry potatoes with pieces of pork, hot peppers and ground peanuts.
• Pachamanca (a traditional dish of the Peruvian Andes) – various types of meat, potatoes and maize or corn, baked in a stone oven in the ground.
• Anticuchos – skewers made from a bull’s heart. Served with boiled potatoes and corn.

Thrill-seekers can try kuya – stewed or fried guinea pig, a traditional Peruvian dish. In the Andes, you can try fried slices or alpaca steak (the meat of this animal contains almost no cholesterol). Some restaurants in Lima and Arequipa offer visitors ostrich meat, and in the selva you can taste exotic dishes such as turtle soup.

Dessert

• Masamorra morada – purple corn pudding with cinnamon and cloves.
• Rice with milk (arros-con-leche) – sweet rice porridge with raisins, cinnamon and cloves.
• Suspiro a la Limeña is a very sugary dessert, a meringue made from condensed milk and vanilla.
• Texas – sweets with nuts, a sweet filling of boiled beans or condensed milk, coconut and other fruits and nuts.
• Picarones – sweet potato and pumpkin donuts with sugarcane syrup.

The drinks

• The traditional drink of Peru is pisco grape moonshine with a strength of 40-46 degrees. Based on it, a pisco sour cocktail is made, with the addition of egg white, lime juice and other ingredients.
• Chicha de hora (or simply chicha) is a fermented corn drink revered since antiquity. The strength is comparable to beer.
• Peruvian beer – Cusquena (many consider this beer to be the best in Peru), Cristal, Brama, Pilsen and other varieties. Peruvians drink a lot of beer and large cities have their own beers.
• Peruvian wines: Most Peruvian wines are sweet or semi-sweet. Peruvians do not revere dry wines too much. Among the dry wines, good Tacama brand wines.
• Chicha morada – sweet purple corn compote (served cold).
• Lemonade – lemonade made from freshly squeezed limes with sugar
• Mate de coca – tea made from freshly brewed dry coca leaves (some establishments may bring you just a cup of hot water and a tea bag with dry crushed coca leaves).

Fresh Fruit Juices: Be sure to try Lucuma juice with milk – you won’t regret it! Juices from chirimoya or guanabana, papaya and mango will also not leave you indifferent. In Peru, you can eat fresh fruits and vegetables all year round!

Inca Cola is a Peruvian yellow carbonated drink that tastes like Pinocchio or Duchesse.

Cold and alcoholic drinks are usually NOT included in the cost of meals in Peru. Their cost is different depending on the city and restaurant, about 2-4 US dollars for a glass of lemonade or a bottle of sparkling water. A bottle of beer in restaurants costs about $3.

ENTERTAINMENT AND LEISURE

Nightlife in Lima is most active from Friday evening to Sunday. In Miraflores you will find a large number of bars, discos, casinos and restaurants. We recommend the Larkomar shopping and entertainment center, which also has a bowling alley, a theater and a cinema. For lovers of good and tasty food, we recommend several excellent restaurants in Lima:

• LA ROSA NAUTICA: The restaurant is located on a pier in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Excellent service and delicious food. The freshest fish and seafood.
• LA MAR: Sevicheria by the famous Peruvian chef Gaston Acurio. Av. La Mar 770, Miraflores
• PESCADOS CAPITALES: fish and seafood.
• BRUJAS DE CACHICHE: traditional Creole cuisine, buffet lunches.
• HUACA PUCLLANA: The restaurant is located at the ruins of a pre-Indian pyramid.
• ASTRID Y GASTON: An excellent restaurant by the best Peruvian chef.
• ALFRESCO

If you have time, visit the bohemian district of Lima – Barranco, where artists, writers and actors of the capital live. Here is the famous Bridge of Sighs, as well as numerous restaurants, discos and bars. Visit one of the traditional peñas, where, in addition to snacks and drinks, you will be offered a show of incendiary Afro-Peruvian and other traditional dances. Walking down the cobbled Bajada de Baños, you will come out to the observation deck and enjoy the view of the ocean.

In the Andes, it is customary to go to bed early and wake up late, although in Cusco you will also be pleasantly surprised by the variety of discos and active nightlife. Cusco is a truly cosmopolitan city where you can meet people from all over the world. The best discos and bars in Cusco: MAMA AFRICA, CAOS, PEPE ZETA (lounge bar), FALLEN ANGEL (restaurant and disco), THE CROSS KEYS, ROSIE O´GRADY´S (Irish pub)