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I believe in eating fearlessly. Trying new things. Stepping outside your comfort zone. It’s the best way to get to know a new country. But I also know that the world of street meat can be daunting. Food poisoning is a traveler’s worst nightmare (& believe me we’ve contended with it a time or 10). But truth be told it’s rarely the street food that’s to blame. For me, typically it’s vegetarian food. Blasphemous I know. & Peruvian street food is dangerously good so you’d be crazy not to try it.
Let’s take a look at street food in Peru, specifically Lima, & how to savor the best bites.
Check out our guide to Thai street food. Another of my favorite destinations for street eats.
Your Guide to Eating in Peru
If Peru is the culinary capital of South America then Lima is the culinary capital of Peru. & Peruvian food as a whole (currently) lands in my top 5 favorite cuisines around the globe. They are Indian, Thai, Peruvian, American South, & Malaysian…thanks for asking.
I was underwhelmed by the cuisine of nearby Colombia. This meant that despite my love of meat and potatoes (my only knowledge of Peruvian food) I didn’t have extraordinarily high expectations when it came to what was on my plate.
Then I heard about Central and Astrid y Gaston. Michelin starred authentically Peruvian restaurants that would fill up in any city around the globe. & full they were. Reservations should be made far in advance if you plan to splurge on such an extravagant meal. But you’re not here on this blog for dainty portions and edible clay plates (fine dining gets a little weird).
Food in Peru is regional. Think of a country like the United States for example. Food in Louisiana is very different from local delights in Vermont per se. Lima is coastal and Criollo food reigns supreme here. As well as a heavy Chinese influence from the 2% of the population that immigrated here.
The Best Peruvian Street Eats
Anticuchos
Tender juicy seared beef heart. You honestly wouldn’t know it’s not just a slab of beef if I hadn’t told you. If there is one must-eat item in Lima- it’s this one.
Causa
Starchy yellow potato (Peru has over 4,000 varieties of potato!!) pressed into thin patties sandwiching chicken, mayo, avocado, and chiles together to make a creamy Peruvian potato salad pancake.
This dish is called causa as in “for the cause” because the Peruvian army didn’t have a whole lot of money to feed their soldiers. The women gathered what they could (mainly potatoes) & made this dish- hence “for the cause”.
Picarones
They look like a Peruvian donut but have a taste all their own. Made from pumpkin and sweet potato and drizzled with fig honey these fried cakes are light and only a little sweet.
Churro
Peru doesn’t make any ordinary churro. Colonized by the Spanish, Peru has since made some significant upgrades to the traditional churro. Specifically, making them larger and stuffing them with molten caramel.
Chicharrones
In the rest of Latin America, chicharrones means fried pig skin. But here in Peru, it means fried pork belly and it makes all the difference. Throw in on a warm soft bun with a thin slab of sweet potato and some spicy onions and you’ve got yourself a staple Peruvian meal.
Chicha Morado
This dark sweet aromatic iced beverage is ubiquitous in Peru. Made from purple corn the locals can consume a liter in a single meal.
Join Exquisito Peru for Risk-Free Snacking
As I mentioned before, finding the confidence for street food can be difficult. But fortunately, there’s a tour for that.
Let me just preface this by saying I hate tours. I’m a sucker for independent travel. I don’t like to be herded. I’m not a cow. But THIS TOUR is a walking tour led by a local who knows their stuff when it comes to the Lima food scene. & with limited time in a city as large as Lima, it’s impossible to sus out where the good food is all on your own.
We met in the historical district and spent the next 5 hours traversing the local market, sampling endemic tropical fruits, and hitting all the best street stalls. We ate dim sum, drank fluffy maca root beverages, and stuffed more food into my face than I thought possible. We also visited one of the oldest bars in Lima, where we drank a local concoction of ginger ale, lime, and pisco. But it wasn’t just the food that made this tour stand out, (but really the food was phenomenal), it was how knowledgeable our guide was.
Johana not only gave us the foodie low down but also filled us in on the history of Lima and some valuable insight into Peruvian culture.
So if you’re feeling apprehensive about street food or want a little dose of culture with your dinner book a street food tour with Exquisito Peru.
Food in Peru is no joke. From Lomo Saltado to Ceviche there’s something for every kind of traveler. Let me know your favorite Peruvian dish or restaurant in the comments!
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