Peru is well known throughout Latin America for its great variety and creativity in its many different dishes, and Lima is the gastronomic center of Peru. Styles vary, from Peruvian “creole” cuisine, to seafood, to specialties from the jungle and highlands, to a Peruvian-Chinese fusion known as chifa, but everything is delicious.

Starters

Ceviche- considered Peru’s national dish, it is made by marinating fish or shellfish (or both) in a combination of lime juice, chili pepper, onion, salt and pepper. It is usually served with yam, choclo, a type of large Andean corn, and roasted corn kernels called canchitas, and sometimes with chifles, thin fried slices of banana.
Papa Rellena- mashed potato stuffed with ground beef and fried.
Causa Rellena- mashed potato stuffed with tuna or chicken and served cold with onion slices and avocado.
Rocoto Relleno- a roasted red pepper stuffed with cheese and ground beef. A typical dish from Arequipa.
Anticuchos-grilled beef heart, marinated in vinegar and spices, served on skewers. These can be found in restaurants as well as on the street from street vendors with moveable carts.

Main Dishes

Arroz con Mariscos- a delicious seafood dish of rice and mixed seafood, usually made with calamari, mussels, clams, and fish, among others.
Arroz con Pollo- a dish of rice with chicken made by first marinating the chicken in beer, and then cooking it together with the rice in garlic, onions and chili.
Ají de Gallina- shredded chicken served with a creamy yellow sauce made with yellow chilis, cheese and milk, served with rice.
Pachamanca- a dish typically baked underground, made with marinated lamb, mutton, pork, chicken or guinea pig, as well as potatos, lima beans, sweet potato and corn. Usually served with very large portions.
Lomo Saltado- a stir fry dish made with strips of steak and peppers, tomatoes, onions and french fries, served with rice.
Tallerines Verdes- spaghetti noodles served with a basil and spinach, pesto-style sauce, with grilled steak or chicken.
Pollo a la Brasa- a rotisserie style chicken served with french fries and salad. Found all over the city in specialized chicken restaurants.
Cuy- a specialty of the highland regions, cuy means guinea pig, and is usually served roasted, and whole.

Desserts

Arroz con leche- a sweet dish of rice made with milk. Sold together at street stands with Mazamorra Morada, which is a type of purple gelatin made by boiling purple corn, cinnamon, pinapple, and other fruits.
Suspiro Limeño- a dessert made of milk and dulce de leche, topped with meringue and cinnamon.
Picarones- a doughnut-style dessert made with dough made from either squash or pumpkin, and served with a sweet syrup made with raw sugar cane. Found in restaurants or at street stands.
Alfajores- a soft baked pastry filled with caramel or mollasses and covered in powdered sugar.
Helados- Peru has a wide variety of ice creams outside the traditional chocolate, strawberry and vanilla, featuring many local fruits that most gringos have never heard of such as lucuma, tuna, camu camu, guaraná, and maracuya, among others.

Beverages

Chicha Morada- a sweet drink made by boiling purple Peruvian corn with pineapple, apple and cinnamon, and adding lime juice and sugar.
Inca Kola- Peru’s answer to the Coca Cola invasion, this very sweet soft drink is yellow, and has a bubble gum flavor.
Pisco Sour- Pisco is the national liquor of Peru, and is a type of brandy made from grapes. Pisco Sours are made by blending or shaking pisco, lime juice, sugar and egg white, and come in many flavors aside from the traditional, such as mango, maracuya, coca, and more.
Chicha- an alcoholic version of the purple corn drink, chicha morada, served mainly in the highland regions of Peru.
Beer- Peru has a few national beers, all light in flavor for those hot, humid days. Some of the most popular are Pilsen, Cristal and Cusqueña.
Coca Tea- a traditional drink in the mountainous regions made with coca leaves, recommended for fighting off altitude sickness.