Exploring Lima, Peru: Where to eat, what to see, where to stay- testing article

eru’s capital, with dramatic cliffs that separate its high-rises and colonial architecture from the sea, gets overlooked by travellers heading for Cuzco, in the Andes, or surf spots to the north. The pandemic, then political unrest in 2022 and 2023, slowed tourism, but Lima, home to more than 10 million, is giving visitors more reasons to stay. It now holds three places on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, as many chefs embrace Indigenous Andean and Amazonian ingredients in the seafood-centric cuisine, and the growing Venezuelan diaspora brings its traditional foods, like arepas, into the local food culture.

ITINERARY

Friday4pm | Cycle along the cliffside

Grab a bicycle at the shared dock on Federico Villarreal Avenue (download the CityBike Lima app; 4.50 soles, or about US$1.20, for 30 minutes) and bike along the malecón, the cliffside promenade overlooking the Pacific Ocean, in Miraflores, a scenic, upscale neighbourhood popular with tourists. (You’re particularly likely to hear English in the bars and shops surrounding Kennedy Park, a landmark with street art, food vendors and a locally beloved stray cat colony.) Ride about 30 minutes south along the coast to the edge of Miraflores. Along the way, see flower-filled parks teeming with joggers and street vendors and surfers riding waves down below. The Parque del Amor is a colourful midpoint stop in the route, with a sculpture called “The Kiss” by Peruvian artist Víctor Delfín.

After docking your bike at the corner of Armendáriz Boulevard and La Paz Avenue, cross the overpass that leads to Barranco, a bohemian oceanside district with plazas, murals and trendy restaurants. From there, walk 20 minutes to Mirador Sousa, a sunset viewpoint that’s especially popular when the skies clear. Then head to Dédalo Arte y Artesanía, a store with a variety of Peruvian ceramics, textiles, books, toys and jewellery that’s hard to find in one place elsewhere in Lima. Look for Mundo de Barro-made teapots and vases, which are hand-painted with colourful botanical and Indigenous motifs. Dédalo also has a back patio cafe, perfect for a break away from the traffic noise. For more shopping nearby, UNO and El Clóset de Mi Hermana both sell clothing and accessories in minimalist contemporary styles.

In Lima, home to more than one million Venezuelans, a new generation of that diaspora is carving out space for its own culture. Last year, Venezuelan chef Juan Luis Martínez opened Clon, one of Barranco’s most exciting restaurants. Much as he does at his more upscale award-winning restaurant Mérito, Martínez brings elements of his homeland to Peru’s seafood-heavy cuisine: Take an arepa, a corn-based flatbread ubiquitous in Venezuela, stuffed with pejerrey, an anchovylike fish native to and a staple in Peru (23 soles). Similarly, the vuelve a la vida acevichado is a tangy Venezuelan seafood-cocktail dish in the style of a Peruvian ceviche (56 soles). Clon, like other local seafood restaurants, often adapts dishes to comply with Peru’s seasonal fishing bans, intended to improve sustainability. Reservations recommended.

The hole-in-the-wall aesthetic is part of the charm at Juanito de Barranco, a cash-only bar a few doors down from Clon. Officially open since 1937, Juanito is a typical example of a traditional taberna or bodegón, a casual bar and restaurant. Employees know the names of regulars, artists convene and hang posters advertising coming exhibitions or performances, and most nights, a guitarist circles among the tables playing old romantic tunes for tips. Have a bottle of Pilsen beer (8 soles), Peru’s popular light lager, or try a chilcano (11 soles), a classic cocktail that mixes pisco — a grape-based spirit — and ginger ale. Snack on a sandwich with jamón del norte, smoked ham, with or without ají, a spicy condiment of blended chiles (15 soles). Open until 2am. Fridays and Saturdays.