Food & Dining,  Money, Economics, Politics

Best Cevicherias & Seafood Restaurants in Lima: Where to Dine During APEC Week

An American in Lima recommends…

Seafood and rice at La Mar

La Mar (Av. La Mar 770, Miraflores; 421-3365): Gaston Acurio’s chic cevicheria is sure to be on many APEC dignitaries’ “must eat at” lists. There’s always a line at this trendsetting restaurant, so expect even longer waits during APEC week. La Mar’s head chef tells An American in Lima he’s ordering 30% more fish than usual to accommodate the rush. Open 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. only.*

Pescados Capitales (La Mar 1337, Miraflores; 421-8808): Top-notch, innovative ceviche served in upscale/rustic surroundings. I lurve, lurve, lurve this place, which is several blocks down the same street as Acurio’s La Mar.  I stopped by Friday for a private tasting (lucky me!) with owner Nguyen Chavez, who gives his chefs latitude to create six new dishes each week. (This week’s dishes are inspired by APEC themes.) As of Friday, the wife of one South American president had already called to reserve a table for lunch this week, so expect the place to be full of bigwigs during APEC-o-rama. Open 12:30 – 5 p.m. only. *

Pez Amigo (Av. La Paz 1640, Miraflores; 445-9783): This low-key, elegant restaurant isn’t patronized by the tour companies that parade busloads of tourists through Lima, which is exactly why it’s a good bet for a relaxing lunch. I have never been disappointed by any of the dishes I’ve ordered here; Pez Amigo (Friendly Fish) offers flavorful, well-prepared seafood in a relaxing, intimate setting. I’d recommend this locals’ favorite to visiting dignitaries who want to dine away from the media limelight.

Punto Azul (Calle San Martin 595, Miraflores; 445-8078): Limeños adore this Miraflores restaurant, which serves very good ceviche and seafood in gigantic portions. Prices are reasonable and service is friendly. You can dine like a king here for less than US$10. Not as exclusive as La Mar or Pescados Capitales, but muy rico. My pick for APEC delegates with big appetites who want to mix with locals.

Edo’s Sushi House (Calle Berlin 601, Miraflores): A friendly, buzzing sushi place with various locations throughout Lima. I go to the one on Calle Berlin, and it’s become my weekday sushi hangout. Very good maki rolls, with Peruvian fusion touches incorporating criolla sauces and sliced fruit.  

Osaka Sushi Bar (Av. Conquistadores 999, San Isidro, 222-0405): This upscale sushi bar is elegant and pricey and worth every penny of it. The dishes fuse Peruvian and Asian flavors, with distinctive combinations that make a lunch or dinner here memorable. A thrifty Peruvian might choke at the prices (US$50-$60 is common for lunch for two), but movers and shakers accustomed to eating in Paris or NYC won’t bat an eye at  Osaka’s cuentas. The best sushi I’ve had in Lima so far.

AND NOW…WHERE NOT TO EAT

Don’t bother searching for Segundo Muelle, the highly praised cevicheria along the Miraflores Malecon, because you won’t find it: The restaurant closed in August due to an escandulo involving unpaid income taxes. What a pity. I thought the food there was great.

Every guidebook you read mentions La Rosa Nautica, but I think this classic seafood restaurant is overpriced and a bit cheesy. Don’t get me wrong: the food is good and the views are to-die-for. It’s just that the restaurant has grown into a tourist trap, with a row of souvenir shops lining the wharf to the front door and impersonal service inside. There are extra charges added to the cuenta, and the pisco sours are inferior. Again, the splendid setting on the Pacific Ocean might compensate for some.*

* Note: Restaurants marked with an asterisk have been certified by the Ministry of Health.

I am an American writer who lived in Lima for seven years (2007-2014), where I covered Andean traditions, melting glaciers and daily life in the capital for Miami Herald, MSNBC and Huffington Post. I now live and work in northern Florida where I champion climate change advocacy and compassionate, affordable eldercare.

12 Comments

  • Barb

    Informative post on El Fayke, Stuart. It seems from your experiences and those of other diners that this is a good dining bet for when you’re in downtown.

    There are lots of eateries in downtown Lima that I’ve never tried, but have wondered about.

    A dependable restaurant is L’eau Vive, which has a supercheap lunch menu. Wa Lok, in Chinatown, has good Chinese food. My brother in law raves over it, but I’m less impressed.

    I have been to Bar Cordano (by the Casa Blanca) several times but I wouldn’t recommend it. In May we took friends of ours there and they insisted on eating brain omelette. Yuck! They were sick for two days. It might have been the brains or the iffy-looking ceviche.

  • Rachel in Peru

    I love Matsuei, you cannot leave out Matsuei! =)

    “CAPLINA” has a restaurant in Club Terrazas in Miraflores on the Costa Verde. If you ask nicely and tell them you want to go to the restaurant they may be kind enough to let you in; If not you’ll need to find an “amigo” who is a member of the club.

    Now, if you want to wander OUTSIDE of the APEC “safety” zone you can also go to:

    http://www.elveridicodefidel.com/ in Matute (La Victoria next to the Alianza Lima Stadium)

    or

    http://www.puntomarino.com/ in Lince (Alt. 16 de Arequipa)

    Finally there is the infamous Sonia’s in Chorrillos right up the shoulder of the Morro Solar near Club Regatas.

    I have been a life long hater of anything seafood, but (a few of) these places have made me a convert to Ceviche.

  • Barb

    I just checked the address for Segundo Muelle in San Isidro. They have two locations, which are listed on their website (www.segundomuelle.com):
    Av. Conquistadores 490
    telephone: 421-1206

    and Avs. Carnaval & Moreyra 605
    224-3007

    I haven’t been to that location so I can’t say anything about the food there. If it’s like what I tasted in Miraflores, it’s excellent.

    Notices on the former location in Miraflores say the site was closed due to unpaid taxes, perhaps owed to the city of Miraflores.

  • Santiago

    As mentioned by Rachel, there is a third location in San Isidro at Rivera Navarrete, a couple blocks south from Javier Prado.
    I never visited them in Miraflores, but of the other three, it’s hands down my favorite.
    221-1499

  • Richard Stokes

    Punto Blanco a large white round contruction on the circuito de playas Barranco is good. 49 soles buffet is v good value. Terrace is great, cheap chic decor and friendly service I keep on going.

    Also Bodega y Trattoria, Gral Borgono 784 (near the Huaca Pucllana) is excellent high end. Brilliant tuna, good fish carpaccio, postres to die for. Booking could be necessary, 241 6899.

  • Pico

    Barb,

    It is easier to find good seafood restaurants in Lima in all price points. As much as I would like to eat at the most upscale places (La Mar, Pescados Capilates, etc), I doubt I could afford it, unless I am on an expense account.

    But if you feel brave, visit “Conchas Negras” on Calle Domingo Elias, Surquillo. It is located between San Miguel and Dante. The food and service are very good, and the prices will allow you to eat maybe three times for each one of the most fancy locales.

    Enjoy it.

  • Barb

    Pico,
    Mucho gracias por el dato!

    I didn’t know about Conchas Negras — will have to check it out. Always good to learn about a good value in Lima.

  • Barb

    Richard, I don’t know the Punto Blanco. Is it a seafood restaurant or criolla?

    The Bodega y Trattoria (both the Miraflores & SI locations) is good restaurnt — not seafood, but Italian. The deserts are made / overseen by a baker named Sandra P (can’t remember how to spell her last name), who is sort of the reigning queen of desserts in Peru. She has several books out and dessert products in supermarkets.