ExploFood · South America
What to eat in Peru
Five dishes to try in Peru, the most typical first. One is vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Peru
Ceviche Cebiche
Raw white fish cured in lime juice with chilli, red onion and sweet potato.
How to have it: A lunch dish, as fish is freshest early; order at a cevichería with a side of leche de tigre.
Lomo saltado
Beef stir-fried with onion, tomato and soy sauce, served with fries and rice.
How to have it: A Chinese-Peruvian classic found on almost every menu, from cheap menús to fine dining.
Ají de gallina
Shredded chicken in a creamy yellow chilli, bread and nut sauce.
How to have it: Common in set lunch menús; served with rice, boiled potato, egg and an olive.
Anticuchos
Grilled skewers of marinated beef heart.
How to have it: Bought from evening street grills in Lima; comes with potato, corn and chilli sauce.
Pisco sour
Cocktail of pisco grape brandy, lime, syrup, egg white and bitters.
How to have it: The classic aperitif in bars across Peru; it is stronger than it tastes.
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Questions
What food is Peru famous for?
Ceviche (raw white fish cured in lime juice with chilli, red onion and sweet potato) comes first on our list, followed by Lomo saltado, Ají de gallina, Anticuchos and Pisco sour.
What is the national dish of Peru?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Peru is Ceviche: raw white fish cured in lime juice with chilli, red onion and sweet potato. A lunch dish, as fish is freshest early; order at a cevichería with a side of leche de tigre.
Which dishes in Peru are vegetarian?
One of the five on this page is vegetarian as usually made: Pisco sour. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in Peru?
Anticuchos (grilled skewers of marinated beef heart).
What do people drink in Peru?
Pisco sour: cocktail of pisco grape brandy, lime, syrup, egg white and bitters.
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Tick off every dish you try in Peru
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.