-.jpg?fit=900%2C750)
At her acclaimed restaurant Kjolle, chef Pía León – named 2021 World’s Best Female Chef by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants – serves ingredients that reflect the biodiversity of Peru: citrus from the Amazon rainforest, tubers from the Andes mountains, Sacred Valley pork and prized sea urchin from the country’s northern coastlines. The chef and mother has also been instrumental in the success of three-time Latin America’s Best Restaurant, Central, where she worked alongside husband Virgilio Martínez for 10 years. León’s recommendations on where to eat and drink in the Peruvian capital are as diverse as the country’s landscapes and culture.
Pía León
The home of Nikkei cuisine
My favourite restaurant in Lima is Maido. Chef Mitsuharu “Micha” Tsumura is a close friend, so I feel at home every time I visit. He cooks Nikkei cuisine, which is Peruvian ingredients cooked with Japanese technique. The seco de cabrito – baby lamb and canario bean – dumplings are excellent. Don’t miss the sea urchin kamameshi rice or the crudos, which are all impeccable.
The best ceviche in Lima
You can’t visit Lima without eating ceviche at La Mar. We go for the hospitality, the freshness and the amazing quality of products used. We always order the catch-of-the-day ceviche, the ceviche with erizo (Peruvian sea urchins) and the shrimp causa – a cylinder of whipped potato topped with shrimp that’s creamy and has just the right amount of acidity. The pasta alle vongole with lime and chilli pepper is also a favourite.
A Peruvian institution
Astrid y Gastón is one of the best restaurants in the city. Since the restaurant opened in 1994, it has represented Peruvian gastronomy and has initiated a movement of appreciation and respect for Peruvian ingredients. Astrid y Gastón is directed by chef Gastón Acurio – who is a chef we all admire – and pastry chef Astrid Gutsche. Astrid has dedicated her life to researching Peruvian cacao, which of course is featured heavily on the dessert menu.
Speciality coffee, chocolate and cocktails
Locals love going to specialty coffee shop Ciclos Café. The coffees are made with different extraction methods and an array of Peruvian coffee beans roasted by expert Felipe Aliaga. Upstairs you can find the best chocolate in Peru at El Cacaotal. It’s directed by Amanda Jo Wildey, an anthropologist dedicated to finding the best quality cacao beans in the country and building relationships with growers. If you visit, be sure to do a chocolate tasting. Another local favourite is Lady Bee, a cocktail bar in Miraflores that uses ingredients from all over the Peruvian territory.
When I’m not in the kitchen
When I have time off and want to relax, I go to Isolina. It’s a great place to try criolla food, or traditional Peruvian comfort food. The menu is family-style with generous dishes like tripe and fried blood stew or black bean tacu tacu (Peruvian beans and rice) with liver and onions. The ceviche here is also incredible. I also love going to El Mercado by chef Rafael Osterling. The restaurant has a great, casual vibe and the seafood dishes are fantastic.
Food you can’t find anywhere else
If I have something to celebrate, I go to Mérito. Chef Juan Luis Martínez, who used to work with us at Central, is a great friend and super-talented. He’s Venezuelan and so the food he cooks is a mix of Venezuelan and Peruvian cuisine. It’s really exciting food that you can’t find anywhere else. The restaurant is small and cosy. It’s a very comfortable place to dine.
A young chef to watch
Chef Jason Roman is a young, talented chef with a clear vision. His restaurant Awicha is under-the-radar, but one that people should visit. Jason is a third-generation chef, and his cooking is inspired by the food he ate growing up. The dishes are very comforting, and the restaurant is just as warm and super easy-going.
Peru’s best produce
The Sunday farmer’s market in Barranco is a really nice experience. It has an incredible selection of producers, growers and artisanal products from different parts of Peru. You can also find amazing fresh produce at Agrofili, a fruit and vegetable store. Bayas Peruanas offers a variety of berries from the high Andes.
As told to Jessica Rigg from the Local Tongue. For more chef’s guides around the world, see thelocaltongue.com.
