Papa a la huancaina is sliced boiled yellow potato served cold under a thick sauce of queso fresco, aji amarillo, evaporated milk and crackers, garnished with olive and egg.
Where to eat it: 4 restaurants across 1 city.
Named for Huancayo in the central Andes; the dish emerged in the late 19th century along the central railway between Lima and the Mantaro valley. The cracker thickener replaced bread; aji amarillo and queso fresco give the canonical yellow sauce. Now a Sunday lunch starter across criolla Lima rooms; El Bolivariano, Isolina and La Choza Nautica run the most-cited versions in the city.
Common allergens: Dairy, Gluten
Tip from the editors. The sauce should be the consistency of thick yoghurt. If thin, add a cracker; if thick, thin with a splash of milk.
El Bolivariano on Pasaje Santa Rosa in Pueblo Libre Lima is a criolla institution in a republican casona, far quieter than the Miraflores tourist axis.
Why locals love it: A republican casona in mid-city Pueblo Libre, off the Miraflores-Barranco tourist axis, with criolla tradition dating to the 1780s.
Tip: Open from 07:30 for breakfast tamales; Sunday lunch is the family-table service.
Isolina at Av San Martin 101 in Barranco is Jose del Castillo's 2015 criolla taberna, a tribute to his mother Isolina Vargas and her Lima home cooking.
Signature: Cau cau, Tacu tacu con lomo, Ceviche carretillero
Order: The tacu tacu with steak and a portion of the carretillero ceviche.
Tip: Weekend brunch service runs 09:00-11:00 before the regular lunch carta.
Cosme at Calle Tudela y Varela 162 in San Isidro is chef James Berckemeyer's comfort-Peruvian room, opened 2015 after training under Gaston Acurio.
Signature: Comfort-food tasting plates, Beef tartare, Modern aji de gallina
Order: The chef's tasting plates, anchored by the modern aji de gallina and the beef tartare.
Tip: Sunday lunch is the easier reservation; closed for dinner Sunday.
Astrid y Gaston at Casa Moreyra in San Isidro is the 1994 flagship of Gaston Acurio and Astrid Gutsche, in a 17th-century San Isidro hacienda from 2014.
Signature: Cuy pekines, Tasting menu, Tiraditos sequence
Order: The tasting menu, anchored by the cuy pekines, Peking-style guinea pig.
Tip: Closed Mondays; the patio of the hacienda is the seat to request when booking.
More cities are in research. Want papa a la huancaina covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.