El Mercado is a seafood restaurant in Miraflores, Lima.
El Mercado at Av Hipolito Unanue 203 in Miraflores is Rafael Osterling's daytime seafood room, a terrace cevicheria with gyoza, taco and curry bridges too.
Signature dishes: Ceviche, Tiradito, Pulpo grillado
Must order: The ceviche of the day plus a tiradito; the gyoza fusion course is a sleeper.
Tip: Lunch only, no dinner; busy at 13:30 and quiet at 15:30 Walk-ins usually OK.
Address: Av Hipolito Unanue 203, Miraflores, Lima 15074
Madam Tusan at Av Santa Cruz 859 in Miraflores is Gaston Acurio's chifa house, a celebration of Chinese-Peruvian cuisine in a dramatic dragon dining room.
Signature: Lomo saltado, Arroz chaufa, Dim sum
Order: The lomo saltado is the canonical version; add a chaufa and a wantan frito.
Tip: Open till midnight every night, useful for late dinner; reservations recommended on weekends.
Tanta at Malecon de la Reserva 610 in Miraflores is Gaston Acurio's casual Peruvian chain in Larcomar, the lomo saltado and ceviche carta over the Pacific.
Signature: Lomo saltado, Ceviche clasico, Anticucho de corazon
Order: Lomo saltado with chaufa and a chicha morada; the anticucho de corazon is the appetiser.
Tip: Other Tanta branches: Av Felipe Salaverry 2370 (Jesus Maria), Pancho Fierro 115 (San Isidro), same carta everywhere.
Wa Lok at Jr. Paruro 878 in Barrio Chino is among the oldest chifa restaurants in Lima's Chinatown, with 100-plus Cantonese dishes and Peking duck nightly.
Signature: Dim sum, Lomo saltado, Pato laqueado
Order: The dim sum sequence at breakfast or the Peking duck for dinner.
Tip: Go for Chinese breakfast (09:00-11:00) for the dim sum variety; lomo saltado at lunch.
Salon Capon at Jr. Paruro 819 in Barrio Chino is a Cantonese-Peruvian institution on Calle Capon in Lima, a multi-level chifa with a vast classic menu.
Signature: Dim sum, Arroz chaufa, Wantan frito
Order: A dim sum tower plus arroz chaufa and the wantan frito, the chifa trinity.
Tip: Lunch service is calmer than dinner; cash is safer than card on weekends.
Madam Tusan at Av Santa Cruz 859 in Miraflores is Gaston Acurio's chifa house, a celebration of Chinese-Peruvian cuisine in a dramatic dragon dining room.
Signature: Lomo saltado, Arroz chaufa, Dim sum
Order: The lomo saltado is the canonical version; add a chaufa and a wantan frito.
Tip: Open till midnight every night, useful for late dinner; reservations recommended on weekends.
El Bolivariano in Pueblo Libre Lima is the criolla institution housed in a republican casona, tracing tradition to the 1780s with the canonical carta.
Signature: Aji de gallina, Lomo saltado, Anticucho
Order: The aji de gallina and the lomo saltado; finish with a suspiro limena.
Tip: Open from 07:30 for breakfast, useful for tamales and pan con chicharron.
Tanta at Malecon de la Reserva 610 in Miraflores is Gaston Acurio's casual Peruvian chain in Larcomar, the lomo saltado and ceviche carta over the Pacific.
Signature: Lomo saltado, Ceviche clasico, Anticucho de corazon
Order: Lomo saltado with chaufa and a chicha morada; the anticucho de corazon is the appetiser.
Tip: Other Tanta branches: Av Felipe Salaverry 2370 (Jesus Maria), Pancho Fierro 115 (San Isidro), same carta everywhere.
Antigua Taberna Queirolo at Av San Martin 1090 in Pueblo Libre is the 1880 Santiago Queirolo cantina, criolla snacks and a Lima pisco-bodega buffet daily.
Signature: Choritos a la chalaca, Butifarra de jamon del pais, Pisco buffet criollo
Order: Choritos a la chalaca and butifarra de jamon del pais with a chilcano of Queirolo pisco.
Tip: Lunch buffet from S/79 per person; cash safer than card; the connected Queirolo wine and pisco shop sells direct.