The rap on Peru’s capital is that it’s a place you stay for a few nights to enjoy meals at famous restaurants like Central or Astrid y Gastón before continuing on to the Andes or the Amazon. But Lima is so much more than a gateway town with great food. To know this seaside city, truly and deeply, is to know the sound of salsa across its rooftops and the jokes flying over kaleidoscopic mountains of fruit at its mercados. In colonial mansions that once housed elite Spanish families, contemporary Peruvian designers have set up shop alongside aesthetic boutique hotels and wine bars where DJs spin records. Lima is a place where you can encounter layers of history (yes, those are pre-Inca ruins in the middle of that traffic circle) as well as modern Peru—and the creatives who have made it one of South America’s great cities. To know Lima is to love Lima—all you need is a little patience and the confidence to strike up a conversation with one of the laughing Limeños in the cevichería. It will be worth the effort.
Lima is one of our Best Places to Eat in 2025. For the full list, read here.
Breaking down the barrios
Popular favorites Barranco and Miraflores are more dynamic than ever, and there’s plenty more to explore. Here’s what to do in each.
Cercado de Lima
Also known as Centro, downtown Lima is a fascinating collision of regal European architecture and a bustling Latin American metropolis: traffic, crowds, buskers. Grab a churro at Churros San Francisco, near the Plaza Mayor, then go sip a pisco sour catedral, a more potent version of Peru’s most famous cocktail, at Gran Hotel Bolívar.
Pueblo Libre
This slice of old Lima has the city’s greatest concentration of parks and quite a few storied watering holes. After perusing the collection of pre-Columbian art at Museo Larco, head to the 19th-century Antigua Taberna Queirolo, for homestyle dishes like ají de gallina. Or try El Bolivariano (established in 1780) for dinner and dancing.
Barranco
This charming bohemian enclave is home to Virgilio Martínez’s acclaimed restaurant Central, where guests can now book behind-the-scenes kitchen tours. Clon is the latest spot from Venezuelan chef Juan Luis Martínez, of the laid-back yet elevated restaurants Mérito and Demo. Want something a little more casual and old-school? Nothing beats ceviche apaltado at Canta Rana.
Annika Huett
San Isidro
Well-heeled locals come to this sleek corner of Lima to shop and dine. During a walk along Miguel Dasso, pop into the beloved Blu: Il Gelato del Barrio and El Pan de la Chola bakery, which emphasize Peruvian ingredients. Or duck into the newly unveiled speakeasy Kero by Osaka.
Surquillo
Among the hardware stores of this former factory district are the beloved huariques—informal hole-in-the-wall restaurants—alongside trendy new culinary outposts. Order a whole fish at the venerable La Picantería, or something more casual at S’concha Barriada Cevichera.
Miraflores
Innumerable restaurants and frequent events make this breezy neighborhood a natural hub for travelers. Watch paragliders soar over the clifftop Parque del Amor, then get a drink at the tavern Casa Rebara 1921 or the buzzy Lady Bee, where the cocktails showcase native ingredients.