The 10 Dishes You Have to Try on Your Trip Through Southern Peru

Peru is not just a place to visit, Peru is to be savored. Chosen multiple times as the "World's Best Culinary Destination", our country offers a gastronomic diversity that changes drastically as you travel from the Pacific coast to the heights of the Andes.

If you're planning the classic southern route (Lima, Ica, Arequipa, Puno, and Cusco), prepare for a true feast of flavors. To avoid the usual tourist traps and experience authentic local cuisine, here are 10 must-try dishes, listed according to your travel itinerary.

🍲 On the Coast (Lima, Paracas and Ica)

1. Peruvian Ceviche

You can't leave Peru without trying our national dish. Fresh Pacific fish cured in Peruvian lime juice, aji limo peppers, red onion, and served with sweet potato and choclo (giant corn). Enjoy it during the day, ideally in Lima or by the sea in Paracas.

2. Lomo Saltado

The perfect fusion of Peruvian culture and Chinese immigrant cuisine (Chifa). Pieces of beef tenderloin stir-fried in a wok over high heat with onion, tomato, soy sauce, and vinegar, served with French fries and white rice. A classic that everyone loves!

3. Causa Limeña

A cold and very mild dish. It is a Peruvian yellow potato puree seasoned with lemon and yellow chili pepper, usually filled with shredded chicken with mayonnaise or tuna, and garnished with avocado.

4. Carapulcra with Dry Soup (The «Breast Stain»)

The signature dish of Ica and the southern coastal region. Carapulcra is a thick stew of dried potatoes with pork and peanuts, served in the same bowl alongside "sopa seca," a type of heavily seasoned noodle soup. It's hearty and delicious.

🏔️ In the Volcanic Mountain Range (Arequipa)

Arequipa boasts one of the most vibrant and proud regional cuisines in the country. Its traditional restaurants are called "Picanterías.".

5. Stuffed Rocoto Pepper with Potato Pie

The rocoto looks like a harmless red pepper, but beware, it's spicy! It's thoroughly cleaned and stuffed with ground meat, peanuts, raisins, and melted cheese, then baked. It's always served with a creamy potato casserole.

6. Shrimp Chowder

A thick, hearty, and incredibly comforting soup. Made with giant river shrimp, milk, cheese, fava beans, a poached egg, and a touch of huacatay (an Andean aromatic herb). Perfect for warming up.

7. Frozen Cheese

Despite its name, it doesn't contain cheese! It's a traditional Arequipa dessert. It's a homemade ice cream made with fresh milk, evaporated milk, coconut, cinnamon, and cloves. Refreshing and sweet.

⛰️ In the Andean Highlands (Puno and Cusco)

8. Fried Trout from Lake Titicaca (Puno)

When visiting the islands of Lake Titicaca, the traditional lunch is freshly caught salmon trout, fried until crispy, served with native potatoes, rice, and a salsa of onions and tomatoes. Simple, but with an unparalleled flavor.

9. Baked Guinea Pig (Cusco)

Perhaps the dish that most impresses foreigners. Guinea pig has been a source of protein in the Andes since the time of the Incas. In Cusco, it is marinated with Andean herbs like huacatay and baked whole until the skin becomes crispy like a cracker. It is a festive and traditional dish.

10. Grilled Alpaca Meat (Cusco)

If you're looking for a very healthy, cholesterol-free, and extremely tender red meat, you have to try alpaca. It's usually served as grilled or hot stone medallions, accompanied by quinoa or golden potatoes.

The Secret to Eating Well: Travel with a Local

The difference between eating a generic lomo saltado in a tourist trap restaurant and trying a life-changing one in a "huarique" (secret local restaurant) lies in who takes you.

Am Favio Valcárcel, official guide and founder of Adventure Tours Peru. When you travel with me on our private transportation service, I not only guarantee safety and comfort on the roads, but I also become your personal culinary advisor. I know the places where real Peruvians eat in every city along the route—those restaurants that don't always appear on apps but prepare food with heart and soul.

Do you have a food allergy or prefer vegetarian food and are worried about what you'll eat in Peru? Don't worry! Peruvian cuisine is vast and there are spectacular options for everyone.

Write to me. I'd be happy to give you my best local restaurant recommendations completely free of charge. And if you'd like me to personally take you to sample the true culinary wonders of the South as we travel the country at your own pace, it would be my honor to be your guide.

👉 Click here to send me a message. Let's chat about your trip and the must-try dishes!