We highly recommend another complementary and very pleasurable route to be followed by visitors: explore the country's delicious culinary landscape. The variety of flavors available to the traveler is enormous in a cuisine probably unsurpassed in Latin America. A number of circumstances have contributed to enrich Peruvian cuisine. The most important is a simple one: Peru is fortunate in that it can rely on a natural storehouse of fresh ingredients that generously supplies the country's kitchens, encouraging creativity in cooking and seasoning.

Peru's gastronomic map reflects the combination of different cultural influences. The ancient Inca and pre-Inca cultures, which gave priority to corn and potatoes, received the influence of Spain during the colonial period. Subsequently new dishes and seasonings were brought by African, Chinese, Italian, Japanese and European immigrants. Culinary excellence characterizes Peru's various social strata. While some elegant restaurants are able to compete at an important level, a number of local and more modest restaurants called "picanterias" have inherited a local culinary tradition, and offer delicious food.

In Lima there are a few hundred restaurants called "chifas" that offer Chinese food with a touch of local flavor. Over the past years, a number of Japanese restaurants have appeared.

Northern dishes you can delight on are among others:  stewed kid meat (Seco de Cabrito) baked kid meat (Cabrito al Horno), turkey stew with corn puree (Pepian de Pavo), Chiclayo style duck with rice (Arroz con Pato a la Chiclayana) or pork and dried vegetables (Shambar).  Limenian dishes such as stuffed causa (Causa Rellena) and Aji de Gallina, as well as  cebiches and parihuelas are common to the entire coastal region. Andean dishes such as Pachamanca, Patasca (type of stew), Malaya (flank steak), Broths and Adobo (marinated meat dish) and jungle dishes such as Juanes (type of tamal), Chonta (stips of palmito)are among others, well known culinary delights.

Similar riches is to be found among desserts that include "King Kong", Natilla, Cuñas del Norte, "Tejas" from Ica and the wide variety of typical Limenian desserts: Suspiros, Arroz Sambito, Mazamorra Morada, Picarones, Turrón de Doña Pepa.

Gastronomy in Peru is more than simply eating well. It is a wonderful excuse for sharing pleasant moments, good conversation and above all, friendship.

Click on the following links to find out about typical peruvian dishes and desserts:

Traces of Peruvian Cuisine
Here are some of the best dishes in the vast Peruvian menu which you can order for your enjoyment.

Peruvian Desserts Glossary
Local fruits are a fundamental ingredient in Peruvian desserts, in particular Chirimoya (cherimoya), Lúcuma (an endemic Peruvian fruit), and Maracuyá (passion fruit). These can be found in almost any dessert: cheesecakes, mousses, puddings, caramels, etc.