Inspired by his time working in Peru's top ceviche restaurants, Señor Ceviche's founder Harry Edmeades, shares with U his favourite ceviche spots in Lima.
Inspired by my travels around Peru, Señor Ceviche’s menus showcase the diverse flavours and cooking techniques I discovered on my journeys. With over 30 microclimates, Peru has a rich variety of home grown ingredients. It’s no surprise that so many people have travelled to South America’s gastronomic hub and added their influence, dating back over 500 years to when the Spanish arrived with European ingredients, to the more recent Japanese and Chinese migrants, bringing with them Asian ingredients and cooking techniques, making Peruvian cuisine the ultimate fusion food. Here are a few recommendations that are doing it best:
Shortly after doing the first stint of the pop-ups, I jumped on a plane to Lima, and ended up working at Rafael Osterling’s El Mercado. This is where I honed my ceviche skills and learnt the backbone of Peruvian cooking. Located in the backstreets of Miraflores, this is my no.1 recommendation for anyone heading to Lima. From the airy open plan restaurant design to the food and drinks, this is extremely popular with the Lima crowd. Dishes not to be missed include the scallops with pisco butter, Mercado ceviche, and salmon tiraditio with galactica tiger’s milk, the wood grilled octopus and one of their wok fried rice dishes. Sadly, it’s only open for lunch.
Rated no.8 on the World’s Top 50 restaurant list, Maido is the epitome of Nikkei cooking. Just down the road from El Mercado in central Miraflores, head chef Mitsuharu ‘Micha’ Tsumura is the king of Nikkei. Nikkei is the most exciting and interesting element of Peruvian cooking, and it originates from the 1800s when Japanese migrants settled in Lima, bringing with them Asian ingredients like ginger, soy and miso and mixing them into Peruvian chillies, potatoes and other indigenous ingredients. The 50-hour cooked short rib and Arroz con pato are insane.
Sanguches, or sandwiches to you and me, are a Peruvian staple, and La Lucha make the finest in Peru. Think freshly baked, soft white bread rolls with a thin, slightly chewy crust, stuffed full of perfectly cooked and well-seasoned juicy pork, turkey and other fillings, then layered with fresh salsa criolla and topped with punchy Peruvian chilli sauces. Opt in for a side of piping hot fries made from huaryo potatoes, and one of their ice cold fresh juices. This is snack heaven taken to the next level. I could eat one of these every day.
Mr. Wong is a ceviche gangster, for real. His tiny restaurant loooks like a house, in fact I'm pretty sure he just converted his living room into a kitchen and dining room and opened up shop. It's located in a dodgy neighbourhood in Lima, but don't let that put you off. Javier, to his friends, doesn't offer a menu, you get what you're given and that's fine with me, especially when the food is this good. On my visits to Javier, I've had classico ceviche, octopus tiradito and the best saltado I've eaten, which was made with sole, rather than the traditional beef or chicken. This is an absolute must, that's if you can get a reservation.
As the name suggests, Amaz is Amazon focused, sourcing all its ingredients from the region and showcasing the best Amazonian cooking. The funky tropical interiors make it a great place for a fun buzzy dinner. This place is pretty unique, and you some of my favourite dishes are giant river snails with chorizo and tapioca sauce, Amazonian bread with fermented yucca and scallops with camu camu salsa. It also boasts one of the best bars in Lima. Get one of their Shaphisco (pisco, seven roots, cocona and camu camu) down you, it’s killer!
Señor's menu features everything Peruvian, from street food snacks and super fresh ceviches to fiery Peruvian barbecue and healthy super salads alongside punchy Pisco cocktails - served in a bright environment, reminiscent of urban Lima, with ouposts across London. www.senor-ceviche.com
Ideal For
Ceviche fans, to ceviche their own, ceviche converts
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Best Spots in Lima for Ceviche
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Latin American
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Lima
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Lima, Peru
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South American
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