Peru Shines in Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025

Peru has once again confirmed what many travelers already feel the moment they land in Lima: this is one of the great culinary capitals of the world. In the Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list, three Peruvian restaurants appear in the Top 10, and eight feature in the overall Top 50. All of them are experiences that can be seamlessly woven into your next Peru trip with Colourful Peru.

From tasting menus that celebrate biodiversity to relaxed, contemporary dining rooms and a restaurant in the high Andes near archaeological wonders, these best restaurants in Peru are the perfect partners to iconic sites such as Machu Picchu and the top attractions in Peru.

Three Peruvian restaurants in the Top 10

Photo: TripAdvisor

According to the official Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list, the three Peruvian restaurants in the Top 10 are:

• Kjolle (Lima) – No. 2
• Mérito (Lima) – No. 4
• Cosme (Lima) – No. 9

Kjolle: tasting Peru’s biodiversity in Barranco

Run by chef Pía León, Kjolle has become a symbol of the new Peruvian gastronomy. Located in the artistic district of Barranco, its menu is a journey through the coast, Andes and Amazon, where native ingredients are transformed into colorful, contemporary dishes.

In the 2025 list, Kjolle is ranked No. 2 in Latin America and is also honored with the Art of Hospitality Award 2025, recognizing its warm, thoughtful service and the overall guest experience.

For travelers, Kjolle is more than a restaurant booking; it’s a curated introduction to Peru’s landscapes and cultures on a plate – ideal as a welcome dinner in Lima at the start of your tours in Peru, or as a celebratory finale after visiting Machu Picchu.

Mérito: a creative bridge between Lima and Caracas

Photo: TripAdvisor

At No. 4, Mérito brings together the creativity of Venezuelan chef Juan Luis Martínez with Peruvian produce and techniques. The result is an intimate, ever-evolving menu where Andean tubers, Amazonian fruits and coastal flavors meet unexpected textures and combinations.

It’s a perfect stop for curious food lovers who want to go beyond the classics and explore how young chefs are reinterpreting Latin American cuisine today – all within a relaxed space in Lima’s bohemian Barranco district.

Cosme: Lima’s high-energy highest climber

Completing the Peruvian trio in the Top 10, Cosme reaches No. 9 on the list and also receives the Highest Climber Award 2025, recognizing its spectacular rise in the ranking this year.

Cosme offers a more casual, energetic style of contemporary dining, where local ingredients, bold flavors and a fun atmosphere blend into one of Lima’s most talked-about restaurant experiences. It’s a fantastic option for a lively night out that still showcases the depth of Peruvian cuisine.

Eight Peruvian restaurants in the Top 50

Peru’s strength in the 2025 ranking goes well beyond the Top 10. In total, eight Peruvian restaurants appear among Latin America’s 50 Best:

• Kjolle (Lima) – No. 2
• Mérito (Lima) – No. 4
• Cosme (Lima) – No. 9
• Mayta (Lima) – No. 11
• La Mar (Lima) – No. 26
• Rafael (Lima) – No. 33
• Osso (Lima) – No. 44
• Mil (Moray, Cusco) – No. 49

Each of them adds a different flavor to a gastronomic itinerary through the country:

• Mayta – A refined, contemporary restaurant that explores Peru’s ecosystems through seasonal tasting menus, ideal for a special night in Lima.
• La Mar – Perhaps the most famous modern cevichería in the city; perfect for a relaxed lunch of ceviche, tiraditos and seafood before flying to Cusco or Arequipa.
• Rafael – A long-standing classic of Lima’s fine-dining scene, known for its elegant atmosphere and consistently creative cuisine.
• Osso – A temple to meats and charcuterie, showcasing local beef and pork, dry-aging techniques and hearty yet sophisticated dishes.
• Mil (Moray, Cusco) – A truly unique experience above the Sacred Valley, right next to the circular Inca terraces of Moray. Here, the menu is built in dialogue with surrounding communities and the high-Andean environment, making it a magical complement to visits to Moray, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.

Together, these restaurants turn any journey into a culinary road trip – from the Pacific coast to the Andes – and can be perfectly combined with the top attractions in Peru such as Lima’s historic center, Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Lake Titicaca and the southern circuit.

Peru, Latin America’s culinary and cultural leader

Photo: TripAdvisor

These results from Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants align with a wider trend: Peru continues to be recognized internationally as a leading destination for gastronomy, culture and sustainable tourism.

At the World Travel Awards 2025, Peru was named:

• South America’s Leading Culinary Destination 2025
• South America’s Leading Destination 2025
• South America’s Leading Cultural Destination 2025
• South America’s Leading Contributor to Sustainable Tourism 2025
• South America’s Leading Tourist Attraction 2025: Machu Picchu

For travelers, this means that a Peru trip can effortlessly combine world-class dining with breathtaking landscapes, archaeological wonders and authentic cultural encounters.

Designing your gastronomic Peru trip with Colourful Peru

At Colourful Peru, we specialize in tailor-made tours in Peru that allow you to experience these award-winning restaurants as part of a broader, enriching journey. Some inspiring ways to integrate them into your itinerary:

1. Lima as your gourmet gateway

Use Lima as your entry or exit point and plan:

• A welcome or farewell dinner at Kjolle, Mérito or Cosme.
• A leisurely seaside lunch at La Mar to taste iconic ceviches and seafood.
• A special celebration at Mayta, Rafael or Osso, paired with pisco-based cocktails and a curated wine list.

Between meals, explore Lima’s historic center, Barranco’s art galleries and the coastal views of Miraflores – all key stops among the top attractions in Peru.

2. Cusco, Sacred Valley and Mil: cuisine at altitude

In the Andes, we can design a route that connects:

• Cusco’s colonial streets and vibrant markets.
• The Sacred Valley, with visits to Pisac, Ollantaytambo and local communities.
• The Inca terraces of Moray, followed by a tasting menu at Mil, where each course speaks of high-Andean ingredients and ancestral farming practices.

This makes for a powerful combination with a full day at Machu Picchu, creating a journey where each moment – from trail to table – reveals another layer of Peruvian culture.

3. Beyond the restaurant table

To deepen the experience, we can also include:

• Guided visits to local markets in Lima or Cusco with expert guides.
• Hands-on cooking classes to learn ceviche, causa or lomo saltado.
• Tastings of specialty coffee, cacao and pisco, meeting producers and learning about sustainable practices.

In this way, gastronomy becomes a thread that connects nature, history and people throughout your journey.

Live a Colourful Experience with Colourful Peru

Peru’s outstanding presence in Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 is not just a list to admire from afar – it’s an invitation to taste the country in person. With three Peruvian restaurants in the Top 10 and eight in the Top 50, plus multiple international tourism awards, this is the perfect moment to plan a trip where every day ends with an unforgettable meal.

If you’d like your itinerary to include reservations at these restaurants, unique food experiences and visits to Peru’s most iconic sites, our team at Colourful Peru will be delighted to design a journey tailored to your tastes, time and travel style.

Live a Colourful Experience with Colourful Peru.