Best Market Bites on a Peru Vacation

While travelers enjoy many things during their Peru vacation - impressive ruins, astounding biodiversity, scenic extremes - there is one thing that more often than not wins a particularly special place in their memories: the food. And it’s not hard to understand why; Peruvian cuisine is as varied as it is delicious.

Born out of centuries of experimentation and perfection, Peruvian food is the flavorful result of the intense mixing of cultures which characterizes Peru’s long, complex past. Waves of immigrants from Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa brought with them their own culinary particularities, spices and flair for utilizing everything on hand to create surprisingly ingenious dishes.

They say necessity is the mother of invention, and creole Peruvian food stands as an undeniable testament to this. For instance, many of the dishes found today along Peru’s coast - that strip of arid desert stretching from Tacna to Mancora, from the sea to the Andean foothills - were invented thanks to the ever resourceful nature of the country’s poor. Working with what they had, which was very often not much more than the seemingly unappetizing leftovers from the employer’s kitchen (such as the viscera, tongue, or blood of the animal), the innate knack for flavor led to now trademark dishes; such as cau cau, morcilla, anticuchos and the list goes on. The latter is extremely popular with foreigners, being one of the more accessible dishes; marinated cow heart barbequed and served on skewers.

Similarly, some of the best seafood dishes that are now proudly heralded as platos de bandera - or national dishes - were created with literally a handful of ingredients and designed to be consumed on the spot. The first draft of ceviche, that mouthwatering marriage of fish and spicy citrus so popular with nationals and foreigners alike, first came into being not in a kitchen or even on land, but on the ocean. More specifically, on the front of a caballito de totora; those one-man vessels made from reeds that are still used by artisan fishermen in Peru’s northern coastal towns. All the ancient cultures of the north – Moche, Lambayeque, Chimu and so on - have always been seafaring folk, and long hours spent at sea, in the beating sun and on these tiny handmade boats meant food did not keep. The solution? To simply "cook" some of the raw fish they had caught in salt and flavor it with aji, or Peruvian chili. This rudimentary yet very practical dish was later perfected with the introduction of diced onions and lime juice (both brought by the Spaniards, who in turn had inherited the ingredients from the Arabs). It is evident that to delve into the history of Peru’s vast array of dishes is to essentially map out the history of world-wide emigration, conquests, and cultural integration on a massive scale.

But it is far more satisfying to actually try Peruvian food, rather than discuss it, so why not head to one of the many bustling mercados while you are in Lima; the country’s melting pot for cultures, customs and of course, cuisine. The following market places are the ideal places to explore the gastronomic range on offer, all packed together in an authentic and vibrant atmosphere that only adds to the culinary experience.

Surquillo Market
Open every day, Paseo de la Republica, Surquillo
This sprawling food market is technically in the Surquillo district, but is quite literally across the road from Miraflores, and can be reached from the Parque Kennedy in a 5 minute taxi ride or on foot. Housed in a stadium-like venue, the Mercado de Surquillo enormous, and filled to bursting point with stalls selling everything from grocery goods to full meals. This market is 100% authentic, with hundreds of locals frequenting its aisles everyday in search of their daily cooking needs, harder to find ingredients, or even breakfast, lunch or a quick snack; all at bargain prices. First-timers will be amazed at the multicoloured displays of exotic looking fruits and vegetables on display, as well as the rows of weird and wonderful varieties of fish and other seafood creatures.

Don’t miss: Possibly the best, and cheapest, ceviche preparations in Lima, on the second floor for just 10 soles.

Bioferia, organic food market
Weekly on Saturday mornings from 8am, Park Reducto, Miraflores
There is a growing organic food movement in Lima, and the best place to find small-scale organically grown goods is without a doubt the weekly Bio Feria. Situated next to the grassy Parque Reducto in Miraflores, this organic food market also boasts numerous stalls offering home-made vegetarian meals, snacks, desserts and drinks.

Don’t miss: The vegetarian tortilla wraps. These organic enrollados are stuffed with fresh organic veggies and topped with your choice of 5 home-made sauces, a bargain at just 8 soles.

Barranco Gastronomy Festival
Weekly on Sundays, Central Plaza, Barranco
The main plaza in Barranco comes alive on Sundays, as this gastronomic festival draws crowds of Limeños from all over the city, all keen to savour proudly made national specialties. The festival is very organized, and to speed things up patrons purchase food tickets from the Caja, or cashier, and then exchange these for the dish of their choice. Each stall displays examples of every meal or dessert they sell, which is helpful when you don’t know their names! Go there after dusk to soak up the really festive vibe.

Don’t miss: A simply mouth-watering lomo saltado, featuring sautéed strips of beef, chopped tomatoes, diced onions and strips of yellow chilli, garnished with fresh cilantro and served on a bed of white rice and thickly cut French fries. This fast and healthy meal with only set you back 10 soles.

About the Author
This guide to some of the best food markets in Lima was written by a Peru travel expert at Peru For Less, a member of the Latin America For Less family.