Peru: Some Bars With Great Food in Lima

Mayta Restaurant Bar. Lima, Peru (Photo: Mayta)

There are certain place who happily blend a terrific bar with excellent food. And there are people who do not have enough with a few drinks and need something else to complete the experience. Let’s see a few places in Lima, Peru that combine a terrific bar, excellent food and a certainly nice atmosphere, that will satisfy even the pickiest customer.

For a top notch, classy experience, there’s the bar at Rafael restaurant, as well as the bar at Malabar. Both are superb restaurant bars located in San Isidro, with excellent local and international cocktails; the latter has been included among the Top 10 Bars in the World by Food & Wine cocktail guide magazine, whichs provides a good idea of its quality. You may want to enjoy a couple drinks while you wait for a table: being in Lima, pisco-based drinks are the stars here, but you will also find many international wines and whiskeys, as well as some new cocktail creations (including Peruvian fruits and flavors) by local bartenders.

Other recommendable spots is Bolivarcito, the restaurant bar at the traditional Bolivar hotel. Located in the heart of Lima downtown, at Plaza San Martín, this place is famous for its pisco-sours, the national flagship drink. If this is your first time, however, order the normal size one, not the “Catedral”, which is extra large. Food is tasty, mostly based on typical ingredients and recipes. Piqueos are large servings which include small portions from many different dishes: you may want to try the seafood based ones.

There are also pretty good places in Miraflores. A more informal, chat-friendly and not so crowded alternative would be Café Bar Habana (Manuel Bonilla 107), a thematic bar inspired in the old Havana, with a long and well stocked bar, and many delicious selections (food and drinks) from both Peruvian and Cuban cuisines.

Another terrific yet classier restaurant bar is Mayta (28 de Julio 1290, Miraflores). They prepare some of their own piscos, letting some exotic fruits and other ingredients macerate into the bottle: this will for sure make an unforgettable experience. The restaurant focuses in “Peruvian author cuisine” and has some spectacular dishes like the Trucha Gigante (Giant Trout) or the Rice with Duck and Oysters.

There are other spots more oriented to nightlife fun, both of them usually crowded with partygoers, like Huaringas, the bar at the Brujas de Cachiche restaurant (typical Peruvian cuisine, in Barranco) and Bizarro. The latter does not have a real restaurant but serves some great entrees and appetizers from Peruvian, Italian and Asian cuisines.