Another of Lima’s highest-ranked restaurants, this one offers cuisine from Arequipa, Peru’s picturesque third city nestled in the southern Andean foothills. There, “picanterias,” which typically only open for lunch, are a way of life, with dishes ranging from seafood to the decidedly meaty, especially chicharron, aka fried pork, a Peruvian classic. Dishes to look out for include the beef ribs, a crab parihuela or stew, and the rocoto en chupe, a soup a little reminiscent of a chowder using one of Peru’s hottest native chili peppers.

This restaurant, like many others in Lima, serves cuisine from Arequipa, Peru’s lovely third city hidden in the southern Andean foothills. Picanterias, which are normally only open for lunch, are a way of life there, with delicacies ranging from shellfish to the decidedly meaty, particularly chicharron, or fried pork, a Peruvian specialty. Beef ribs, crab parihuela or stew, and rocoto en chupe, a soup resembling of a chowder made with one of Peru’s hottest native chilli peppers, are among dishes to look out for.

Hidden on a quiet Surquillo street, La Picantería’s insides bustle with ceviche excitement and Chilcano hysteria. It’s obligatory for me to hang out at this lunch hotspot at least two times during my Lima stay – once flying solo, perching myself on the inviting bar with the bright turquoise back drop to drink the bottomless half liter Chilcano (pisco + ginger ale + lime juice), and then return for a reprise with a bigger group to sit in the main dining room and order family style.

Finally, another lunch-only spot (by that I mean 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.) is La Picanteria. Also located in Surquillo, not far from Al Toke Pez, this communal-style restaurant features larger, heartier dishes meant for sharing. Considered a bit of an outlier by peers, this restaurant opened up somewhat controversially, since it charges higher prices than comparable family-style restaurants, but the skills in the kitchen – and the sourcing of ingredients – are without peer.

Snuggled into the inland neighbourhood of Surquillo, La Picantería provides beachside fare in an urban setting. Proving that Lima really does have the culinary chops to stick out from the rest, this spot provides the extraordinary service of a lunch-only seafood joint you might see in the hard-to-reach coastal nooks of Peru. With that service comes exceptional food, some of the freshest and most responsibly provided anywhere in the city.

Héctor Solís runs a seafood gem in a converted wooden house, serving up fresh and casual seafood. This no-frills picantería (a type of lunch-only spot often found in Arequipa) showcases daily catches right on a bed of ice, with a blackboard listing what’s available and the price per kilo. Here’s how it works: you pick your fish and weight from the display, then choose how you’d like it prepared from eight different options.

La Picanteria Run by the charismatic Hector Solis and his wife, this is informal, fun and full of absolutely delicious dishes. Large sharing plates are perfect for a group: choose your type of fish and then how you wish it to be cooked. They are also pioneering chicha brews in the old classic style and barman Ivan Del Rio is mixing these into cocktails.

Osso (Calle Tahiti 175, La Molina and Av. Sto. Toribio 173, San Isidro, Lima): Probably the least authentic Peruvian restaurant, but surely the best place in South America for steak, chef Renzo Garibaldi offers in his butcher shop and restaurant Osso the best cuts, from perfectly cooked ribeye to flavored sausages fresh from the grillmaster’s BBQ.

This past November, I spent a week eating my way through Lima. I visited almost all of its high end restaurants, most of which are listed on the Latin America’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Lima’s food scene is incredible and it was hard not to eat well every single time, especially armed with my long list of must-visit restaurants.

You order the fish or seafood you want (the availability depends on the day) and the type of cooking/preparation you prefer and the kitchen takes care of the rest. The price is determined by the weight of the chosen specie. Chita fish grilled on embers, one of the greatest classics of the country’s coastal areas, is highly recommended.

If you plan to visit the city, the best places to try are Chez Wong, La Mar, El Rincon Que No Conoces, La Picanteria and I love the version with just almejas (clams) at El Rincon de Bigote. You can’t really go wrong in this city.These people know what they are doing when it comes to ceviche so wherever you end up will probably be fine.

La Picanteria is located in the Surquillo district, offering an authentic Peruvian picanteríaexperience. The restaurant features a rustic and colorful decor, reminiscent of traditional eateries found in the Peruvian highlands. The atmosphere is lively and informal, filled with the aroma of spices and herbs.

La Picantería is a relaxed restaurant in Lima that focuses on fresh seafood straight from the day’s catch. You can see the fish on ice when you walk in, giving you a clear idea of what’s available each day. The setting is casual and friendly, making it a nice spot to enjoy local flavors without any fuss.

After the success of his restaurants Fiesta Gourmet, Chiclayo, and Trujillo, chef and owner Hector Solís went back to his roots with this rustic, lunch-only eatery, based on the famed picanterías of Peru’s northern coast. Like its inspirations, the restaurant serves oversized,…

Already passing a bit of the luxurious options, is La Picantería. This restaurant in Lima is a bit more casual than the ones mentioned above, but don’t let that put you off. Because the food inside this place is incredibly delicious.

Choose your fish from the selection in front of you- literally. You know it’s fresh and you know it’s for you. The seafood is exquisite and an excellent spot for diners who love the finer things in life.

Fiesta is still thriving and is also worth a visit, but the new star is La Picantería where Solís and his team are reinventing traditional dishes such as rocoto relleno con chupe de camarones.