Recommendations: Lima // Peru
Lima has been increasingly known as a top gastronomic spot for several years, with people coming to visit, simply to eat! Whether you're on layover for a few days before heading to Cusco, or you have truly come just to enjoy Lima's culinary delights, it will not disappoint.
Although ceviche still remains one of the best dishes in town, people have also acquired a taste for specialty coffee, organic-only shops and plant-based restaurants. There is still a long way to go in creating more conscious options, but Lima has become a dynamic city with new spots opening all the time.
Join us for a Plant Academy approved tour, courtesy of Plant Two Student @priscillahannaford
Guide Key: 100% Vegan
Let's Do Brunch: Caleta Dolsa
Run to grab a table here! Always busy, but always worth it, this little gem is famous for its artisan roasted coffee and their wide range of colorful smoothie bowls.
Açai is not enough, this menu has several other options all of which are made with local Peruvian fruits. If you're not feeling like something cold, they are also known for their delicious pancakes or avocado toasts.
Heads up, it gets pretty crowded here, as their instagram aesthetic makes it a favorite stop for the city's influencers (and their followers!)
Cool Coffee: Ciclos Café
Coffee nerds, this is your place. At Ciclos, one just doesn't order a coffee and sip it meaninglessly. This place is a deep dive into coffee knowledge, where your barista probably has won one or two awards and knows ten times more about coffee than your average person.
Of course they roast their own coffee, serving two or three options in the espresso bar. They also have a strong connection to coffee growers as they travel countrywide getting to know farmers and their produce.
If you don't believe them, just glance around their walls and you'll see beautiful portraits of their coffee-travels. Oh, and if that's not enough, there is a connoisseur-worthy chocolate shop right above which was created by an anthropologist. El Cacaotal displays the finest selection of different types of cacao from Peru's regions. Pretty amazing.
Crowd Pleaser: El Pan De La Chola
A Lima classic, Pan de la Chola is known for its sourdough bread and delicious coffee, but there's something even beyond food that makes this spot so popular.
A 'je ne sais quoi' vibe of good music, unpretentious but always satisfying menu and great interior design makes this spot one of Lima's favorite cafés.
There's something for everyone, from chia pudding with local fruits to avocado and toast or scrambled eggs with fresh mushrooms, Pan de la Chola never fails to deliver. We must warn you, their homemade almond milk cappuccinos can become quite the habit!
Keep It Raw: La Verde
While not an entirely raw restaurant, La Verde does have the best raw vegan desserts. Aside from that, their menu is pure vegan goodness with their specialty being homemade, feel-good treats.
Although the owners previous restaurant, AlmaZen, is much missed, La Verde is a beautiful little coffee shop that represents delicious vegan eating.
Shop Local: BioFeria
Bring your reusable shopping bag and get ready to wait in line. The BioFeria at Parque Reducto is held every Saturday and has become an emblem of healthy and alternative lifestyles. You'll find the best produce coming from organic farms outside of Lima.
People go kind of crazy as stuff sells fast! But it's totally worth it. Other favorites include La Kabrita artisanal goat cheeses, several independent cosmetic brands and organic cotton clothing.
Fill Your Fridge: Flora y Fauna
This is bio shop heaven. Flora & Fauna has everything you need and more. This local chain has grown fast over the past years with over five locations in the city.
It is a perfect one-stop-shop for everything healthy (take it from the author who doesn't bother going anywhere else but here for her groceries!)
They offer quality organic produce, natural cosmetics and cleaning products, and everything you need for a healthy home. Most of their brands are local (which we love!) but they also import whatever the local market has yet to offer.
Let's Do Drinks: Hotel B
Set in a beautiful historic building in the trendy neighbourhood of Barranco, Hotel B serves the city's best gin and tonics and delicious tapas.
Perfect after a busy day of exploring Barranco's streets, which are always full of hidden treasures!
Join Me For Dinner: Kjolle
A little fine dining never killed anyone. Yes, most of our favorite spots keep it casual, but it's impossible not to mention Kjolle in our list. Not only because of its award-winning status, but also because of their menu's flexibility. You can have the full nine course experience and make it vegan!
Needless to say the food is amazing, but what we love most is the overall aesthethic perfection of the place, from the color of the foods on your plates, to the ceramics themselves! Kjolle is feminine, modern and tasteful, in every sense of the word.
One To Watch: Demo
Demo is the sister café to Mérito (one of the city's best restaurants). Demo is a display of creativity and culinary genius.
Whilst "just" a coffee shop, every detail here is curated to create an elated experience. The design of the place is beatuiful, with a floor to roof mural in the bathroom by Dutch painter Gam Klutier and a sleek selection of materials at the coffee bar, Demo is full of suprises worth discovering.
Sleep: Wynwood House Barranco
Definitely the place to stay. Combining the amenities of hotels with the independe of an apartment rental, Wynwood House is a Latin American chain of high end rentals, and their iconic Barranco location could not be more picturesque.
Beautiful design with backdrops perfect for your posts in one of Lima's trendiest neighborhoods.