South America ‘25: Lima, Peru
En Lima, se vive mejor.
Greetings once again and we are back at it for the final time before wrapping the year.
Peru was something we never expected. At first, concerns were formulating in our heads while getting into the city from the airport. The moment we got on our uber, the slums of Lima welcome every visitor that sets foot. You’ll see houses that look like cardboard boxes stacked on top of each other, neglecting any sign of urban planning. There’s an odd similarity comparing it to the Philippines. From then on, memories and memories started flowing back to our heads, reminiscing on how my wife and I used to live different lives, making the forty-five-minute drive bearable. She comes from an area that is close to the mental institution in Manila, while I, come from a place where its jokingly called LA, not Los Angeles, CA, but Lower Antipolo—because we are at the foot of the mountain where the main Antipolo city is.
Despite the initial shock, it didn’t hold us down. The moment we reached the coastal road, everything shifted. There was a sigh of relief, things got better and still had our focus locked into the mission: to eat.
Our trip, mainly revolved around three restaurants, namely: Mérito, Central and Maido. These restaurants are critically acclaimed by the San Pellegrino Group, and we couldn’t resist to experience them. Aside from immersing ourselves in the gastronomy, engaging in the culture and history of Peru are at the top of our priorities.
Lima is a desert city, only second to Egypt, which is the largest in the world. You would assume otherwise as the city didn’t show any signs of being barren— trees are everywhere and life, flourishing.
Miraflores
Miraflores is a popular tourist spot for its safety, nightlife and accessibility to everywhere. The more you head closer to the mountains or inland (northeast & east), the riskier it becomes, this is where you can experience the “real” Peru. I’ll explain it much later.
Our area was right in the heart of downtown. For tourists who are not used to visiting or have never been to developing countries, you might get a bit of shock as the city can be a bit too much compared to western countries. To give you a glimpse of what I’m talking about, a normal two-lane road can turn into four, for as long as you can fit your car in and still allow traffic to flow. Drivers don’t care if they stop in the middle of the road and block the traffic that’s on green. They don’t even stop for pedestrians, you need to make sure that you get ahead of the vehicle, so they yield to you while crossing. There’s no rules, it’s a free for all. You can’t just yell that you have rights if someone wronged you, people don’t give a damn about American entitlement.
We felt at home, for the familiarity gave way to comfort in the midst of chaos. I felt like a young kid again, walking on the streets of the city that I grew up in. And can I say that Peru is freaking clean? I might not have seen the entire country, but Miraflores, Barranco, Callao, San Isidro and even the Plaza Mayor were spotless. My admiration to the city’s cleanliness is over the top.
Holiday Inn
C. Alfonso Ugarte 117, Miraflores 15074, Peru
Our home for the next couple of days. My wife has knack for finding amazing restaurants and lodging. The hotel seems pretty new, well-maintained and clean! Our room was ultra spacious—I wasn’t expecting that. The staff were very friendly and helpful.
I was exhausted from the bumpy flight and the tiny Latam seats, resulting to a quick nap before getting ready to start our journey. Alas, after two hours, we were off to walk, my favorite way to explore a city.
The magnificent thing about the architecture in Lima is that you will see a combination every type of structure—good or bad.
Postcolonial Spanish houses and offices,
developing country houses and
modern progressive apartments and buildings.
There’s so much character everywhere you look that it gives you visual overload.
From our hotel, we headed down to the esplanade and walked about 2-3 miles. Below, you will see a summary of our route, without the stops along the way, and this didn’t involve our walk next to the beach. I guess we locked in around 20,000 to 25,000 for the whole day.
We stopped by a church for a bit to say a quick prayer of thanks.
Peru is filled with mural arts that you can’t help resist but to stop and snap a photo of. I admire how these masterpieces revolve around and depict Peruvian life. Be on the lookout for well-fed gordito cats that have better lives than most humans.
And then… the Pacific Ocean opens up to you. The weather wasn’t the best at the time, although, it didn’t take away any of the beauty. The Malecón de La Reserva is an esplanade in the coast of Lima, a popular attraction amongst everyone. Lima, sits high up to about 30-45 meters above sea level, reminds me of Santa Monica and La Jolla.
The air feels very different here, it cleans your lungs and relaxes you. Thank goodness for the ocean pushing in fresh new air every time, a modern luxury nowadays.
You’ll pass by an area called the Love Park. Peruvian history is big on reproduction and pollinating the world. There’s actually a dedicated museum for that, more on this later. They don’t mess around when it comes to love making. My kind of people.
Larcomar
Mal. de la Reserva 610, Miraflores 15074, Peru
Larcomar is a cool mall along the esplanade. We had our quick lunch here at Cafe Lucio. I bet that it’s even prettier at night, when all the lights are shining bright.
My wife ordered the aji de gallina and I, a lomito dish, similar to a lomo saltado. Pretty decent for a quick lunch.
Barranco
After getting pass Larcomar, you are led to the area of Barranco. This is a hip spot and the walk going there is amazing. We saw expensive properties facing the water. It’s a fun hobby to check out how people decorate their apartments from the outside. You’ll see who has taste and who doesn’t. This is our favorite place to visit as it has the coolest concept shops, some of the best restaurants and amazing coffee shops.
May I also add that throughout the entire trip, we’ve seen recreational parks everywhere. Peruvians love their parks. They are well-manicured, maintained and people seem to really take advantage of them for recreational purposes.
Demo Cafe
Jirón Domeyer 282, Barranco 15063, Peru
This is a must stop if you are headed to this town. Oh my god… their Flan Mérito is to die for. Also, you have to get their bottled water, Andea. The water tastes different, similar to Fiji and Acqua Panna.
Murals at La Calle de Ermita
Av. Prolongación General Jose de San Martin 008, Barranco 15063, Peru
Dua Lipa came by to visit Peru a couple of days ahead of us. She went to a spot under a bridge with murals. It’s a popular spot and you wouldn't miss it. When you’re done taking photos, head further down to the Puente de los Suspiros or the Bridge of Sighs and finally, to Mirador Catalina Racavarren to get a glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean getting closer and closer.
Mérito
Jr, 28 De Julio 206, Barranco 15063, Peru
After this gruesome walk, we ubered back to the hotel and napped before preparing for our first high-end dinner, at Mérito. If you would like to read the article, click here!
To give you a quick summary, Mérito is San Pellegrino’s 26th Best Restaurant in The World 2025 and simultaneously the 8th in Latin America.
This is the main plaza, where everybody goes to after work. You’ll see ladies working out, students playing soccer and rival football team fanatics chanting for their team. It reminded me of a place called Marikina in the Philippines. Pretty amazing to see that there’s something close to home 6 hours away from Miami.
This wraps up our first day in Lima.
Second Day
For the second day, we opted to explore Miraflores, staying close to our hotel. Our first stop? Coffee.
Senda Cafe
Calle Alcanfores 348, Miraflores 15074, Peru
Below are some photos that show you the surrounding area of Miraflores.
Maido
Ca. San Martín No. 399, Miraflores 15074, Peru
And then, when our appetites started to complain, we went to Maido, San Pellegrino’s 2025 Best Restaurant in The World. There, we sampled an interesting 12-course Nikkei lunch paired with a non-alcoholic beverage program. To check out the article, click here!
Of course, we had to go back to Barranco because we found a famous concept store featuring Peruvian tapestry and merchandise. Of course… we had to, we just had to.
Dédalo Art
Jirón Sáenz Peña 295, Barranco 15063, Peru
This is an amazing store for everything Peruvian. Peru’s rich history is unique and it reflects on the art pieces, merchandise and clothing that you will find on display. From the patterns, the colors and the feelings these pieces evoke, it’s just from a different world. You have got to admire the people who create these things. Peru is on a different level.
Watching Sunset
VX4G+P43, Barranco 15063, Peru
Still in Barranco, as we watch the sunset, we found a still character trying to catch our attention, Mafalda. But when in Peru, you need to watch at least one sunset, just beautiful.
Blu Gelateria
Av. Almte. Miguel Grau 201, Barranco 15063, Peru
After sunset watching, we went for a quick snack, as it consumed all our mental battery. Who knew that watching the sun retreat can make you hungry? Lol. So we went back to Barranco main plaza, next to Mérito where we sampled unique and local gelato at Blu.
And when Maido and Blu were not enough to satisfy our appetites, we ate again. The craving was real, and it was for sushi this time.
Kimo
Mal. 28 de Julio 385, Miraflores 15074, Peru
Kimo is a Nikkei restaurant at the Raddison Hotel. Impressive views of the city and a state-of-the-art show kitchen welcomes you to authentic Nikkei offerings that will make you salivate!
The portions were pretty generous. Plus, the fish are all PRESH. Everything was a highlight.
And this is how we ended our second day, with a food coma.
Third Day
Our third day was the most interesting and productive. We had so much on our itinerary that by the end of our dinner, we passed out. First stop? Duh. Coffee.
El Pan De La Chola
Multiple Locations
Museo Larco
frente al, Parque Larco, Av. Simón Bolivar 1515 Ingreso por, Navarra 169, Pueblo Libre 15084, Peru
After our quick fix, our first agenda was to visit Museo Larco. YOU NEED TO GO HERE. I mean, it just opens up a whole new world for history buffs. It’s a beautiful museum that carries a lot of the “real goods” of Peruvian heritage.
The museum depicts how there was already an established and flourishing civilization even before the Spaniards began their conquest. Each tribe, divided by geographic location, have unique marks or practices compared to say, the tribes of the central or south. Amongst the traditions explained, the art of human sacrificing struck me the most. It was an important tradition that involved mostly women and infants, offering them to be in favor of the gods, for their purity.
The ingenuity of the tribes can be observed in their tools, materials and ornaments. They even showcase their skills in manipulating silver and gold to one-of-a-kind pieces that literally make people with positions stand out.
Below, is a well-preserved mummified infant, encased in decorative textile and ornaments.
Body ornaments in various forms, made with silver and metal. Is it safe to say that there’s some similarities with the Egyptians?
If the photos above were not enough, check this collection of the drinking vessels that the archaeologists have uncovered that date back at least 800-1200 years ago. Just fascinating.
There’s at least a thousand of these on display with different themes and figures.
As I was saying earlier, Peruvians are big on their belief of reproduction. There’s an erotic art gallery next to the restaurant inside the Museum and these pieces, despite looking like novelty, are taken seriously. Some of the displayed art pieces are provoking, embarrassing and funny. But hey, we’re all adults here. To each their own.
For late lunch, Google and Tripadvisor suggested a very interesting place.
El Bolivariano
C. Rosa Toledo 289, Pueblo Libre 15084, Peru
This is where your grandma and grandpa used to go for chisme and good food. The portions are huge! Please be aware of this. We learned it the hard way and ordered way too much for two people.
The food is comforting, stripped away with all the unnecessary B$*#.
We ordered ceviche natural, anticucho of chicken, lechon and milanese style pasta (that we didn’t even touch because of how full we were). The fish was soooo fresh and the chicken skewers were amazing!
Plaza Mayor
Jr. Junín cdra. 1, Lima 15001, Peru
The Lima Main Square is an impressive area that takes you back to the time when Peru was still under the colony of Spain. Well preserved structures and architectural landmarks are now utilized as government offices. When we got there, we didn’t know that the mayor was going to light up the christmas tree in the middle of the plaza. There were tons of people and awful traffic. I was worried that the uber driver was going to give up and drop us off somewhere unsafe… we just gave him extra tip for his patience.
Remember earlier when I mentioned that the closer inland you go, the more dangerous it gets? Turns out that after you leave the gates of the Lima Square, behind the governor’s palace, you will see all the slums in the background up on the hills. We didn’t even dare to venture out, we were already warned by one of the event organizers to make sure that we protect our pockets when approaching crowded areas. We took heed of his advice and didn’t blink twice.
Heading back to the hotel was a roller coaster ride. As people started to flock to the main square, traffic was getting worse. I took a photo of what real life is in Peru, depicted by this taxi driver who is just trying to get by.
Central
Av. Pedro de Osma 301, Barranco 15063, Peru
Dinner was quite special that night. It was at Central, one of the well-renowned restaurants in the entire world. Think Noma of the Latin Americas. It used to be the number one restaurant for a couple of years until San Pellegrino had to change the mechanics of the game. Now, they are part of The Best of the Best in the world. The experience is heartfelt, as they do so much for the entire country—uplifting its heritage and centering the world stage on Peru. Virgilio, the brain behind everything, is a chef among chefs who carry a huge burden on his shoulders. If you want to experience our time there, read my article, click here!
After dinner, I left Central inspired and full of ideas. This concludes our third day.
Fourth Day
Our last and final day, we had to make the most of it. But first… Coffee.
Uywa Cafe
C. Alfonso Ugarte 208, Miraflores 15074, Peru
Uywa was a five-minute walk away from our hotel. The owner welcomed us warmly, showing that her husband is into birds or ornithology—hence an entire wall filled by photos of birds that her husband personally took. Well, this is not enough, their beef empanadas and coffee were amazing! Jeez. Ever since we got to Peru, we’ve never complained about the food and drinks—the way they are seasoned or prepared. Everything has been splendid and on point.
We couldn’t get enough of history and opted to go to a nearby ruin of a famous pyramid.
Museo de Sitio Pucllana
Ca. Gral. Borgoño cdra. 8, Miraflores 15074, Peru
This ruin may look underwhelming from the outside, but wait until the tour guide explains everything. There’s a famous restaurant inside that most people go to at night, when the lights illuminate the beauty of the pyramid.
This technology, that they coined as “the library” technology dates back centuries and centuries. Fun fact: This is older than Machu Picchu by about fifteen hundred years!
Apparently, as the structure is built like thousands and thousands of books layered horizontally and contained by a bed of clay above and at the bottom, it becomes earthquake-proof. Peru suffered an earthquake six months ago, a catastrophic one, said the tour guide. The pyramid of Pucllana didn’t even flinch…. because it’s already a ruin. HA!
We weren’t expecting it, but guess what we encountered! They’re so adobrable.
These holes that you see below are where the tribe members used to leave their offerings to the gods. The guide said that up to this day, there are still some fishermen who climb up and leave some vegetables or grains to say thanks. Now I know where to go when food becomes scarce.
This is where they offer the bodies of people that they sacrifice.
Below, you will see surprising discoveries of tombs that were hidden within the walls of the pyramid. Historians are still trying to study the reason for these graves.
To give you context, before any digging happened, this ruin was used as a motocross spot! They weren’t aware that there’s a huge history hidden underneath all the dirt. Until one day, when the city was planning to remove the mound to make way for infrastructure, they started to see the bricks appear! The rest is history, but they haven’t finished digging yet, and archaeologists are still painstakingly unraveling the forgotten history bit by bit using a brush and other tiny tools. Good luck to them! They said that it’ll take about fifty more years until they unravel everything. I’d be too old to come back for that.
San Isidro
San Isidro is an affluent town in Lima. In the center, is a huge park called Olivar. Here, locals spend the day with friends, conversing or strolling.
Astrid & Gaston
Av. Paz Soldán 290, San Isidro 15073, Peru
Lunch was held at the very famous and special Astrid & Gaston. It was my first time trying Gaston’s food and it didn’t disappoint. This might be the most beautiful or one of the most beautiful restaurants that I’ve seen in Peru. It’s the perfect brunch spot. They did something spectacular with this place and that’s the reason why they have a solid following. Marvelous.
Astrid & Gaston gave us the best meal to wrap up our vacation. What a treat! From here, we took a redeye flight. Just be aware to leave plenty of time for your commute to the airport. We left on a saturday night, the same night that Peru was battling Brasil for the Soccer tournament. What’s supposed to be a thirty minute drive turned into an hour. Good thing we still had plenty of time to relax. We saw a lot of people running, trying to catch their flight. I hope that they were able to make it.
This wraps up our Peru trip. It’s been a blast and we will definitely be back with a bigger group. Hopefully, we can visit Cusco and Machu Picchu in the near future.
Peru is a celebration of a lot of things. We are thankful for an amazing experience!
Now I need to find a way to lose 25 lbs.
Until then. Keep Traveling!
