What to eat in Peru

Peru’s signature dish is made from cubes of raw fish (sea bass, sole or tilapia) 'cooked' in lime juice, salt, sliced onions and aji amarillo peppers. It’s served cold with sweet potato chunks, a cob of choclo (giant white corn) and cahcha (toasted crunchy corn). Vegetarians can dig into mushroom or hearts of palm ceviche.

A crowd pleaser, this chifa (Peruvian-Chinese) stir-fry combines tender strips of beef or alpaca with soy sauce, tomatoes, onions, aji peppers and spices. The juice creates a delicious gravy that’s perfect to mop up with rice and French fries.

This popular snack consists of sliced beef hearts marinated in vinegar, garlic, aji peppers and cumin, then cooked on skewers over charcoal. It's also served as a main meal with boiled potatoes and aji dipping sauce. You’ll see (and smell) anticuchos de corazon on most street corners.

This stew is the ultimate Peruvian comfort food. Shredded chicken is simmered in a creamy bread sauce flavoured with nuts, cheese, garlic and peppers. It’s served over white rice and boiled potatoes, then garnished with black olives and boiled eggs.

Enter one of Peru's most beloved sandwiches. Slices of jamon del país (Peruvian country ham), spicy peppers, sweet onion relish and salad are packed into a crusty rosetta roll or French baguette. It's a cheap, filling and downright delicious meal that's best bought from a street vendor.

Appetiser or work of art? This glammed-up version of a potato salad consists of cold mashed potatoes (seasoned with spicy aji sauce and lime juice) layered with slices of chicken or tuna mayo, avocado, boiled eggs and olives in a neat little cube or cylinder.

It might be a pet in other cultures, but cuy (guinea pig) is an Andean delicacy dating back to pre-Inca times. Gamey in taste, it's traditionally stuffed with cumin, cilantro and huacatay (black mint), then roasted whole over an open fire. Typical side dishes include roast potatoes, salsa and corn.

You'll find this street snack all over Central and South America, but Peruvian-style empanadas are traditionally made with ground beef, onions, olives, boiled eggs, garlic and cumin. The mixture is sealed inside a dough pocket and deep-fried until golden. 

This stuffed pepper dish is a hit with spice lovers. Fiery aji rocoto peppers – reaching up to 100,000 on the Scoville Heat Unit – are filled with ground meat, sauteed onion and garlic, hard-boiled eggs and raisins, before being topped with cheese and baked until soft.

Finish your meal with these classic Limenos doughnuts. The dough is made with sweet potato and a native squash called zapallo macre, then shaped into rings, deep-fried and drizzled with sticky sugar cane syrup and warming spices including cinnamon and clove.

From purple corn soft drinks to a zesty shot of leche de tigre (tiger’s milk), here are the beverages you shouldn’t miss in Peru.

With everything from mountains to rainforests, there isn't really a bad time to visit. Find out the best months for sunshine, smaller crowds, wildlife and more.

Want to party Peru-style? Consider timing your trip around one of these events to experience Peru at its most colourful.