A food Lover’s Dream.

They don’t call Lima the culinary capital of South America for nothing! Lima is a food lover’s dream. I ate my way through this city, and I am not ashamed of it!

Lima, much like Mexico City, felt very familiar to me. I was surprised at how well I was able to navigate this city. It was as if I lived there before. I did this as a solo trip, which is safe for solo travel, especially for women. I can also confidently say that as a Black woman, although I didn’t see anybody else who looked like me, I was not treated as “other.” I was not made to feel like I was a minority. The people of Lima were amicable and warm.

I went to Lima in May, the beginning of its winter. Lima has six months of cloudy skies and six months of sun, the opposite of the United States' seasons. I dropped the ball and didn’t research this before going there. It was cloudy for my entire trip and a little chilly, as it’s by water. I ended up having to buy an extra sweater at the mall. However, it did not take away from the city's beauty.

I stayed at the cutest boutique hotel, WasiPai Boutique Hotel. The hotel was clean and modern, the rooms comfortable and spacious, and the staff amazing. I can’t stress enough how kind everyone was. They added to an already perfect trip. You can see a video of the hotel on my Instagram page here.

What I did:

Tour of Miraflores, Barranco, and San Isidro - This tour set the tone for my entire trip. These three places are the main towns in Lima. My hotel was in Miraflores. However, after this tour, I quickly learned that my favorite neighborhood was Barranco, and I went back every day of my trip.

Cooking Cerviche in a Peruvian Home - This, by far, was the best experience I have ever had. It exceeded any expectations I had. It is more than a cooking class. The host starts by walking you to the neighborhood market, where you buy fresh ingredients for the class. At the market, I tried fruits and foods native to Peru. When I got back to the home, the host also taught me how to make ceviche and a Pisco Sour (Pisco is Peru’s signature alcohol) and how to play instruments that the African slaves used in Peru. The whole experience expanded my heart with joy! You can go ahead and book this experience here. You can also see videos of the experience on my Instagram highlights for Peru here.

I also recommend visiting the Indian Market and the Circuito Magico del Agua. The Indican Market in Miraflores is where you want to go for souvenirs to bring home. Circuito Magico del Agua is offered as a tour, but don’t waste your money. Buy a ticket at the box office yourself and enter. I thought this was a park with fountains that change color, but they actually play a show on the water. It’s really cool!

What I Ate:

I found that locals recommended the best food I had. The locals never disappoint me when it comes to food. Next time you visit a country and want an excellent food spot, ask your Uber/taxi driver! Here are a few recommendations I received that ended up being a hit!

Mangos Restaurant (At Larcomar - an outdoor shopping mall)
Lobo de Mar Otani
Amore Miraflores

There are some places I stopped in to get a drink and ended up eating, but I can’t recall the names. Also, I didn’t list any places I went to for breakfast/brunch because they all were a fail. I did not score big in the restaurant choices.