6 Best Restaurants in The Central Highlands, Peru

Antojitos

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Grilled meats, wood-smoked pizzas, and hearty sandwiches draw a diverse crowd of travelers and locals alike to this dimly lit, wood-paneled restaurant. The daily lunch special is filling and varied, and the locale is an excellent venue for lazy midday people-watching. At night, try the anticuchos (charcoal-grilled skewers of beef heart) and a glass of Peruvian wine while enjoying the live band, and stay for the nightclub atmosphere that prevails after midnight.

Peruvian Breakfast Lunch Dinner $
Jr. Puno 599, Huancayo, Junín, Peru
064-237–950
Known For
  • wood-fired pizzas
  • live music
  • bargain-priced lunches
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted

El Encanto de la Selvaina

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Located just off the main plaza, this bustling local favorite will have you feeling the jungle vibe in no time. Try the mojadito amazónico—jungle fried rice with a sweet-and-sour sauce—with a pitcher of one of the exotic fruit juices to wash it down.

Nesul Coffee

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With its simple platos típicos and selection of warm beverages, this café-restaurant is one of the most consistent options in Huancavelica. Don't expect gourmet cooking: just solid versions of old standbys like pastas and lomo saltado, plus good dessert coffees.
Peruvian Breakfast Lunch Dinner $
Jr. Virrey Toledo 210, Huancavelica, Huancavelica, Peru
965-076–018
Known For
  • belly-warming drinks
  • good, simple food
  • tasty desserts and quick bites

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Restaurant Chavín de Grima

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This popular, country-style restaurant has simple local décor and lively lunchtime crowds. It serves tamales and sweet coffee for breakfast and comida típica, including hearty stews, rice dishes, grilled meat, and fish for lunch and dinner.

Restaurant Olímpico

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This throwback restaurant, open for more than 60 years, still serves cheap, hearty Andean specials to a downtown crowd. It's the kind of place you come to with your grandparents for a leisurely Sunday lunch; tables are consistently packed, but the food is worth the wait. Try the lomo saltado (stir-fried beef) or papa a la huancaína for a taste of the Andes.

ViaVia Café

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Perched above the Plaza de Armas, this wood-paneled restaurant offers an ample menu that includes both highlands specialties and backpacker favorites. Enjoy a relaxed breakfast in the morning or an artisanal ice cream in the afternoon while taking in the view of the cathedral from the expansive terrace. At night, the bar serves up classic cocktails as well as pricier Belgian trappist brews.