Cafe Museo Larco — Restaurant in Lima Metropolitan Area

We just flew in from Cusco from our epic Machu Picchu tour and Amazon rainforest adventure and had a 6 hour layover before our overnight red-eye flight to Brazil, part of our Latin America tour. During my research for a good restaurant earlier, I discovered that Lima has a world-renowned culinary scene and hosts the #1 and #2 of the top 10 rated restaurants in the world in 2025! Since both restaurants are hard to get into short notice and very expensive for a family of 5, I was overjoyed to find Museo Larco Café-Restaurant and promptly booked a reservation online. As an extra bonus, I decided to go visit the Museum Larco next door with the family beforehand, one of the top rated museums in all Latin America.

After the museum visit, we walked to the restaurant right next to and still within the gated compound. Museo Larco Café-Restaurant was visually stunning in the evening, with all the soft string lights, elegant open floor plan, vaulted ceilings and chandeliers with upscale, chic decorations. As a travel writer and in the top 10% of all Google restaurant reviewers, it had to be one of the nicest we have ever dined in around the world! It was nice of them to take care of our 10-pieces of luggage for our family without a problem.

They had a good menu selection and at great prices compared to comparable restaurants in America or Europe. For a cocktail, I asked our server what she recommended for a local Peruvian drink, and she recommended the Pisco Sour. My wife went for a different flavor of the same drink, probably a passion fruit version. It was so good and a must-have drink! Come to find out it’s the most popular and iconic traditional Peruvian alcoholic drink, particularly in Lima. This national cocktail is made with pisco (a type of grape brandy), lime juice, simple syrup, egg whites, and a dash of bitters, creating a frothy, citrusy, and refreshing drink that is a cornerstone of Peruvian culture. After warm bread with warm butter (a test that they passed indicating a good restaurant), the entrees came out and they did a great job creating a nice looking presentation. I had the braised beef ribs and mashed potatoes for about $22 USD! It was so melt-in-your mouth tender and the portions were a good size.

It was almost 8:15pm and we needed to get our next Uber back to the airport in time for our flight, but before we could go, our server presented us with a nice dessert platter on the house! The whole experience was one of the best times we had in Lima and one of the most enjoyable dining experiences of our whole Latin America trip. If you are planning to dine in Lima and reading this, you just found one of the best...

We visited this restaurant on a Sunday evening after spending time at Museo Larco. We arrived at 6:10 PM, not realizing the restaurant was preparing to close at 7 PM. Despite several tables being open, we had to politely ask the staff to seat us.

This was our first dining experience in Lima, and I was genuinely excited—but unfortunately, the experience fell short.

I ordered the sampler as an appetizer. It was cooked at the same time as the risotto dishes but ended up sitting and getting cold while waiting for the risotto to be ready. Oddly, my main course arrived before the sampler, even though I ordered it about five minutes later. The protein in my main dish was well-prepared and flavorful, but the potatoes were cold.

Two people in our group—my girlfriend’s mother and cousin—ordered the risotto. Both found it overly salty, and the octopus that came with it was overcooked and rubbery. The highlight of the night was my girlfriend’s shrimp pasta, which was fresh and well-executed.

We also noticed some service missteps. Our alcoholic drinks arrived before the water we had requested, and we had to remind the server to bring the water. Judging by the sequence in which the dishes were served, it seemed likely that the server entered the orders out of order, causing most of the timing issues.

The staff was courteous, but the overall service felt rushed and disorganized. Sadly, this wasn’t the introduction to Lima’s food scene we had hoped for—but we’re staying optimistic that better...

Lima is a foodie city. However, I would recommend, as an essential experience of Lima before going to Machu Picchu, a late afternoon tour of the museum with dinner at the restaurant.

We actually came to the restaurant separately from our tour of the museum.

The restaurant has beautiful views of the city as you walk in and an unparalleled atmosphere. The wine list contains a variety of good wines, especially the Argentinian Malbecs. Previously, we went to Astrid and Gaston which set the bar for truly outstanding cuisine. This restaurant was a couple of steps below that but still very good. For example, the scallops were just a little bit tough, the Osso Buco really wasn’t young tender veal, but young beef, and all of the desserts were on the sweet side including the lemon "pie." However, you won't care. The experience is just so exceptional and if you combine it with the museum it is a must do. Just look at the pictures. I was with a friend, but I have to say this is also a very romantic location.

PS I highly recommend going to the museum before going to Machu Picchu as all of the artifacts from the site are here in Lima, and this is the best museum to go to in order to understand Peruvian, history, and the history of...