Mantra Indian Cuisine — Restaurant in Lima Metropolitan Area

I've been twice to Mantra, and the food is alright. If you've had Indian food in the UK, then it's a bit similar but not as tasty. Last time I ordered the lamb tikka masala, which is not enough for the quantity paid and powder curry that you can make at home is way better. I also ordered the chicken korma , which I believe had no chicken and instead the waiter brought some vegan alternative which had a very plain taste. I didn't send it back because it took a long time to get the food and I was starving. I ordered 1 rice serving thinking it would be enough, but luckily the waiter made a mistake and brought 2.

On the other hand, the naan breads are really nice and you can't eat enough of them. And drinks are fine, I like that they use the environmentaly friendly straws. The place has many Indian paintings, but the ceiling is a bit weird. The music is nice and is not very loud, so you can enjoy a nice chat with whomever is with you.

It is definitely one of the best Indian restaurants in Peru, but outside of the country it is pretty disappointing. If you go, try to go just when it opens to avoid the madness. It gets pretty packed, I think that's why they confused my order. I feel really sorry and envious for the vegan who...

Do not eat here, the food is bland, the portions are very small, and the service not very good. We shared a dish of Chicken Desi, since the waiter said that the dishes were large enough to share. Not so. The dish consisted of two small chicken drumsticks, with a lot of sauce, served with white rice, certainly not enough to share. We also ordered a side dish of potatoes, and Naan bread. The naan bread consisted of 4 small pieces for which they charged 7 Soles. I also asked for some hot sauce which was necessary to add some flavor to the food. When I received the bill I was shocked. Our waiter did not inform that the side dish of potatoes that we ordered cost 34 Soles, and they also charged for the hot sauce. I asked to speak with the owner or manager, and he was very apologetic, but did NOTHING, NADA, ZERO. I continued to express my displeasure and eventually he deducted a total of 8 Soles from the bill. In total I was charged 75 Soles for a bad meal (1 entree, a side dish and some bread), and equally bad service. We walked out hungry and quite upset. I've been to Lima several times and this is by far the worst restaurant experience...

We visited Mantra Indian Cuisine in Lima for lunch and were honestly impressed with the authentic North Indian vegetarian flavors!

We tried:

Paneer Tikka – smoky, well-marinated, and grilled just right

Aloo Tikki – crispy on the outside, perfectly spiced inside

Malai Kofta – rich, creamy, and packed with flavor

Garlic Naan – soft with just the right amount of garlic kick

And a tumbler of Buttermilk that was refreshing and soothing with the spice

To top it off, we ended our meal with a perfectly brewed Masala Tea – warm, spiced, and comforting.

The food was genuinely yummy and satisfying, but what made the experience even more memorable was the hospitality. The staff were super friendly, attentive, and welcoming. The owner even took the time to give us a mini tour, showing how they beautifully transformed a residential hotel into this cozy and inviting restaurant space. You can feel the passion behind the place.

Definitely a hidden gem in Lima for anyone craving Indian food — whether you're local or...