El Cerdito al Humo — Restaurant in Palpa

Incredible find, a true gem, literally on the side of the road. We had to make a quick stop on our way to Nasca and this place came up in our search with great reviews. We decided to stop there and from the outside it just looks like any other house that sells local products on the side of the road. However they had a very nice sign at the entrance, which was interesting. Once you step in and go to the actual restaurant on the back, you realize this place is special. They have built an oasis, with nice and open areas with plenty of room and shade to enjoy a delicious meal. They offer a combination of traditional Peruvian dishes from the coast with some staples of Amazonian cuisine. They smoke their cecinas in the back, and everyone can see it, but most importantly smell it. Everything is great here, you literally can't go wrong with anything on the menu, but our favorites were the cecina con tacacho, the smoked chicken al jugo, and the chaufa con cecina. What a delight this place is and the service is also spectacular. This is a family business, they are so kind and welcoming that you feel like a family member as soon as you walk in. Can't recommend this place enough. A must if you are in...

I LOVED this place. One of the best restaurant experiences I've had while traveling South in Peru. You can tell they pay attention to details and offer not only an amazing fusion of peruvian food, but also make sure their place is clean and well equipped which in Peru it's unfortunately rare to find. The food came out fast and it was sooo full of bold flavors. Everything was delicious and their cecina is so tender. This is a family owned business and it is so nice to see them all run the place with such care. I wish I lived closer bc I would go there once a week if I could. EXCELLENT FOOD! A combination of classics from the region with a twist...

Passing Pampa by midday you should not miss entering this restaurant. It appears to be more like an oasis with its uncountable fruit trees surrounding an area with nice rustic tables and chairs. The menus are surprisingly good, you would expect a quality like this only in Lima and not somewhere in the Nasca desert. The fresh pressed juices are highly recommendable. The staff is very kind. Since this is not a restaurant for foreign tourists you should at least speak a few words in Spanish...