The Delicious Cevicherías of Surquillo
A tour of my favorite Lima neighborhood to eat in
For the last two years, Surquillo has been our favorite neighborhood in Lima to eat in. Surquillo is one of the first neighborhoods in Lima that people visit yet at the same time it’s one of Lima’s most overlooked neighborhoods.
Many first-time visitors head to Surquillo market to get a glimpse of a traditional Peruvian market. I did too on my first visit to Peru. I made it a point to walk through Surquillo market every trip to Lima, and now we do a lot of our everyday grocery shopping there. However, it took me many visits over many years to fully appreciate everything Surquillo has to offer.
I’m excited to share with you some of my favorite cevicherías in Surquillo. This list is a true mix and includes renowned cevicherías, everyday spots, and up-and-coming cevicherías.
Surquillo Market, No 1
Eating at the market is a logical beginning for a gastronomic journey through Surquillo. Look for the cevicherías including Don Cevichero at the center of the market. Sit at the counter which provides you with a wide view of the market and its happenings. You’ll know that everything that is coming is fresh because you’ll be at eye level with the seafood.
On certain days, outside the market, there are vendors selling ceviche and other classic dishes to visitors. They go out of their way to make the dishes accessible with example plates and signs in English. However, I would recommend saving your appetite and instead heading to one of the restaurants on this list.
Bam Bam
Jr. Luís Varela y Orbegoso 224
Bam Bam was one of the very first cevicherias that I discovered. Just one block from Surquillo market, it is known for its leche de tigre which comes in several varieties as well as its conchas negras.
Huáscar Combate Peruano
Jr. Luís Varela y Orbegoso 275
We can always rely on Huáscar for its hearty and flavorful portions. Their combos (combates) including the featuring Ceviche, Chicharrón de Pescado, and Arroz Mariscos are utterly satisfying. Their menu is perfectly sized and also includes good versions of criollo dishes such ají de gallina.
S'Concha
Jirón Leoncio Prado 645
The food at S’Concha felt satisfyingly unpretentious. Upon entering, you walk past what looks like a makeshift open kitchen while the staff greets you. The food is simply plated and served on chipped plates. The ceviche was one of the best we’ve had during our month in Surquillo, and the seafood pasta felt like Sunday home cooking.
Los Delfines
San Diego N°299
Los Delfines is a solid weekday ceviche option with a variety of combos including this one featuring the classics—ceviche, arroz con mariscos, and causa. It’s one of the more inexpensive cevichería on this list.
Bahia Fish
Jirón Leoncio Prado 435
Bahia Fish was one of the cevicherías we probably would’ve not found if we hadn’t tried so many cevicherías in Surquillo. We sure are glad we found this gem. It may be the best conchas negras we’ve had anywhere—definitely top three.
The conchas are of extremely high quality, and the ceviche is expertly prepared. Even the red onions are perfectly diced so that they balance but do not overshadow the conchas. Just don’t expect too much in terms of ambiance. We were seated next to a sack of potatoes and the owner’s bike.
Fish Factory
Jirón Dante 325
Despite its generic name, The Fish Factory is quite opinionated. For its size, it offers a fairly wide selection of fish to choose from. There are several preparations available from the classic ceviche and sudado to Thai-style stir-fry and Salchipota which is their take on the salchipapa but with fried fish. The restaurant feels a bit like an enigma that requires repeat visits to get to know. Our ceviche came with small flowers while our sudado came in a Pyrex knockoff. The flavors alone would bring us back in a heartbeat.
Al Toke Pez
Av. Angamos Este 886
The Netflix Street Food fame has not changed much about this small, no-frills cevichería. The line outside is just a bit longer. Tomás “Toshi” Matsufuji, has no time to regale in celebrity status. He’s always in the kitchen, preparing ceviche and stir-frying. The combinado (arroz con mariscos, chicharrón, and ceviche) is the place to start. Last time, we ordered larger portions of the chicharrón which really helped us appreciate how perfectly fried it was.
Cumpa Taberna Criolla
Jirón Leoncio Prado 498
We stumbled upon Cumpa on its second day. After a couple of bites, we immediately knew it was a keeper. Now, the secret’s out and people regularly line up for their beautifully prepared Northern-style ceviche (with beans and tortitas de choclo), Arroz con Pato, and Lomo Saltado. This is one of the places where I want to try everything on the menu.
Pimentel
Ca. Narciso de la Colina 700
It’s good to know that even after many ceviches, there are still surprises to be had. The house ceviche at Pimentel featuring fish, smoked octopus, and avocado was a unique ceviche that stood out from the hundreds that I’ve tried and featured one of the best leche de tigre I’ve ever had.
La Capitana
Sta. Rosa 545
La Capitana, an upscale cevichería, has enjoyed quite a bit of buzz in the last year. Locals rave about the house ceviche, but for us, it was the Parihuela Chorrillana that dazzled us.
La Picantería
Sta. Rosa 388
You can’t write a guide to Surquillo cevicherías without a proper mention of Hector Solis’s La Picantería. This mansion is home to one of the best fish experiences in Lima. Pick out a fish and choose a couple of preparations from the list that has both classics as well as lesser-known, regional preparations. Come with friends so that can order whole fish. Ordering a filet or a la carte dish just isn’t the same.
Read more about La Picantería here:
Visiting Surquillo and Other Recommendations
Another great thing about Surquillo—it’s conveniently located. You can easily walk to Surquillo from Miraflores. Just be careful as you’re crossing the busy road that separates Surquillo and Miraflores.
All of the recommendations above are lunch recommendations. I recommend practicing extra vigilance in Surquillo after dark and taking a taxi directly to your destination at night.
In addition to cevicherías, Surquillo has other restaurants worth checking out. Anticuchos at Anticuchos Bran (San Pedro 308), the daily soup at Siete Sopas (Av. Angamos Este 609), and picarones at Picarones Valeri (Jr. Domingo Elías 609) are some of our favorites. On a future visit, we plan to check out the chicarronerías that we started noticing crop up.
Finally, if you’re looking for something different, head to lunch at Piedra, a hidden restaurant where Chef Sebastian Vega prepares a seafood-forward tasting menu that changes daily (reservation required).
By the way, if you’re looking for other neighborhoods around the world to eat in, check out Culinary Backstreets’s list.
OK. Now I'm hungry.
Thanks for the read.
Cheers