South America · FOOD TOURS IN PERU
The good food tours in Peru fill first, and the cheap ones are not always the weak ones. Below: 13 of them, what each costs and how they differ.
Explore Barranco with an English-speaking guide such as Marcos, Valeria, David, or Aura. Taste ceviche, lomo saltado, pisco sour, fruit, chocolate, coffee, ice cream, and more at small local businesses, with cooking demonstrations and stories about Peruvian food and culture.
“David was great and super kind and generous throughout. Would recommend to others.”
Spend four hours walking Lima’s Historic Center with guides such as Marcos, Aura, Valeria, or Sheyla. Sample anticuchos, churros, picarones, tamales, chifa flavors, fruit, chilcanos, and more while visiting Mercado Central, Chinatown, Plaza Mayor, and colonial landmarks. Expect a generous food-focused outing, with plenty of history and some sweets.
“YUM! This tour was informative and really tasty. Shainy (sorry if I spelt it wrong) was fantastic and gave us interesting information about the culture and the history of the foods. Went away very full.”
Spend 10 hours with Liat tasting market and street food in Urubamba, visiting Ollantaytambo, drinking chicha in a local chicheria, and sharing a festive lunch with an indigenous family in Huilloc. The tour starts at 9:00 a.m. in Urubamba, includes transport between stops, and ends with a traditional dessert.
“Far beyond the food, Liat brings her heart and soul to the tour, a rare opportunity to truly experience the Peruvian people and not just another tourist attraction.”
Join certified guide Bruce for a 3.5-hour Lima food walk from Mercado Central to Plaza San Martin. You will try lucuma juice, ceviche, anticuchos, dim sum, carapulcra, picarones, and more while learning how Chinese immigration shaped Peruvian cooking. The group is capped at 13.
“Love the tour as you get to eat street food while experience local culture. The guide Bruce with Inka Pride was great and informative about places to vist and see. He did offer alternatives for those who are not adventurous in there food choice as well. Overall the food picks tasted delicious 😋”
Walk central Arequipa with a guide such as Jose or Daniel, learning how earthquakes, faith, trade, and food shaped the city. Visit San Camilo Market for local produce, then finish at Fundo el Fierro with queso helado, fruit, a traditional dessert, and pisco tasting. The group is limited to eight people.
“This was my favorite tour in Arequipa! It was a really nice small walking tour. We learned about the history of Arequipa, and learned about the pride of their gastronomy. The highlight for me was definitely the market. Our guide took us to all kinds of food stands and we tried so many things! Then we tucked away in a quiet upstairs part to try some queso helado and some pisco. A lovely afternoon!”
Meet your guide at Surquillo Market at 9:00 a.m. for a 50-minute walk through fruit, fish, meat, grain, and Andean produce stalls. Then travel to SkyKitchen in Miraflores, taste more than 35 fruits, make a Pisco Sour, and prepare a four-course Peruvian lunch in a group of no more than 12.
“Educational class which also allowed us to immerse ourselves in Peruvian culture. This class allowed us to identify foods as we continued our travels through South America.”
Spend 3.5 hours exploring Ica’s pisco and wine country with an English or Spanish guide. Visit Hacienda Tacama and working vineyards, learn how grapes become pisco, enjoy two tasting sessions, and finish with a regional lunch stop. Pickup is available in Ica or Huacachina, with groups limited to 10 people.
“it was a quite good experience. friendly guiding and much interesting information about production and processes.”
Spend about three hours walking Cusco with a private guide such as Angelo, Fabrizio, or Harry. Visit San Pedro Market, try local snacks, ceviche, pork, coffee, pastries, and drinks, and pause at landmarks including Qorikancha and La Merced. Vegetarian alternatives are available, but tasting portions and tour length can vary.
“We had a nice time with Fabrizio! We walked around Cusco and he explained a lot about their history, and he took us to some very local places, that we probably wouldn't have found on our own, and are glad he showed them to us! He tailored the food to our needs, as we don't drink alcohol. We were full pretty quickly after our first two pork dishes, so after we tried a few desserts, and ended at a chocolate shop. We spent more time together after and got coffee after :) it was a great way to explore Cusco with a local. I would recommend this tour!”
Start at Terrua Coffee Shop at 9:30 am for a four-hour walk through Miraflores and Surquillo. Guides such as Rudy, Miguel, Sergio, Pablo, and Alina connect Peruvian food with local culture. Expect coffee, chicharrones, unusual fruits, ceviche, pisco, desserts, and churros in a group of no more than 10.
“Very informative and a good variety of food. Trip to the market was great and had a little free time on our own to roam around and see things.”
Meet José Antonio and Maria near Kennedy Park for a 2.5-hour Peruvian food class. Taste exotic fruit and 10 house-made pisco macerates, prepare tuna tartar and ceviche, then shake your own pisco sour or chilcano. The small group has room for eight, with English or Spanish instruction, recipes, photos, and local Lima tips.
“An amazing, warm, and authentic Peruvian cooking experience! We wanted a genuine taste of Peru, and this workshop delivered. It was more than just cooking; it was a vibrant, personal journey. The hosts, a local couple, welcomed us into their home with open arms. Their passion for Peruvian food and culture was infectious. From the first sip of exotic cocktails to the final delicious bite, we were swept away by the flavors and the lively atmosphere. It was a joyful, hands-on adventure. We left feeling full, happy, and connected to the heart of Peruvian cuisine. The energy was incredible. If you want an authentic, heartfelt taste of Peru, this is…”
Follow LIMA BITES from Benavides station into central Lima for ceviche, tropical fruit, churros, stuffed olives, Andean cheese, Chinatown snacks, chicha morada, and pisco. English- and Spanish-speaking guides such as Claudia, Chris, Michael, and Yozi lead the walk, which ends near Plaza Mayor.
“I had a great day with my tour guide Claudia. It ended up being a private tour which was cool! I tried so many things that I never would have even known to try in Lima. I didn’t love all the food, but I’d rather eat exotic foods on a food tour than foods I eat every day! Claudia was very friendly and spoke great English. We took the bus ride together into town from Miraflores to the city center. It wasn’t the most pleasant, but it was economical. I highly recommend!”
Start at 5:30 pm with a chef or guide from Marcelo Batata Cooking Class, then sample restaurant dishes, Pisco pairings, anticuchos, picarones, and other Cusco favorites. Guides such as Cristina, Fabricio, and Elvira explain the food, culture, and history during this two-hour walk. Groups are capped at eight.
“If I could give this more than 5 stars, I would. Definitely the best tasting good or off all the food tours I've ever taken. I 100% recommend this!!! One little thing- it was a little hard for me to find. Once you get to the address, there is a small hallway to the back right of the courtyard. Go through there to find your trip :)”
Meet guide Miguel or Jonathan at Terrua Coffee Shop in Miraflores for Peruvian coffee, then ride the Metropolitano to central Lima. Taste Chinese-Peruvian bites, chicha morada, papa a la huancaina, churros, dessert, and a pisco sour while exploring Mercado Central, Chinatown, Plaza Mayor, Congress Palace, and San Francisco Church.
“Excellent tour! I happened to be the only one who booked the tour and Miguel made kr extremely interesting”
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