Inca Ruins Give Way to Gastro-Tourism in Peru

Throughout their history of poverty and political turmoil, Peruvians have been fiercely proud of their elaborate, spicy food and new superstar chefs are now a magnet for culinary tourists.

Lima used to be no more than a one-night stopover for international tourists – many of them backpackers and budget travelers –flying into Peru to visit the ancient Inca ruins of Macchu Picchu and the neighboring historic city of Cuzco.

But a culinary explosion, helped by the fame of some Peruvian chefs abroad, has made the Pacific coast capital city more attractive for visitors, especially after a leftist insurgency ended in the 1990s and was followed by economic growth and greater political stability.

Located in Lima’s affluent Miraflores neighborhood not far from the stony beaches where surfers ride some of Peru’s finest waves, Caplina competes with two other famous restaurants nearby and is a stop on the city’s new Culinary Tour.

The full-day excursion starts at a market to some of the hundreds of varieties of potatoes and corn used in Peruvian cooking, as well as coffee table-sized flatfish.

Tourists savor fresh shellfish sprinkled with lime at the market and then move on to eateries and bars, where they learn to make Peru’s famous cebiche –fish marinated in lime juice and hot peppers- and pisco sour cocktails.