Peru Travel Guide: September Culinary Festival in Lima

Foodies in Peru will rejoice to hear that the Mistura Third International Gastronomic Fair will be held in Lima from September 7^th to the 12^th in Exhibition Park. This is a must-see and must-sample event if you are anywhere near Lima during these dates. Over 30 chefs from the best restaurants in the country will serve traditional meals with an innovative twist for the bargain price of 6 to 12 soles alongside international chefs, over 100 food stalls, and 600 farmers.

Aji de Gallina, Surquillo Market, Lima, Peru

Visitors will also be entertained with a long list of keynote speakers discussing various aspects of Peruvian cuisine including sociological and scientific topics. Cooking classes, competitions, movies, and performers will also be present to entertain visitors as well. Last year it was so wildly popular they had to close the doors because of lack of space, so don’t miss it!

Ensure you can get in and save a bit of money at the same time by purchasing your tickets early. The tickets cost 8 soles for children and 15 soles for adults if you buy in advance.

The fair is also an important step towards bringing international recognition to Peruvian cuisine and providing culinary exposure to people who wouldn’t necessarily have otherwise sampled the local foods. Although Peruvian cuisine is famous within South America, it doesn’t necessarily have an international reputation for excellence – yet. However, Peru is aware of its gastronomic wonders and this fair is just one of the ways the government is trying to bring attention to its unique and diverse fruits, vegetables, and sea life which locals combine to make delicious plates.

Peru has over 200 types of potatoes, 35 species of corn, 150 varieties of sweet potatoes, and exports things like artichokes, asparagus, and avocados. The 1500 mile coastline of Peru provides plenty of delicious things to eat like groper, sea bass, swordfish, sole, tuna, octopus, squid, shrimp, clams, urchins, and mussels. With a backyard this abundant, how can you not produce delicious cuisine?

If you can’t make it to the festival don’t despair as one of the most exciting and permanent, changes for gourmands is occurring right here in Lima. Located just east of popular tourist destination Miraflores is the Surquillo food market full of little stands selling everything from exotic fruits you may have never even heard of, to a variety of nuts, vegetables, homemade sauces, ceviche, and traditional dishes like Aji de Gallina (shredded chicken cooked in chilies, garlic, onions, milk, walnuts, and cheese and served over rice), and Rocoto Relleno (spicy peppers stuffed with meat, onions, egg whites, olives and nuts). This market, once an uninviting strip of stalls has been revamped, coated with a new layer of paint, and equipped with red brick pathways that beckon curious visitors into its halls. It’s located near the intersections of Ave. Paseo de la Republica and Av. Ricardo Palma.

Read more about Lima tours, the Mistura Gastronomic Fair, and the best food markets in Peru before planning your next Peru vacation.

Exhibition Park is located on Paseo Colón y Paseo de la República