Both Cordon Bleu–trained, the couple Astrid (pastry chef) and Gastón (principal chef) made a name for themselves before they turned 30 with this highly successful restaurant, serving some of the best nosh in Lima. The cooking is modern Peruvian, with a fusion of Asian and Peruvian spices: An entrée might be spiced roast duck and a red pepper stuffed with basil-scented risotto—everything skillfully prepared and exquisitely plated. The restaurant is located on a quiet street in the Miraflores district and features an excellent wine list.

Open Mondays through Saturdays noon to 3:30 pm and 7:30 pm to midnight.

This lively spot offers excellent Mediterranean-inspired food as well as a judiciously chosen wine list. The charismatic young Aussie proprietress modeled the place on a restaurant in Melbourne. Inside, the deep yellow and red walls make the place feel warm and cozy, and bunches of garlic and dried chiles dangle from the ceiling. You can either perch at the bar for a drink and tapas, or sit in the dining room at one of the long tables. The menu includes an excellent and vast selection of pastas.

Open daily 8 am to 4 pm and 6:30 to 11 pm.

Lima's most famous restaurant, about 20 minutes from downtown, commands a magnificent seaside view from its glass-walled dining room. Don't expect the wild creativity of Novandino cuisine; reliability and sheer, staggering quantity are the emphasis. The weekend brunch buffet is so extensive that it's featured in the Guinness World Records book. The seafood is excellent here. A word to the wise—waiters will push the restaurant's Pisco sours, but skip them—other places do them better. Concentrate instead on the excellent seafood.

This unique restaurant is located next to an excavation site in the Miraflores district. During the day, diners can watch archaeologists at work on the former site of an Incan pyramid dedicated to the god Pachacámac. If you eat there in the evening, the ruins are romantically illuminated. The restaurant serves excellent New Andean cuisine, such as grilled corvina with shrimp and spinach risotto, as well as powerful pisco sours. While costly by Lima standards, it's very reasonable compared with prices in the U.S. Reservations are advised.

Open daily noon to midnight.

Though located in the Pre-Columbian Art Museum, the MAP Café is ultramodern, enclosed in a giant glass-and-steel cube. Equally cutting-edge is the sophisticated Peruvian menu with French and Italian influences. The fusion is highly successful in dishes such as fresh trout with a yellow-chile beurre blanc and a napoleon of Andean potatoes. Save room for dessert: The banana spring rolls are exceptional. This is one of Cuzco's swankiest eateries, so reservations are advised.

Open daily 11 am to 10 pm.