Central

Amazing experience with incredible food. We did the 14 course tasting menu which was phenomenal. Each course is small and uses ingredients from different areas in Peru. They’re listed with how many meters below or above sea level they’re from. There’s a wide variety of ingredients used with over 10 types of fish, meat, vegetables and more. It was an unforgettable meal. The service is outstanding and the atmosphere is very cool. Highly recommend it.

Amazing experience, I highly recommend eating here. The ambience, service, food, alcohol pairings were all spectacular. Is it the best in the world? This is up for debate, but it definitely deserves a spot at the top.

There were some odd things that occurred during this amazing experience … like what looked like one of the owners kids dribbling a soccer ball throughout the dining area. Probably not the best idea when your customer are paying around $700 per person. I don’t mind, but it’s probably not something that should be happening. Also, there were some errors with staff bringing the wrong things to the table - just some inexperienced people on the floor. Either way, it’s worth going.

My expectations for the number one restaurant in the world were high, and o boy were they met! This enchanting exploration thru the Peruvian ecological landscapes and altitudes is not just a meal, but an experience.

My experience started as soon as I walked in, with all the ingredients used for your experience laid out and expertly explained. I was seated in front of the kitchen, mesmerized by the precision of 10+ chefs working to create the experience. Each of the 14 courses were presented like a perfectly conducted symphony. The speed of when the utensils were replaced, the food delivered and dishes taken did not miss a beat, not too fast, not too slow. Each bite of food was perfectly seasoned and temperature delicately balanced. Many bites had contrasting textures and harmonious notes of flavor, never clashing and always in sync. It was an experience I’ll truly never forget.

My only one minor complaint is that about 5 of the spoons used for the experience were a bit too deep. I had found myself slightly struggling to get every delicious morsel out of the spoons because of the depth.

Dining at the CENTRAL - #1 restaurant worldwide - is a culinary symphony that celebrates local ingredients as its virtuoso. Each dish, composed with locally-sourced ingredients, echoes the essence of the region, much like an opera resonates with its culture. The flavors, meticulously crafted, deliver a gastronomic aria of taste.

Securing a reservation here is akin to winning a golden ticket to an exclusive show. A word of caution: This restaurant is a pinnacle of fine dining. Go here only if you appreciate the artistry and nuances of haute cuisine. Just as opera aficionados cherish every note, here, every bite showcases the freshest local produce, harmonizing to create a culinary masterpiece. The service, akin to skilled opera performers, adds grace and finesse to an already captivating performance.

If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind food experience, Central is for you. The taste and shape of every course is unique. The service is immaculate, and the staff is so friendly. They speak both English and Spanish.

Amazing! This restaurant lives up to the hype in my opinion. The varied ingredients, the stories behind the selection, and the attention to detail really make this place a winner. I lucked out and was able to score a reservation the day before and I’m so glad I did. We enjoyed the alturas mater tasting menu.

An absolute honor to have been able to dine here during our visit to Peru this holiday season!
The food is truly unique with ingredients only accessible at Central.
As soon as you step foot inside the restaurant, the service is top notch and exactly what you’d expect from the best restaurant in the world.

We also selected to do the wine paring of South America and the wines and cocktails were perfectly paired with each dish. Definitely a must stop while in Lima to be exported to the beautiful culture and unique ingredients of Peru!

Everthing was great. We had the Mundo Mater menu with 17 items. Staff were well educated with the whole experience. Cutleries and crockeries were part of the presentation, and they work with different artist for the pieces.

The restaurant ambience is modern minimalist and you you will focus on the food.

TBH, I was stuffed half way through.

Definitely 5 stars, but not sure about number 1 in the world. The atmosphere was incredible, food was very unique (although not as delicious as others in lima) and the service was a little off, we could not understand the waiter very well and they seemed to be on a script rather than passionate about the experience. All in all still great but less amazing than I was hoping for.

Truly an experience. Innovative food, and excellent service. Enjoyed the storytelling of each course. Would recommend!

It’s been a wish of ours to go to Central and Peru in general to try the different ingredients this wonderful country has to offer. We had booked before it got voted the best restaurant in the world and watched Central win the award. This made me even more curious of what we were about to experience.

We dined at Central in September 2023 for lunch. Everything about this experience was ultimate perfection. From the design of the restaurant, the lighting, the garden, the staff and their attention to detail, the table spacing, the background music, the food (obviously) and the wine pairing. What I loved about Central is that it was an overall experience of all the senses. You immerse yourself in this space and its scent and sound and taste and just cut off from the world for a while.

The food was incredible, I tasted food which I never tasted before. The menu itself is categorised according to altitude which made it that more interesting. The potato plate was very interesting. I never thought I would taste piranhas but I did and I loved it. The fish belly which Virgilio served to us was the best dish in my opinion although I cannot not mention the dessert which was incredible. The chocolate used for this dish was divine. We did buy some chocolate from the restaurant to take back home with us. Central also served an additional dessert dish to celebrate my birthday which was very thoughtful. It was also a pleasure to meet Virgilio in person.

For those of you planning on visiting Central, you are in for an experience of a lifetime.

We had the Mundo Mater experience, the atmosphere is great, the tables agreably spaced out. Our palate and senses traveled through each part of the country.
It was without a doubt an incredible journey.
Thank you.

I went here awhile ago, I had a tasting menu. The food here is extraordinary, it really takes you all over peru in terms of food. It doesn't feel like there is too much to eat and it smoothly transitions from one dish to another. Not to mention the food looks like a work of art. Going here is a once in a life time experience and anyone who has the opportunity to go here should. It genuinely has created a memory I will treasure forever. The staff was great they spoke in both English and Spanish which helps a lot. I highly recommend going here.

Top world restaurant. Innovative. And simply an unforgettable experience. It was absolutely incredible. From entering the restaurant to the very end of walking out was another universe. It was worth every penny.
Wonderful and knowledgeable staff, making sure my partner and I were clarified with all the questions we had. Each course was presented with delicacy and passion. You could taste everything in detail without feeling overflowed with ingredients. It was complex yet simple and fresh. Understanding the different altitudes of Peru with their ingredients was outstanding. If you are in Peru, please go to Central. This is the place where you discover Peru to a whole new level.
I’ll go back to Lima just for Central. I hope they get No. 1 in the Top 50 World Restaurants.

We had the pleasure of dining at Central in June of 2023, right when it was named the #1 restaurant in the world. Central isn't your typical high-end restaurant, but rather a holistic experience for the senses. From the moment you walk in, there is a table which showcases all of the ingredients that you will be consuming. Ambiance wise, the calming meditative music helps you to truly focus your senses. Their tasting menu takes you on a journey through the different regions of Peru. For instance, the first dish will have you begin in the Amazon, followed by the second dish on the coast, the third in the Andes Mountains and so on. The restaurant truly goes out of their way to show you exactly what you will be eating and where those ingredients are coming from. Their ultimate mission is for you to understand the complex culinary regions of Peru through different microclimates. The dish that stood out to us the most, was their disassembled Cacao dessert. They place a large Cacao fruit on the table and showcase a dessert platter which utilizes each part of the plant. We highly recommend you reserve Central during your trip to Lima. It is a perfect way to highlight each part of Peru through a culinary experience.

I had the Mundo Mater tasting menu, this was one of the few tasting menus in my life I liked almost all courses (2/14 were ok, the other 12 were incredible). They only use Peruvian ingredients, many of which I had never eaten before. Pace was fast, the 14 courses took less than 2.5 hours. The cutlery, plates and ceramics are stunning. Service was good.

I also had the non-alcoholic pairing, drinks were interesting, but I wouldn't do it again, did not think it was worth the price.

This was one of the more incredible dining experiences of my entire life. The food was challenging, interesting, and excellent. Full of flavor and the story that came along with each dish was fun to hear and learn about. The hospitality was phenomenal and we enjoyed every minute of our time here. Would absolutely return.

I have no idea how any one person or group can determine which is the best restaurant on the planet. But Central is so, so very good in every way, we found ourselves wondering whether we would ever eat out again. Yes, it is that good. In every possible way. Even the soft background sounds contribute to an experience that is practically inexplicable, soulful, Amazing!!!!!!

Great food service and ambience. Really attentive service from everyone at the restaurant making you feel welcome. The food is so unique we tasted new flavors. Some of the South American wine pairing has exclusive bottles. Tried Mayta and Maido too. Central is absolutely number 1 in the city.

Surreal fine dining experience that I’ve had when visiting Lima. Lots of interesting ingredients are from the extreme altitude to dry valley, from Amazon rainforest to Mil Centro, Moray or Sacred Valley.