8 Best Nikkei And Japanese Restaurants In Lima, Peru
Any hungry traveler to Lima should try a Nikkei Restaurant. Keep reading to find out more about the cuisine and where to find the best Nikkei and Japanese restaurants in Lima, Peru.
What is Nikkei Cuisine?
Nikkei Cuisine is a combination of Peruvian ingredients with Japanese dishes, creating a unique food experience unlike anywhere else in the world.
In the 20th century, an influx of Japanese immigrants flooded Peru, bringing their culinary heritage. It was only a matter of time before chefs started combining flavors, ingredients, and techniques creating a unique fusion between the two food cultures.
It appears that Nikkei Restaurants and Japanese Restaurants in Lima are used synonymously and interchangeably, as they are one and the same in the city.
Should I Try Nikkei Restaurants?
YES, YOU BETTER TRY NIKKEI IN LIMA! If you are visiting for the first time, trying at least one Nikkei restaurant is one of the top things to do in Lima.
The best Nikkei and Japanese restaurants in Lima, Peru showcase their own style with each restaurant tasting different from the next. I ate endless amounts of nigiri sushi, maki rolls, and a wealth of noodles and rice.
The incredible part about eating Nikkei comes from the variety.
At a Nikkei restaurant, every piece of nigiri is different with special sauces and creative toppings. When dining at different Nikkei restaurants around Lima, sushi is completely new and unique. No two pieces of sushi are exactly the same.
I dined at a Nikkei restaurant almost every other day and NEVER grew tired of the ingredients or flavors.
Uncovering Nikkei cuisine was its own food adventure, with new types of sushi and Japanese dishes that I never imagined.
If you are looking for Peruvian cuisine, contemporary food, and cheap eats, I wrote about that as well. Click here to read about the best restaurants in Lima, Peru.
If you are traveling to Lima, a Nikkei or Japanese restaurant is a must and I have a few awesome suggestions for you.
For More Food, Click Below AMAZING FOOD: 21 BEST Restaurants In Lima, Peru
1. Tomo Cocina Nikkei – Best Nikkei Restaurant For A Night Out
For my first experience with Nikkei cuisine in Lima, I decided on Tomo which set an unbelievably high standard for the rest of my time in Lima. Tomo showcased a wide range of dishes with an intriguing cocktail menu to match. If I could do it again, I’d pick Tomo as a first stop on an epic night out in Lima.
My wife and I sat at the bar and chatted up the bartender who made excellent recommendations for us first timers to Nikkei cuisine.
We decided on a few slices of Nigiri: Traditional, Ponzu, Carretillero, and Cebichero.
Each of these nigiri had its own unique ingredients, flavors, and components that made the delicious fish taste even better with each topping elevating the whole bite.
Next, the Cebicheras Clams, made with a laundry list of ingredients, gave a surprisingly refreshing ocean flavor without any unpleasant brine.
The components in each shell matched perfectly with the firm clam, bouncing from acidic to seafoody to oceany to just plain delicious. I shot the shell with the residual liquid along with a fried piece of squid I didn’t know what else to do with.
MMmmMM. Clam sauce with the fried squid. Who would’ve guessed?
Lastly, I will mention the chicken wings. YES, chicken wings. Battered and deep fried chicken wings with a sauce made from a reduction of their ramen worked as the perfect bar snack to help contrast all the seafood.
The unique spice and concentrated flavors made each chicken wing addicting, leaving me chewing the cartilage and sucking the sauce from every scrap of bone.
Tomo definitely served the best cocktails in Lima. My wife and I sipped on a few cocktails throughout the meal and found they worked perfectly with Nikkei cuisine. Delicious food and perfect cocktails. Now that’s the way to spend an evening.
Tomo Cocina Nikkei Address: Francisco de Paula Camino 260, Lima 15038, Peru Website: Tomo Cocina Nikkei
2. Shizen Restaurante Nikkei – Best Sushi In Lima
If you only have time for one sushi restaurant, choose Shizen for an unforgettable meal. The food stood out with creative sushi nigiri that utilized different types of fish with unique preparations along with amazingly satisfying sushi rolls all for a reasonable price.
Shizen brought the emphasis on variety and individuality with their nigiri. We chose the Carretillero (flounder), the Ninniku (mackerel), Karai (silverfish), Conchas con Trufa (scallops with truffles), and the Batamiso (torched Salmon).
A taste of perfection. I would change nothing. Each piece exploded with flavor, creating a childlike response of laughter and excitement.
The two pieces that stood out were the Ninniku and the Conchas con Trufa. The Ninniku, which is usually prepared with tuna, brought out the flavors of the mackerel in an unexpected way. I usually skip mackerel nigiri due to its usually strong fishy odor that most restaurants just can’t conquer.
Not at Shizen. The garlic emulsion, ponzu gel, chili oil, and crispy rice added enough acid and complexity to mingle well with the natural flavors of the mackerel. I was surprised when I tasted fresh, clean fish with a super savory note that ended with a taste of the ocean. Just beautiful.
Oh yes, the Conchas con Trufa, a torched scallop topped with a special sauce, preserved truffle, and crispy pork skin. A total show stopper, this scallop made the whole meal amazing with nicely toasted edges and a burst of umami from the truffle with texture from the fried pork skin. I just wanted more!
Next, the sushi rolls both held their ground in different ways. The Tartare brought the Peruvian aji pepper sauce to the forefront with loads of acid with chopped fish like a ceviche, making a saucy concoction of irresistible flavor.
The Amai was made with crab meat, fried shrimp, and avocado topped with torched spicy garlic and eel sauce. Succulent, with a hint of heat, the Amai made each mouthful decadently creamy with a sweet seafood aftertaste from the crab and shrimp combo in the center of the roll.
Lastly, the Okonomichaufa, made from char siu fried rice, covered with an omelet, tonkatsu sauce, garlic emulsion, and fried bonito flakes, created a lasting impression.
I loved everything about this. A homage to okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancake), this super savory fried rice popped with sweetness from the char sui (bbq pork), gained body from the omelet with the whisper-thin bonito flakes adding umami.
Absolutely wonderful and so different from all other main dishes at any of the best Nikkei and Japanese restaurants in Lima.
Obviously, I loved everything about this meal, and with the high caliber of food, I thought the prices were reasonable, and comparable to most other Nikkei restaurants on this list. If I could only pick one Nikkei restaurant to return to in Lima, it would be Shizen.
Shizen Restaurante Nikkei Address: Av. Los Conquistadores 999, San Isidro 15074, Peru Website: Shizen Restaurante Nikkei
3. Poke 51 – Laid Back Nikkei Style Eatery
A delicious Asian/Nikkei concept, Poke 51 serves up unique poke bowls, Nikkei sushi rolls, and other Asian inspired treats.
I needed a break from the usual Nikkei fare, so I went for Bao Buns. The Poi, made with fried chicken topped with a curry sauce and Thai mayo, and the Oink, made from braised pork belly with hoisin sauce and spicy mayo, were both thoughtfully created with each having a distinct and delicious profile of savory, spicy and creamy.
What really interested me was the Club 52, salmon, avocado, cream cheese, purple cabbage wrapped in seaweed, bread, and fried to crispy perfection. I think “Sushi Crunch Wrap” is a better suited name.
What’s important is the taste, which didn’t disappoint. Creamy and packed full of salmon, there was enough fish in this sushi wrap for at least 8 rolls. Seriously. If you need protein after the gym, this wrap will help you hit your macros.
With the high quality fish,
All in all, it was delicious with a nice miso sauce on the side for dipping. I’d get it again for sure.
Poke 51 Address: Av. Mariscal La Mar 1263, Miraflores 15074, Peru Website: Poke 51
4. Maido – Best Nikkei Restaurant In Lima
Showcasing the fine dining aspect of Nikkei cuisine, Maido offers a wide range of options from intricately designed sushi to modern Peruvian favorites.
Maido made my list of best Nikkei and Japanese restaurants in Lima with every bite of food making a lasting impression.
I went into detail about my meal in a full restaurant review of Maido. See for yourself if this restaurant is worth a visit.
Maido Address: Ca. San Martin No. 399, Miraflores 15074, Peru Website: Maido
5. Aka Sushi – Best Cheap Sushi In Lima
An inexpensive option for sushi and Nikkei cuisine, Aka Sushi’s menu features plenty of sushi rolls with a whole menu dedicated to vegetarian options.
If raw fish isn’t your thing then Aka sushi is the right choice with most of the rolls leaving out raw fish, but offering a variety of shrimp and fried fish rolls. This is far from the other sushi and Nikkei restaurants I tried but was happy with the variety and low price.
The Furei roll was my favorite: fried breading on the outside with avocado, crispy fish, cream cheese, and fried shrimp. YES. Plenty of fried goodness in this roll, of which I have no regrets.
For a cheap sushi lunch, look no further than Aka.
Aka Sushi Address: Av. Francisco Bolognesi 885, Barranco 15063, Peru Website: Aka Sushi
6. Kinjo Ramen – Best Cheap Ramen In Lima
I am always on the prowl for inexpensive, ramen and Kinjo Ramen exceeded my expectations.
The super thick broth of the Tonkatsu Ramen screamed pork, with a deeply satisfying ultra savory broth. Although I don’t think they got this sort of thickness from hours of simmering, it’s still great to see them serve up one of the best bowls of tonkatsu I’ve had in a really long time.
Oh and don’t forget at least one sushi roll! I tried the Maki Roll with crispy rice, avocado, cream cheese, and fried shrimp. I LOVE crispy rice. Although no raw fish in this roll, the maki still tasted great satisfying my need for crunchy and creamy.
Kinjo Ramen Address: Av. Almte. Miguel Grau 680, Barranco 15063, Peru Website: Kinjo Ramen
7. Sutorito Maketto – Relaxed Nikkei Restaurant In Lima
A hip Nikkei restaurant with some of the best sushi I tried in Lima. The graffitied walls, high ceiling, and awesome music make Sutorito Maketto fun and relaxing, but much different from other Nikkei restaurants throughout Lima.
Of course, the sushi. We order four different types of nigiri, each with its own unique character, prepared differently from the rest.
My favorite was the Chalakiki, a slice of tuna topped with a signature sauce, pickled onion, sweet potato strips, Japanese chili flakes, and chives. The tuna popped to life with the sweet potato strips adding a shattering crunch.
The best part of the meal? The Fried Fish Tail with garlic butter sauce. A whole fishtail the size of my arm!
Super delicious. The skin became succulent and crispy from being battered and deep fried while the meat remained juicy and tender. Close to the bone, the meat stayed slightly raw which I scraped off with a spoon, mixed in the garlic butter sauce, and devoured with rice.
I love it when restaurants use underutilized parts of the animal and what a unique way to cook and present the tuna tail.
Sutorito Maketto Address: Av. Mariscal La Mar 830, Miraflores 15074, Peru Website: Sutorito Maketto
8. Matsuei – Amazing Nigiri Sushi In Lima
A legendary restaurant with a deep history, Matsuei was the first sushi bar to open in Lima in 1973. Culinary legend Nobu Matsuhisa was one of the first to work here, leaving a lasting mark on the menu to this today.
Of course, we dove into the sushi, choosing mostly from their Nikkei Experience, but decided on other options on the menu as well like the Tempura Rock Shrimp and the Sautéed Ramen.
Matsuei presented nigiri with delicious variations that simply amazed with each piece drastically unique in flavor.
We decided on the Yakuza, Special Sushi Tuna, Salmon Sushi Fenix, Sushi Carnival, Salmon Belly, Dragon Roll, and Himitsu Roll. EVERYTHING TASTED DELICIOUS. I can’t believe this is real sushi because it’s better than most of the sushi I’ve tried anywhere else in the world, including Japan.
My favorite was the Salmon Sushi Fenix, a salmon nigiri with crab meat, scallop, and cream cheese topped with a sweet and spicy sauce, all put to the torch for a seared finish. Smokey, decadent, and bursting with seafood flavor, I will put this one in the books as one of the best pieces of sushi of all time.
I cannot forget to mention the Sautéed Ramen, with a delicious wok seared flavor (known as wok hei) that connects me to the street food in Southeast Asia. In this portion of cooked noodles, I found twelve hefty sized shrimp cooked in with a plethora of vegetables. A delicious dish that doesn’t skimp.
Matsuei Address: C. Atahualpa 195, Miraflores 15074, Peru Website: Matsuei
Conclusion: Nikkei Is A Must Try In Lima, Peru
I hope after reading this article I convinced you! Nikkei is more than just a style of food, it’s an ingrained part of Peruvian cuisine, having its identity stretched between traditional and innovative Japanese techniques.
I found everything I ate to be delicious and completely unique, never having the same piece of sushi, bowl of ramen, or main dish identical to another. A completely amazing food adventure with endless possibilities.
Please, travel to Lima and enjoy the amazing food, but don’t forget to explore the wonderful world of Nikkei.
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Chris Kretzer has traveled the world visiting over 35 countries and eating his way through every city. With his wife Tiarra, they explore different food cultures and create food guides, podcasts, and travel articles helping everyone experience the world through food.