Lima is shining as one of the world’s brightest gastronomic destinations. “So why not join the crowd?” I asked myself. Especially right after being at my godson’s marriage to his enchanting Belgian wife in a river ceremony deep in the Peruvian Amazon jungle. (caminoverde.org)
After the wedding, I traveled to the bohemian Barranco neighborhood of Lima to begin my dining odyssey. What an array of choices our godson’s mother, who has been coming to Peru for over 15 years, offered to our small family group of wedding adventurers. We stumbled out of the exotic river-jungle ecolodge (https://www.wasai.com) into another extravagant landscape of enticing food, one Disney world to another. First up, Awicha for bistro-like dining after our long plane ride. Or should it be Mérito for a more enticing experience. For more elegant dining, indulge in Astrid & Gaston. All so alluring and nearby.
The little gem, Mérito, seems to have appeared out of the Pacific mist, like a shell discovered on the beach. It’s tucked away in a storefront on a side street, easily unnoticed. Could the rich brown wooden shutters framing the glass door really be the entrance to a restaurant? So unprepossessing, but make no mistake, it doesn’t lead to a convenience store or bodega. It’s the real thing.
Go in through that glass door, skirt the open kitchen with four chairs at a peninsula, then up the stairs to a bar in a small rustic room with wooden tables and chairs. It’s easy to be unimpressed because more than anything it looks like one of a number of generic hip cafés. There’s nothing about this restaurant that screams brilliant except, of course, the food.
Everything that comes out of the kitchen looks like a miniature work of art. Presented on small hand-thrown plates with quiet ease, there’s no fanfare—undoubtedly the food is the main act. On the a la carte menu, choices include octopus, seared scallops, lamb, fish curry, glazed pork belly with arepas or corn flatbread. I’m dizzy with anticipation. And of course, there is the ubiquitous tasting menu.
The soft-spoken, friendly sommelier suggested a Peruvian Hanan Sauvignon Blanc that was a bit like a chameleon, beguilingly adaptable to each dish. The wine snob in me is wondering, could this really be a Peruvian wine? This is from Tacama Winery that has been producing wines since the 1540s. So I’m ready to be convinced.
Venezuelan Juan Luis Martínez has only been in Peru since 2014, and in that short time he’s become a bewitching chef. He came to Peru to cook at world-famous Central in Lima. In 2018, he opened Mérito, where he has inventively intertwined the flavors of Peru and Venezuela drawing on local ingredients to create his own culinary magic. I felt ready to be levitated. Mérito has been racking up accolades as one of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants, and being named as Food and Wine’s 2024 “World’s Top Restaurant.” Another successful, resourceful immigrant.
I was so dazzled by the food and, oh yes, the wine as well, that I forgot to write one word about it. Without being hostage to my notes, I was still able to savor every dish. 
Though for dessert, I wish I’d gotten the flan, a longtime favorite. Or his signature Peruvian chocolate rock. But that’s for next time when I reserve a coveted seat at the kitchen bar to watch the preparations. Martinez is making his own magic with Peruvian ingredients steeped in Venezuelan roots. And yes, I was levitated. Note to self: Order the tasting menu.
The Latin American food world, especially in Lima, is an ethereal cornucopia demanding repeat visits, especially at Mérito. It is no mirage.