Recommended Restaurants in Trujillo, Peru
Trujillo is a great city for food, be it freshly caught seafood, a goat straight from the farm or a duck recently plucked from, well, wherever ducks hang out in Trujillo.
This list of my — and hopefully your — recommended restaurants in Trujillo features places based on different criteria (so not necessarily the “best of the best”), ranging from cheap and cheerful to elegantly expensive. I’ll add more places each time I visit Trujillo, so any recommendations would be great.
Don Rulo Cebicheria
I’ve already written a full article about Don Rulo, so I won’t go on about it too much here. Suffice to say, the locals recommended this cevicheria to me — and with good reason. Don Rulo is affordable, fresh, relaxed and professional, and sure to satisfy people who like their portions on the larger side.
Jalea mixta and ceviche at Don Rulo, Trujillo (photo © Tony Dunnell)
El Rincon de Vallejo
El Rincon de Vallejo (Jr. Orbegoso 303) is old-school in all the right ways. This traditional café-restaurant is situated in the corner of a colonial building that was once home to arguably Peru’s greatest ever poet, Cesar Vallejo (1892-1938). The food, meanwhile, is classic trujillano cuisine, including dishes like pato guisado (stewed duck), cabrito (goat) and regional soups like shambar and patasca. El Rincon de Vallejo is a great place for lunch, just be prepared to wait a little while for a table.
El Rincon de Vallejo Cafe-Restaurant in a historic Trujillo casona (photo © Tony Dunnell).
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El Cuatrero
Devout carnivores are directed to two steakhouses in Trujillo, both of which offer slabs of meat straight off the parrilla. I hailed a taxi to head out to El Uruguayo, but my food-obsessed driver convinced me to go to El Cuatrero instead (both are located a short ride outside the city’s historic center; El Cuatrero has two locations in Trujillo, I went to the Francisco Borja location). Was he correct? Well, the meat at El Cuatrero was cooked precisely as I ordered it — a tender and juicy medium — and the fries and accompanying sauces (including chimichurri) were spot on. I ordered the cuatero mix, a combo of churrasco steak (skirt steak) and a chuleta de cerdo (pork chop) for S/.28. It was all good. Some of the steaks are expensive at El Cuatero, but it’s an elegant restaurant with excellent service and a solid steakhouse tradition. I’ll try El Uruguayo next time….
Cooking steaks and plating salads in El Cuatrero Parrillada (photo © Tony Dunnell).
Sal y Pimienta Restaurant
When I asked the owner of La Hacienda Hotel to recommend a good budget-friendly restaurant, he had a quick think and then said “Sal y Pimienta.” It turned out to be a very solid recommendation. Sal y Pimienta won’t win any awards for elegance, but this backpacker- and family-friendly restaurant has a varied menu — including comida criolla (with local standards like goat and duck) and ceviche — at good prices. I think there are now three Sal y Pimienta restaurants (same owners) in Trujillo. I went to the one at Jr. Colón 201, just on the edge of the historic center; it opens every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Ceviche mixto at Sal y Pimienta Restaurant, Trujillo (photo © Tony Dunnell).
Los Luises Cafe
I stumbled across Los Luises while looking for cheap beer (many bars and restaurants in the historic center sell small bottles of beer for extortionate prices). I was more than happy to pull up a seat at the diner-like Los Luises when I saw big bottles of Pilsen Trujillo being sold for a comparatively reasonable S/.7. The fact that this little corner diner sold chunks of pork chicharrón and freshly made turkey sandwiches was a most welcome bonus. I sat, I drank, I ate a plate of surprisingly good chicharrón and I watched the night pass by. Well, up until 10 p.m., which is unfortunately when Los Luises shuts. Apart from the early closure, I really like this place. There are two locations just a few doors away from each other, not far from the Mercado Central; the street-corner location is at Bolivar 526.
Pork and beer at Los Luises (photo © Tony Dunnell)
La Casona
I’m slightly hesitant about including La Casona on the list of restaurants in Trujillo, mainly because this family-run establishment is far from perfect. It’s a little rough around the edges, the plastic flowers don’t add much to the ambience, the service is shy and slightly strange, and there are way too many images of Jesus and co. But La Casona is a good place to pull up a seat and eat a filling meal without breaking the bank. You can get a classic local dish such as goat or duck with rice and beans for S/.12 — a reasonable price by central Trujillo standards. There’s also a lunchtime menú for S/.6 or S/.8. If you’re on a tight budget but still want to eat within the historic center of Trujillo, La Casona is a good option. La Casona is located at Jr. San Martin 677.
Where to Eat in Trujillo — Your Recommendations
If you know a great place to eat in Trujillo, whether it’s upscale or muy barato, please leave your recommendation in the comments sections below. I’ll try to check it out next time I’m in Trujillo. Cheers!
