10 Best Restaurants in Trujillo, The North Coast and Northern Highlands

This beautiful café sits inside the Casa Ganoza Chopitea, which was constructed around 1735 and is one of the best-preserved colonial mansions in Trujillo. The interior has original woodwork and frescoes, and the exterior features a balcony and a unique polychrome facade featuring a male and a female lion (which is why it is sometimes referred to as Casona de los Leones). There's decent coffee, though the food is quite simple (sandwiches, pizza, pasta, empanadas). The atmosphere is really why you are here.

Half a century's worth of tradition has gone into this Trujillo standby. Bustling at lunch- and dinnertime, it's a fun place to eat that specializes in regional cuisine—and does it well. Start with an industrial-size portion of spicy cebiche de lenguado (sole marinated in citrus), followed by rice smothered with camarones (shrimp) or mariscos (shellfish). There are additional locations near the Huacas del Sol y de la Luna in the village of Moche, as well as in Huanchaco.

Although this Trujillo establishment has grown a bit shopworn since it opened in 1951, it still offers good food and friendly service. For dinner, enjoy seafood and pasta dishes, followed by excellent homemade desserts. Skip the dimly lit front room and, via a long, fluorescent-lighted hallway, enter the small, cozy back room with natural light and a more congenial feeling. This is a more low-key option from the same talented cooks who run Restaurant Romano Rincón Criollo.