Central Restaurante

Central Restaurante is one of the most celebrated and influential fine dining restaurants in the world, named #1 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2023 — the first South American restaurant ever to achieve this distinction. Located at Casa Tupac in Lima’s bohemian Barranco district, the restaurant is led by chefs Virgilio Martínez and Pía León, who have built it into a globally recognised benchmark for culinary research, indigenous ingredient exploration, and the elevation of Peru’s extraordinary natural heritage. Central’s tasting menu is structured as a journey through Peru’s diverse ecosystems by altitude — from below sea level in the Pacific to over 4,000 metres in the high Andes — with each course representing a specific elevation zone and showcasing ingredients sourced directly by Mater Iniciativa, the research collective founded by Malena Martínez and the team. The dishes are precise, immersive, and deeply educational, combining sophisticated technique with storytelling and a profound respect for the communities and landscapes that supply them. The minimalist, thoughtfully designed dining space allows the food to remain central. Central is co-located with Pía León’s restaurant Kjolle at Casa Tupac.