The Best Peruvian Food in Washington
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The best Peruvian food in Washington, according to the experts: Michelin Guide, James Beard Awards, and Esquire have all weighed in, and their honors are what rank this list. Causa comes out on top.
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Amazonia and Maru San hold the next two places. James Beard Awards and Michelin Guide show up on more of this list than any other guide.
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Rank 1. Causa
Peruvian
A tucked-away tasting menu for about 20 people in Blagden Alley, Causa fuses Japanese technique with Peruvian ingredients in a cuisine called Nikkei. The chef structures the meal as a journey from Lima's coast up through the Andes to the Amazon, so the menu moves with a logic you feel before you understand it. It holds a Michelin star and a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic. Bring someone you want to impress, or just go alone and take notes.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: 1 Star
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2025 · Winner · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Carlos Delgado
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2023 · Nominee · Best New Restaurant
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Winner · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Carlos Delgado
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Nominee · Best New Restaurant
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Rank 2. Amazonia
Amazonian Peruvian
The awards
- James Beard Awards James Beard Awards: 2025 · Winner · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Carlos Delgado
- Esquire Esquire: The Best Bars in America
- The Rammys The Rammys: Finalist · Chef of the Year · Carlos Delgado
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Winner · Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic · Carlos Delgado
- Esquire The Best Bars in America
- The Rammys Finalist · Chef of the Year · Carlos Delgado
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Rank 3. Maru San
Peruvian Sushi
A 25-seat handroll bar in Capitol Hill where almost every spot goes to walk-ins, so the line outside is part of the deal. The chef's Nikkei style means cones of crackly nori packed with koshihikari rice and fillings that pull from both Japanese and Peruvian traditions. Ceviches, tiraditos, and small plates round things out. The pace is quick by design, so think of it less as dinner and more as something you inhale with a sense of purpose.
The awards
- Washingtonian The Hot List: 10 Restaurants Around DC We’re Loving Right Now
- Eater Where to Eat and Drink on Capitol Hill
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Rank 4. La Canela
Peruvian
The awards
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Rank 5. El Secreto de Rosita
Peruvian
A snug Peruvian restaurant on U Street where smoky mirrors and plush seats set the mood before the food does. The menu ranges across Peru's coasts and highlands, pulling in Japanese and European notes along the way, so the kitchen can move from delicate ahi tiradito to a bowl of arroz chaufa without breaking stride. The kind of place where the servers slow you down just enough that you order the flan.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
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Rank 6. China Chilcano
Peruvian
The awards
- Washingtonian Washingtonian: Where to Eat Near the National Mall