The first thing you need to know about Peruvian food is that it has already won. In the global conversation about the world's great cuisines, Peru shows up consistently at the top of any serious ranking — and has for over a decade. The ceviche, the lomo saltado, the aji de gallina, the causa, the pisco sour. The way Lima has become a culinary destination that draws serious food pilgrims from every continent. For Peruvians, this is not surprising — they have always known that their food was extraordinary. The rest of the world is just catching up.
What is Peru known for?
Peru is a South American nation of approximately 33 million people, capital Lima, and it is internationally recognized for its extraordinary heritage across multiple domains. In pre-Columbian history, Peru was the center of the Inca Empire — the largest empire in pre-Columbian America, with its administrative capital at Cusco and its most famous monument at Machu Picchu, a 15th-century citadel that receives nearly a million visitors annually and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In food, Peru's cuisine is considered one of the world's great culinary traditions, distinguished by its fusion of Indigenous, Spanish, African, Japanese, and Chinese influences — a product of the specific history of migration and colonization that shaped the country. Peruvian gastronomy has been recognized at the World's 50 Best Restaurants consistently, and Lima restaurants like Central (ranked #1 in the world in 2023) have made the country a destination for serious diners.
Peruvian-American identity
The Peruvian-American community is concentrated in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and New Jersey. Peruvians in the United States often navigate a Latino identity that is less visible in popular culture than Mexican, Puerto Rican, or Cuban identity — but that comes with its own extraordinary specific pride: the Inca history, the coastal fishing culture, the Andean Indigenous traditions, the distinct music genres like cumbia andina and huayno, and a cuisine that is recognized internationally as world-class. That specificity — knowing exactly where you come from and what that place made — is worth wearing. Smile Mas makes pieces for communities like this one.
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