Peruvian Food in New York City | Raymi, Mission Ceviche & Baby Brasa

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They say that it’s best to get to know the foreign places you visit by their food. However, there also comes a time when you are abroad when it’s kind of hard not to miss your home food. This happened to me during my sabbatical period in the US. That is why this post is dedicated to nostalgic Peruvians and anyone who would like to try some good Peruvian food in New York’s Manhattan borough.

Peruvian food in New York City (Photos: Raymi | Mucha Ale)

I consider myself very fortunate to be able to visit New York City during my sabbatical period this year. During this time I found myself craving Peruvian flavours, and thanks to Yelp and Instagram I came about these restaurants that know how to captured that rich flavor that we like so much. I also love that they all have websites where you can access their menu. I know I cyberstalked and practically memorized theirs before visiting.

Raymi, Peruvian Kitchen and Pisco Bar
Raymi is a restaurant owned by the Peruvian brothers Jaime, Felipe and Roger Torres, and it's located on 24 West Street. The have a modern style, so you will find both fusion and traditional dishes on the menu. I was attracted to the traditional food, from which I strongly recommend trying the Chicharrón Sliders, the Carapulcra, and the Arroz con Pato (Rice with Duck), the last one is available in a group portion (yay!). For drinks, they have Cusqueña and several types of Pisco Sour, among them Passion Fruit. This is the only restaurant on this list that requires making a reservation for securing your table. Fotos: Raymi.

Chicharrón sliders

Carapulcra potato stew

Arroz con Pato

Mission Ceviche
This “cevichería” located in the Gansevoort Market belongs to Jose Luis Chavez, who is son of a Peruvian father and a Colombian mother, and his partner Brice Mastroluca. Without having planned it, I ended up having lunch and dinner here on the same day. Regardless of the cold weather don’t miss out on their ceviches which taste as they would in Peru. My favorites were the “Ají Amarillo” Ceviche, the “Seco Norteño” Beef, and the “Ají de Gallina” Chicken. They also have Inca Cola and Chicha Morada, among other drinks. What I loved about this place is the casual ambiance and how you feel like you are home thanks to Jose Luis and his team.

Ceviche de Ají Amarillo and chicha morada Yellow pepper cevich

Ají de gallina

Baby Brasa
This casual Peruvian rotisserie belongs to the Peruvian chef Franco Noriega and is located on Allen Street, in lower Manhattan. I heard about this place recently although I already knew about Franco Noriega because it was on Buzzfeed’s list for the hottest guys of 2016 (# 18). The Rotisserie Chicken and the Pan con Pollo taste as good as in Peru. For drinks, they have Chicha Morada, Inca Cola and Cusqueña beer.

Pollo a la brasa

Pan con pollo

For dessert they have Lucuma Alfajores from Limanjar, which belongs to the Peruvian brothers Álvaro and Joaquín Ormeño. They are nice and soft. I thought it was neat to taste them since I read about them in the New York Times back in April.

Alfajor cookie