LIMA has landed in Shoreditch.
Yes, ALL CAPITALS LIMA, not the capital Lima. And this is the third incarnation of the colourful eatery, which made history in 2014 as the first Peruvian restaurant in Europe to win a Michelin star – and that’s kind of bonkers, given that the country itself has some of the most accolade-laden eateries in the world. The cuisine just seems to hoover up acclaim. And after garnering plenty of praise for LIMA FITZROVIA and LIMA CANTINA, brothers Gabriel & José Luís Gonzalez have headed east.
This particular incarnation is located behind a heavy black door attached to the Sun Street Hotel, a boutique tucked away in a courtyard bordering Shoreditch and The City. Step inside, and you’ll find yourself in the hotel lobby, with cocktail-wielding patrons reclining on sofas. But it won’t be long before a maître d’ whisks you away to the dining area behind.
Inside, it’s a sleek yet vibrant mix of bright Peruvian colour and moody, industrial tones—the black brick walls overlook a sunny yellow carpet, which is lit up by an eye-catching cascade of colourful fringing suspended from the ceiling. It’s a nice balancing act between edgy East London cool and the warmth of Lima’s bold palette. Hotel restaurants can sometimes come across as being quite dry & impersonal, but this manages to escape that trap.
The menu, too, carries all of executive chef Roberto Sihuay’s signature flair and colour. Peru harbours a unique melting pot of cultures, with long-established strands of culinary fusion in the form of Nikkei (Japanese) and Chifa (Chinese) cuisine, and they’re all represented here. The snack menu includes a mineral-rich bluefin tuna tartare laid on an ultra-crispy tempura shiso leaf, which is absolutely delicious. The starters include several ceviches (you can get all of them as a trio should you want) and they don’t have any delicate slivers of fish—they’re thick hunks of tuna, sea bass, octopus, stone bass, prawns, and more, all bathed in their respective tiger milk marinades.
Sizing up, there are jasper-cooked lamb chops with pachamanca on a corn tamale; wagyu beef soltado with crispy potatoes; and a miso aubergine that absolutely melts in your mouth. It’s all the classic Peruvian dishes that have made Lima’s other two spots so popular, and for good reason.
Of course there are cocktails too, and of course they involve a Pisco sour, and of course that Pisco sour is vibrant, punchy, and eminently quaffable. It’s joined by a small list of Peruvian-infused friends, including a Cuento Del Diablo (with chilli-infused Pisco), and a margarita picante with tequila that’s been laced with aji amarillo peppers.
And trust us, it’ll leave a good taste in your mouth.
NOTE: LIMA SHOREDITCH is open now, Monday to Saturday. You can find out more, and book a table, on the LIMA website.
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LIMA SHOREDITCH | Sun Street Hotel, 5-15 Sun Street, London EC2A 2EP
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