On my flight from Cusco to Lima I got chatting to the two men sitting next to me, when we started talking about Peru’s foodie scene…
They asked me what restaurants I had booked in Lima, and weirdly, when I told them I was going to Astrid y Gaston that evening, their response was ‘US TOO!’
I honestly thought they were joking, but then low-and-behold, Pia and I were sitting behind them at the restaurant that evening!
They were already there when we arrived, so they came over to say hello and then left us to our meal.
The restaurant was beautiful! Honestly absolutely stunning!
The interior design, the attention to detail in everything from the menus to the custom-stitched napkins, and the different restaurant spaces for different vibes.
There’s the main restaurant which feels classy and calm, and then a buzzier area towards the back which has more of an outdoor terrace, convivial vibe.
Astrid y Gaston is from the same chef as Chicha, where I dined in Cusco.
Gaston Acurio is known as the godfather of Peruvian cuisine, and his restaurants in Peru are known for being very fairly priced so local Peruvians aren’t excluded from dining there.
As an example, our whole meal only cost around £40 each, for three courses plus a cocktail and service charge.
Drinks-wise I chose a Moscow Mule, while Pia chose a lovely glass of wine.
When it came to starters, I decided to go light, and chose the Tomato Ceviche, while Pia opted for the Razor Clam.
Both were really tasty, and the tomato ceviche was a lovely change after having trout ceviche for five days in a row!
For our mains, Pia chose the dish I’d had the day before at Chicha, the Lucuma Tortellini.
Only at Astrid y Gaston it was a slightly fancier version with scallops.
I decided to try the Squid Ink Angel Hair, which was a ginormous dish that was delicious but very filling!
I couldn’t finish it and I think it’s probably actually a dish that’s best shared with others.
Finally, very full after our meal, we shared a small bowl of ice-cream for a little sweet finish.
The Lucuma and Algarrobina ice-creams were incredible, honestly I’m so obsessed with Lucuma after this trip to Peru!!
Read my Cusco Travel Guide!
I still can’t get over how good value the meal was for the surroundings and quality of food and service.
As a comparison, we dined at Mayta Lima (No. 39 on World’s 50 Best 2025) the evening after, and although it was incredible, it cost around £250 per person compared to our £40 meal at Astrid y Gaston.
Astrid y Gaston felt more relaxed but was still beautiful, and I’d recommend booking a table there for anyone travelling to Lima!
Read my Perfect One Week Travel Itinerary for Peru!
Catherine Lux is a veteran travel blogger by night and the Head of Content Marketing at Amazon by day. Originally from Surrey, she spent four years living in Australia (2007-2009, and 2016-2018), and now lives in London. An ex-party girl sometimes prone to relapses, she loves nothing more than sharing her fine dining and luxury travel experiences with her loyal readers.
