"Juan Luis Martínez left Venezuela, cooked at Central, and then opened a ten-table restaurant in Barranco where Venezuela and Peru meet as equals. The result is the most personal fine-dining experience in Lima — and one of the top 30 restaurants on the planet. Book it before everyone else does. They're already trying."
About Mérito
When Venezuelan chef Juan Luis Martínez opened Mérito in Barranco in 2018, he had already spent years at Central — the restaurant that put Lima at the centre of the global fine-dining conversation. Mérito is what he did next: a personal restaurant, small and singular, in a two-storey building whose exposed adobe bricks tell the history of Barranco's bohemian past. The tables number around ten. The waiting list is long.
The menu at Mérito is unlike anything else in Lima. Martínez pulls from his Venezuelan roots — arepas filled with seasonal fish, guasacaca (Venezuelan avocado sauce), roasted giant corn with the same charred intensity you find in the streets of Caracas — and sets them in dialogue with the Peruvian ingredients he has spent years learning: scallops from Peru's northern bays, huacatay (black mint), cocona citrus, jalapeño from the Andes. The cuisine that results is neither Venezuelan nor Peruvian. It is the product of one chef's migration, told through food.
The dining room itself embodies the same sensibility. The original adobe bricks of the 19th-century Barranco building have been left exposed — a design choice that reveals the layers of the neighbourhood rather than concealing them. The furniture is minimal, inspired by Japanese restraint. The open kitchen takes centre stage. Martínez cooks in full view of his guests, and the effect is of watching someone work through a conversation they have been having with two countries for their entire adult life.
The Signature Dishes
The scallops with sanky (a Peruvian fruit similar to prickly pear) and jalapeño is among the finest bites Lima has to offer — the natural sweetness of the scallop against the acidity of the sanky and the heat of the jalapeño is a textbook example of balance achieved without effort. The arepas — filled with pork or with whatever the morning's boat delivered — carry the weight of nostalgia while remaining entirely present in Lima's current moment. The fish tartare with green tomato, huacatay, and matured cheese is a course that stays in the memory long after the meal has ended.
Best Occasion Fit
For a First Date, Mérito is the most compelling choice in Lima that isn't Maido: intimate, beautiful, grounded in a story that gives you hours of conversation, and priced at a level that signals serious intent without requiring a second mortgage. For a Birthday, the small room and chef's visibility make every meal feel like a private event — your guest will leave feeling that the evening was designed for them. For a Team Dinner, Mérito stretches the definition: at ten tables, it's the most intimate team dining experience in Lima, building genuine connection rather than simply feeding a group.
Secure Your Table at Mérito
Reservations are in high demand since the World's 50 Best ranking. Book as far in advance as possible — ideally four to six weeks ahead. The restaurant does not always appear on standard platforms; contact directly or try their official booking link.
Reserve a Table →Address
Jr. 28 de Julio 206, Barranco 15063, Lima, Peru
Price Range
$$$ — Approx. $80–130 USD per person with wine; exceptional value for the ranking
Cuisine
Venezuelan-Peruvian Contemporary — tasting and à la carte
Dress Code
Smart casual — the room is intimate and guests dress accordingly
Hours
Dinner service Tuesday–Saturday. Check directly for current hours and lunch availability.
Reservation Difficulty
Very High — only about 10 tables; book four to six weeks ahead minimum
Recognition
World's 50 Best Restaurants #26 (2025); Latin America's 50 Best #4 (2025)
Chef
Juan Luis Martínez — formerly of Central
Best Occasion for Mérito?
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What Guests Say
He took me to Mérito on our third date. We sat across from each other with the kitchen visible behind him and spent three hours eating arepas, scallops, and fish I'd never encountered. The scallops with sanky were the most elegant thing I tasted on my trip to Lima. This is the restaurant I would use to say "I'm serious about you."
My partner's birthday. Mérito is the only restaurant in the world I know of that is this good and this intimate simultaneously. The open kitchen meant we watched Martínez cook throughout the meal. The fish tartare with huacatay was the course of the year for me. Worth whatever you have to do to get the booking.
Brought a team of four — the maximum the room can comfortably absorb for a work dinner. The intimacy made it the most genuine conversation we've had as a group. You can't be distracted at Mérito. The room doesn't allow it. Neither does the food. Both things helped us make a decision we'd been delaying for months.