Craving Peruvian food?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top Peruvian restaurants around Houston, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to fill the bill.
1. Peru Cafe Express
Topping the list is Peru Cafe Express. Located at 3885 Southwest Freeway in the Greenway area, the cafe, which offers seafood and more, is the highest rated Peruvian restaurant in Houston, boasting 4.5 stars out of 235 reviews on Yelp.
Get ready for traditional dishes like lomo saltado, marinated and grilled beef with onions and tomatoes served over french fries and white rice; bistek a lo pobre, flat steak served over beans and rice with plantains and a fried egg; and aji de gallina, shredded chicken served with homemade Peruvian yellow pepper sauce and white rice.
2. Chicken Station
Next up is Magnolia Park's Chicken Station, situated at 7001 Harrisburg Blvd. With five stars out of 60 reviews on Yelp, the casual eatery that specializes in Peruvian rotisserie chicken has proven to be a local favorite.
Get a quarter, half or whole chicken with sides like fried sweet plantains, chaufa rice, yucca fries, Peruvian coleslaw and grilled veggies.
"The full chicken deal with three sides and a 2-liter is a pretty good deal," Yelper Orze K. said. "The chicken was spot on to what I remember from home, with solid sides. The service was quick and everyone was friendly, with everything I needed."
3. Aji Peruvian Grill
Westchase's Aji Peruvian Grill, located at 2825 S. Kirkwood Road, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the restaurant 4.5 stars out of 119 reviews.
On the menu, standout offerings include the Peruvian skewers with marinated chicken or beef, sliced potatoes, corn and sauce; beef, chicken or seafood atop spaghetti with a cheese-and-milk-based sauce; and sliced fish served in a creamy aji sauce tossed with steamed mussels, clams, squid, shrimp and calamari.
4. Andes Cafe
Andes Cafe, a spot with Peruvian, Venezuelan and Colombian influences in the Warehouse District, is another go-to, with four stars out of 323 Yelp reviews. Head over to 2311 Canal St., Suite 104 to try it for yourself.
The casual space with colorful murals sets the stage for small plates like pork empanadas filled with rice, green onions, carrots and peas; grilled beef heart skewers served with South American corn, boiled potatoes and Peruvian black peppermint aji sauce; and Venezuelan corn patties stuffed with shredded braised steak and cotija cheese.
5. Peru Gourmet
Finally, there's Peru Gourmet, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 80 reviews on Yelp. You can find the restaurant, which offers seafood and more, at 10804 S. Post Oak Road in Westbury.
Start off with ceviche mixto — fish, calamari, clams, mussels, shrimp and squid marinated in tiger milk and lime juice — before moving on to larger plates like shredded chicken with traditional Peruvian sauce, cheese, garlic, herbs, nuts, peppers, steamed potatoes and rice; or fish covered in seafood sauce with white wine, onions, tomatoes, rice and yucca fries.
