Why a few words of Spanish change everything
Outside of fine dining and the most touristy spots in Miraflores, almost no one in Lima speaks fluent English. The good news: you don't need fluent Spanish either. Ten phrases, used confidently, will get you through 95% of meals — from a S/15 menú in Surquillo to a S/300 dinner in Barranco.
The bad news: relying on English at non-tourist restaurants tends to produce three results, all bad. The waiter brings the safest, blandest dish on the menu. The bill quietly inflates 15–20%. The kitchen treats you like a flight risk and pays less attention. Speaking even broken Spanish flips all three.
This guide is the phrasebook. For the bigger picture (how to find the right place to walk into) see the menú del día guide and the Peruvian Food 101 guide.
Walking into a restaurant
The first 10 seconds set the tone. Limeños always greet on entering — silence reads as cold or arrogant.
- "Buenas." — Universal greeting, anytime of day. Use this one.
- "Buenas tardes, una mesa para dos, por favor." — Good afternoon, table for two please.
- "¿Tienen menú del día?" — Do you have a daily menu? (The most useful question at lunch.)
- "¿Hay carta?" — Is there a menu? (If nothing's on the table.)
- "Solo agua, por favor." — Just water, please.
Ordering food
Five phrases cover most situations:
- "¿Qué me recomienda?" — What do you recommend? The single highest-leverage phrase in this guide. Limeños love giving food advice. You'll often get something better than what you would have ordered.
- "¿Cuál es la especialidad de la casa?" — What's the house specialty?
- "¿Es picante?" — Is it spicy? Most Lima dishes are not, but ají on the side often is.
- "Sin cebolla, por favor." — Without onion, please. Swap onion for cilantro / mariscos / ají as needed.
- "Para llevar, por favor." — To go.
If the table next to you is eating something that looks great: "¿Qué es eso?" — What's that? Then: "Lo mismo, por favor." — The same, please.
Asking about ingredients (allergies, diet)
Vegetarianism and food allergies are less common in Peru than in Europe or the US. Be specific, not abstract.
- "Soy alérgico/a a [los mariscos / el maní / el gluten]." — I'm allergic to [seafood / peanuts / gluten].
- "No como carne." — I don't eat meat. Add: "ni pollo, ni pescado" — nor chicken, nor fish.
- "¿Lleva ají?" — Does it have chili?
- "¿Lleva maní?" — Does it have peanuts? (Common in some sauces.)
- "¿Lleva caldo de pollo?" — Does it have chicken broth? (Critical for vegetarians — many "vegetable" rice and soups use it.)
Paying
The bill almost never arrives unprompted in Lima. You have to ask for it.
- "La cuenta, por favor." — The bill, please.
- "¿Aceptan tarjeta?" — Do you take card? Many barrio spots are cash-only. Always carry S/50 in small bills.
- "¿Está incluido el servicio?" — Is service included? In sit-down restaurants, yes — usually 10%, listed at the bottom of the bill.
- "Quédese con el vuelto." — Keep the change. Standard for rounding up.
Tipping: 10% service is already included on most bills. Adding 5% extra in cash for great service is appreciated, not expected. At menú del día spots, just round up to the next sol.
Tone and manners
Small things that mark you as someone who's been here before, not someone fresh off the plane:
- Always greet on entering and leaving. "Buenas" on the way in, "gracias, hasta luego" on the way out.
- Por favor and gracias are not optional. Limeños notice their absence immediately.
- Don't shout or snap fingers to call the waiter. A small raised hand or "disculpe" is enough.
- Don't rush the meal. Asking for the bill while still chewing reads as rude. Lunch is a 60–90 minute affair.
- Use usted, not tú, with anyone older than you or working a service job. It's the safer default.
Five phrases that punch above their weight
If you only memorize five, make it these:
| Phrase | Meaning | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Qué me recomienda? | What do you recommend? | Unlocks the kitchen's best dish |
| ¿Tienen ají casero? | Do you have homemade chili? | Brings out the house sauce — often kept off the table |
| Sí, picante. | Yes, spicy. | You get the real version, not the toned-down tourist one |
| Está muy rico. | It's really good. | Best way to thank the cook |
| Mil gracias. | A thousand thanks. | Warmer than plain gracias, locals use it |
Common mistakes
- Starting in English by default. Even broken Spanish opens doors that English closes. Start with "Buenas" and see what happens.
- Saying "no spicy" in English. They'll hold the ají completely and you'll miss the dish. Say "poco picante" (a little spicy) instead.
- Asking "do you speak English?" first thing. Reads as demanding. Try in Spanish first; if you stall, the waiter will switch if they can.
- Forgetting to ask for the bill. It will not come on its own. Ten minutes after the last bite, ask: "la cuenta, por favor".
- Tipping 20% American-style. It's not customary and the staff may try to refuse it. Service is on the bill; 5% extra in cash for great service is the ceiling.
- Calling the waiter "mozo" in a high-end place. Use "disculpe" or "por favor" instead. "Mozo" is fine in casual spots.
A 5-phrase plan for your first restaurant meal
- Walk in. Say "Buenas."
- Ask for a table: "Una mesa para [dos], por favor."
- At lunch, ask: "¿Tienen menú del día?". At dinner, ask: "¿Qué me recomienda?"
- Confirm spice level / allergies if relevant: "¿Es picante?" / "Soy alérgico a..."
- When done, ask for the bill: "La cuenta, por favor." Round up. "Mil gracias, hasta luego."
That's it. Five phrases, one meal, and you've had a more authentic experience than 80% of visitors who hand-wave through English the whole trip.
Related
- The $5 lunch: how to eat the menú del día — where to use these phrases first.
- Peruvian Food 101 — what to order once you can ask.
- Street food safety — phrases for cash, ice, and asking for things to go.
- Miraflores food guide — where English is more common (and why that matters less than you'd think).
- Practice on a ceviche, an aji de gallina, or an anticucho.