Join us as we venture through Lima, Peru, and try out some of the coastal city’s most notable specialty-coffee shops.
BY MICHAELA TOMCHEK
BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE
Photos by Michaela Tomchek
When venturing around Lima, the coastal capital of Peru, one can find an abundance of eccentric art, ceviche, fresh fruit, sunshine, and plenty of exceptional coffee. Peru is an extraordinary coffee-producing country—the world’s leading exporter of organic arabica—and home to a vast amount of hard-working smallholder producers. Lima is the heart of the country, and its cafés bring coffee from all over the country to be brewed for locals and visitors alike. If you’re on your way to Cusco and Machu Picchu, make sure to stop by Lima for a day or two to try out these four standout cafés.
Ciclos Café
Barranco is one of Lima’s hippest neighborhoods, filled with art, cafés, bars, awesome restaurants, and colorful architecture. It is here where Ciclos Café is situated, tucked away from the busier parts of the city. The café originally started out as a Peruvian cacao shop called El Cacaotal, until owner Amanda Jo Wildey met Felipe Aliaga five years ago, who piqued her interest in coffee. Having spent time studying agronomy in Chile, Felipe has a serious passion for coffee, obtaining his Q Grader certification in the U.S. and spending years living on farms and learning about coffee. From there, Ciclos was born.
Entering the shop is a bright and magical experience: The space is filled with quaint seating and coffee sacks surrounded by warm, yellow-colored walls. The menu displays an array of coffee from all over Peru, brewed with a variety of equipment including the Hario V60, Chemex, and AeroPress—a true coffee lover’s paradise. The best part about Ciclos is that everything is roasted in-house with delicate care. Even the water is carefully curated: An osmosis system is utilized and calibrated every day. Plus, you can head upstairs to visit El Cacaotal, the original cacao shop, and indulge in some remarkable Peruvian chocolate: a wonderful opportunity to taste two of Peru’s most prized commodities.
When asked about the specialty-coffee world in Lima, Felipe notes that there’s ample room for growth. He also shares his deep care for Peru’s coffee producers and his intentions to empower them through his work with Ciclos. “The specialty-coffee shop scene in Lima is at an early stage of development,” Felipe says, “and it (still) isn’t normal to work directly with producers. But (the scene) has grown. It’s changing, and I think that it’s a good time for us to better understand what the word ‘sustainability’ really means—and to accompany farmers in their development.”
“We (pay) 100% direct payments (to farmers) for at least 80% of all our coffees,” Felipe continues. “We travel to their farms, connect with them, work with them. … Their problems become ours, since true sustainability is also linked to sharing the risks.” Over the last year, Felipe and Amanda have offered over 70 coffees from all over Peru at their shop. It’s a truly remarkable place, doing some exceptional work for the coffee producers of Peru.
RAIZ Coffee Roasters
If you’re in a leisurely mood, Lima can be an ideal city for relaxation—perfect for slow walks and tasting coffee throughout every neighborhood. After visiting Ciclos, be sure to head over to Miraflores: home to Incan ruins and the famed pyramid Huaca Pucllana. This area is also where you’ll find RAIZ Coffee Roasters: a sweet and cozy spot located on the quiet street of Calle Porta.
Operating since 2023, RAIZ roasts their coffee in-house and, like Ciclos, offers a great selection of coffee from all over the country. Try one of the shop’s delicious pastries (I loved the almond croissant), sip on an espresso, and sit outside to enjoy the sunshine: a truly relaxing and grounding experience.
Sol Coffee and Tea
Continue your walk through Miraflores, and just around the corner from RAIZ, you’ll reach Sol Coffee and Tea: a peaceful retreat amid the bustling streets, shrouded in the soothing sound of blackbirds. This quiet and quaint space just opened last year, and already, it’s become a local favorite with its awesome coffee brewed on a La Marzocco.
The shop has a beachy vibe—a nod to Lima’s prominent surf culture—and offers up sweet treats, a quaint outdoor space, and simplistic decor. Similar to the other spots in Lima, Sol also does their own roasting and sources a variety of coffees local to Peru. It’s a great place to stop when walking to Larcomar, a large mall nestled right by the seaside.
Caleta Dolsa
Craving a healthy meal with your coffee? Perhaps some pancakes or an açai bowl? Look no further than Caleta Dolsa. Back in the artsy neighbourhood of Barranco, somewhat hidden down a small set of stairs, Caleta Dolsa is a lively and homey space to retreat to if you feel like nesting for a little while.
Caleta Dolsa’s beverage menu has a little something for everyone: choose from espresso-based drinks, filtered coffee, cold brew, matcha, and chai. And apart from their quality coffee roasted in-house, the café has a notable food menu, making it a perfect place for brunch or a midday snack. When the weather is sunny, sit on their gorgeous, tiled patio to relax, or find a spot inside of the den-like café with its comfy seating and relaxing decor.
These four coffee shops are just a handful of the incredible specialty-coffee gems Lima, Peru, has to offer, and we can’t wait to see the city’s coffee scene continue to evolve.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michaela Tomchek finds coffee an important part of life and the world. She is an appreciator of the crop, the producer, and the many cafés throughout the world serving beautiful beverages. Currently, she writes about coffee, hoping to spread her joy across the globe.
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