Merito Restaurant Review
Michael continues to travel, searching for new business opportunities and fantastic trip experiences to offer travelers. You can find Michael testing unique tours and hotels around LATAM. He enjoys getting up early and a hot cup of coffee before getting a good workout and starting the day.
Last Updated on December 11, 2023 by James Bustamante
Merito restaurant was recently nominated as one of the world’s 50 Best LATAM Restaurants at number thirteen. Mérito showcases the ingenuity of two Venezuelan chefs. This restaurant blends Venezuelan culinary traditions with Peruvian ingredients, creating unique dishes. One could describe the dishes as a Peruvian/Venezuelan fusion.
Merito Restaurant’s Ambiance and Decor
Stepping into Merito, one is immediately surrounded by an ambiance melding rustic charm with modern elegance. The restaurant is in an old building in Barranco, which has been refurbished. The decor balances cozy and stylish with warm, earthy tones complemented by sleek, contemporary furnishings. The first thing you see when entering Merito is the kitchen and bar on the first floor. This small section only fits around eight max. To the right, you’ll find the staircase leading to the second floor with two separate rooms.
The layout, with its wooden decor and a buzzing open kitchen, creates a lively yet comfortable atmosphere, perfect for romantic dinners and casual gatherings.
The lighting can be a little lackluster, though; there were times when I wanted more natural light to come in.
7-Day Lima to Cusco & Machu Picchu Package
Starting at $998 Itinerary: HERE
All-inclusive: Accommodations, guided tours, land packages, train tickets, and more.
10-Day Lima, Cusco Machu Picchu & Amazon Package
Starting at $1759 Itinerary: HERE
All-inclusive: Accommodations, guided tours, and much more.
Merito Menu and Specialties
At Mérito, the chefs artfully blend memories of Venezuelan culinary traditions with the rich diversity of Peruvian ingredients, creating an innovative fusion menu. The restaurant regularly updates its offerings annually, ensuring fresh and exciting culinary experiences. Yet, it retains a selection of perennial favorites, such as the Lamb and Oca Tubers, a new specialty, and the long-standing popular dish of glazed pork served with arepas, celebrated for its exquisite flavor.
The menu can initially seem confusing since it doesn’t differentiate between entrees and the main dishes. It’s all jumbled into a piece of paper. Once you figure out where each section (entrees, main dishes, desserts) you’ll have a much easier time choosing what you want to try. Below are the current menu items for Merito.
The Menu At Merito Restaurant
Entrees
- Amaranthus chip topped with fish tartare
- BBQ Peruvian corn with yellow chilly cream
- Scallops with Sanki and Jalapeno
- Popeye Crab
- Catch of the day with green tomato, huacatay (Peruvian mint), and matured cheese.
- Seared scallops
- Sweetbreads
- Whitefish and Cocona fruit
- Octopus with potatoes and red peppers
Main Dishes
- Oyster mushroom rice with asparagus and Andean pesto
- Fish curry
- Catch of the day with baby corn
- Glazed pork belly with arepas
- Lamb and Oca tubers
Desserts
- Corn and coffee cloud with lucuma and macambo
- Flan
- “Biensabe” with coconut
- Chocolate “Rock”
- Chirimoya custard
Merito Restaurant’s Food Quality and Taste
The quality of the products was superb, and the taste was also delicious. As a first course, innovatively served on Amaranth chips, it offers a unique twist on classic Peruvian ceviche. We also ordered the seared scallops that came with foam. Everything tasted fresh as it had just been fished from the ocean a few moments ago. The entrées, particularly noteworthy for their flavor profiles, elevate the dining experience.
The lamb shoulder I ordered is a lean cut of meat, so it takes a lot of preparation to make it tender. Merito achieved this and much more; it was tender and delicious. The waitress dressed the dish with the juices, or gravy, from the lamb’s cooking process, giving it a savory flavor.
The oca mash was also tasty and served as a good counterbalance for the lamb. I like intense flavors and would have liked the taste of the lamb to be sharper or more pronounced to show the cut of meat. I understand achieving that with lean cuts can be challenging, though. So overall, they did a great job with my main course.
Service Quality
The service was good, but the staff sometimes seemed overwhelmed during our dining experience. There weren’t many tables to look after; Merito is not a huge restaurant, and maybe just one more waiter/waitress could have made a big difference in the experience.
Our waitress was very knowledgeable regarding the dishes. She could easily go over the ingredients in each one and was familiar with how they were prepared. She was very polite and attentive to what we wanted.
Pricing and Value
We spent $220 on lunch and ordered three entrees, four main dishes, four cocktails, three sparkling water bottles, and four coffees. The meal is not cheap if you are going by Peruvian prices, but if you come from the United States, the quality, flavor, and service will seem very affordable in Merito.
The size and quantity of each dish is another story. This restaurant focuses on a gourmet dining experience, so don’t expect the massive portions you can find in the typical Peruvian restaurant. Sometimes quality is more important than quantity, but in a country with so many delicious, high-quality options, Merito might seem a bit overpriced.
Merito’s Unique Features
What’s unique about Merito as a dining option is the high-end gourmet dining experience that fuses dishes from Venezuela with local, high-quality Peruvian flavors and ingredients. There are plenty of Peruvian and Venezuelan restaurants throughout Lima, but Merito restaurant is the first real high-end dining experience that merges both cuisines.
Clientele and Atmosphere
Merito’s clientele is varied, just like its food. Both times I visited Merito, I noticed that many of the tables were occupied by couples, families, and single diners. There is an exciting mix of local Peruvian customers and travelers who want to experience the food in this restaurant. I saw more families in Merino than in other high-end restaurants.
The atmosphere is welcoming, and the restaurant feels like a cozy place to enjoy an exciting meal. Again, in my opinion, it needs more natural light, but the architecture of the building where the restaurant is housed makes it difficult.
Accessibility and Location
Mertio does not have its own parking garage. The restaurant is located in a bustling area of Barranco. Anyone who has been to Lima knows what a nightmare it can be to drive around Barraco during rush hour. Several parking lots are scattered around, and even one half a block from the restaurant.
If you take a cab, the driver should be able to drop you off at the restaurant’s main entrance. Taxis are my preferred way to get around Lima.
If you take public transportation, you can get off at the Barranco main square and walk two blocks to Merito. Overall, the restaurant is well-located and easy to access.
Overall Experience and Recommendation
Merito restaurant is, overall, a nice place to visit with good food options; they work with local produce and have Peruvian flavors infusing their Venezuelan-inspired dishes. I enjoyed the entrees most of all; each one packed a lot of flavor in single-bite portions. The cocktails were not too shabby either; they had a unique take on a Mosco mule, which was infused with peppermint. Out of all the high-end gourmet options in Lima, I think Merito is the most reasonably priced.
I would have enjoyed my lamb a lot more if it was a fattier cut, but that’s my preference for meat. The last time I visited this place, I had the beef cheeks, a fattier cut, and I thought they were a homerun.
I would grade Merito with 4.5 stars out of 5, and I will probably be back the next time they change their menu.
Merito Restaurant Address: Jr, 28 De Julio 206, Barranco 15063
Phone: (01) 2771628
Merito website: https://www.meritorestaurante.com/
If you want to visit Merito or any other restaurant in Peru on a culinary tour or as part of a Peru vacation package, contact one of our expert travel advisors to arrange your accommodations, tours, guides, and restaurant reservations.
