To the beat of its own drum, La Gastronoma is a little bistro in Miraflores serving up authentic Italian food in Lima—and superb wine.
I had been hearing about La Gastronoma since I moved to Peru, but it was only until recently, when on a work related mission, that I arrived to this place. For me, it’s one of those places in the city that outstandingly cater to a non-local crowd. If you go there during the evening you will hear a number of languages being spoken—Italian, English, and Portuguese to name a few.
Marco Tecchia and his wife Sabrina Chávez, owners of La Gastronoma, began as wine importers working with Argentinian, Chilean and Italian wineries, before turning the business into a bistro two years later. A cozy delicatessen with a great selection of products: wine, cheese, cold cuts and an ever changing menu. They recently added Adrian to the team, who started as an employee and is now partner.
If you go during the day it is a relaxed place to have lunch; tables tend to fill up when the evening sets. The ambiance is as eclectic as the people that work in the store. Most of the employees are one way or another connected to music and it shows: each one has a playlist and there are some vinyls and even cassette tapes around the bistro.
The menu goes on the same path of ever changing flavors, using their cheese and cold cuts as a starter with seasonal vegetables and a lot of Italian inspiration.
The food is very good, but probably not as Instagrammable as we are used to nowadays.
Their wine by the glass changes according to who’s in charge that day. As wine importers, the owners can offer a great assortment of very small wineries (vineyards with less than 25 acres) and make an effort to visit the labels they offer. As a result, each wine has many stories to tell.
Looking at the menu you will find all the products form the deli section: hummus and vegetables, cheese boards with or without cold cuts. With a bottle of wine, a few small plates are perfect for sharing with friends or as a couple.
They also have Pizzettas Napolitana. Interestingly enough the dough is not baked but deep fried, a technique that results in a crunchy outer layer and soft inside. Toppings include goat cheese, parmigiano reggiano, stracciatella or whatever fresh and seasonal items may be on hand.
As “la Nonna” would say, pasta has to be fresh, and in this case Rosa Malasquez is in charge of that. She makes the fresh pasta every day so that customers can enjoy stuffed or long pasta made the same day or, as is the case for ravioli, no more than three days in advance.
The stuffed ravioli had an unctuousness to the filling and the flavor combination of cheese and lavender was simply incredible. La Gastronoma also serves a taleggio and funghi ravioli with tucupi sauce. If you go for long pasta, their Spaghetti is fresh and soft and so great in texture. They even have a nero di seppia pasta that looks and tastes amazing. If you need a gluten free option you can ask for it; it is not going to be “fresh made pasta” however.
They are quite short on the dessert aspect of their menu, but what they do have is great. Their chocolate cake is called Barra Brutal and consists of a chocolate ganache with brazil nuts, drizzled with Sal de Maras (salts from Maras, Sacred Valley) and Italian olive oil. The other options are from Bosco Magico, an artisanal sorbetto and gelato producer.
If you want to have an ever-changing experience of food and music in a great environment you should go to La Gastronoma. If you go for a two person dinner it could be rounding the S/200 mark (think cheese plate, pasta and dessert), not including wine.
Now, go out and eat well!
La Gastronoma
Calle Libertad 439, Miraflores
Mondays 3pm-10pm; Tuesday-Friday, 12pm-10pm; Saturdays, 11am-10pm
