UPDATE: On June 8th 2023, Merito was recognized as # 59 in the list of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants
If you follow Merito on their Instagram, you’ll see beautiful plates served in a Stone and Wood environment, and it portrays what Juan Luis Martinez restaurant is all about, simplicity, organic beauty, and great flavors.
It’s 7 pm, and the Merito team has everything ready; the restaurant, located in a small centenary house in the bohemian district of Barranco, has a very rustic style has exposed brick walls and Wood floors; and tables, once they expanded to the house next door or an Industrial Meet Organic style the new site includes a metallic component.
On the first floor, the chef’s table was across the open kitchen; we sat there to taste the new plates in the ever-changing menu. Martinez is a perfectionist, so each plate keeps evolving with time.
The play on flavors and textures in the menu is evident in his Amaranthus chip topped with ceviche, beet powder, and marigold petals. Or on the Popeye Crab with a dried potato chip, a creamy crab filling, both delicate, delicious, and pretty. Then, of course, there are some staples on the menú, like the roasted corn, with a side of homemade huancaína style cream on a side.
The great thing about Mérito is that everything is a la carte, so you can select from the appetizers or the main courses as you wish, depending on the mood; starters with cocktails are a great mix, the Guarapa is a mix of pisco quebranta, passion fruit juice and the altitude negroni made with Peruvian spirits: Caña alta joven, a sugar cane spirit from Cusco, Q’aque an amaro from Mater Inciiativa, and Italian vermouth.
If you want a whole dish, try the Yacon glazed pork belly with arepas and pickles or the sticky rice with oyster mushrooms, asparagus, and Andean pesto, both are well executed flavor bombs.
For the chef, portraying Andean tubers and fresh produce is much better than using imported products; their connection to the producers allows him to create a fresh menu every day.
Martinez’s food portrays his Venezuelan roots with his European inspirations and Peruvian ingredients into Cosmopolitan comfort food, which allows Merito the recognition as one of the 11th best restaurants in Latin America and maybe of the next world’s Best restaurant list.
Desserts are another must; the Mamey use this fruit in different ways as a cristal and as part of the components with cashews and goat cheese; the Cacao stone has different textures of varying percentages of Peruvian chocolate, and the Custard apple is a grilled slice of the fruit covered on a paper made out the juices from the same product.
Where and how: Mérito is at the No. 206, Jr. 28 de Julio,, Barranco district, there’s no parking available on-site, but you can walk; they take reservations and walk-ins. However, we recommend reservations via Mesa 24/7. You can also contact the reservations via Whatsapp. Avrg Price: 50 USD without drinks per person
