LIMA

31 Rathbone Place, Fitzrovia, London, W1T 1JH - View on a map
Telephone: 020 3002 2640

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Overall 6.3
Food 7.6
Service 6.4
Atmosphere 6.1
Value 5.1
Based on 7 reviews

our review

Peruvian chef Virgilio Martinez has opened his first London restaurant on Rathbone Place. Martinez is chef-patron of the highly regarded Central restaurant in Lima. The menu, put together by Martinez and head chef Robert Ortiz, is split into a 'crudo' (raw) section, which includes ceviches and tiraditos, starters and main courses, and a tasting menu.

July 2012

what the critics say

Matthew Norman - 5/5

Monday, April 29, 2013 - Suckling pig “andes” matched the sweetest, juiciest pork, with lashings of crackling, to giant corn, cress, piquillo pepper and green rocoto chilli. Halibut “chalaca” saw a large, delectably buttery fillet accompanied by another vividly colourful medley of corn, yellow aji pepper, avocado oil and Muna mint. “What is so great about this,” said Miss Heller, “is that every ingredient brings something to the dish. Nothing is here just for show.”

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John Walsh - 10/15

Saturday, September 08, 2012 - Main courses were less exciting because they were more familiar. There are only six dishes to choose from, three fish, three meat. Louise's confit of suckling pig was essentially pork belly, beautifully roasted, with 'Amazonian cashews' on top, fat lentils in a bed underneath and a counterpoint of pear purée. It was pure piggy comfort food, unctuous and yummy. My lamb shoulder had been braised in a coriander and pisco jus that rendered it amazingly soft, the meat meltingly fibrous, while a sideshow of poached white grapes on black quinoa offered a tasty contrast.

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Zoe Williams - 3.5/5

Tuesday, September 04, 2012 - The octopus was my favourite. I fall freshly in love every time I order it. I adore that gooey layer between the charred exterior and the meaty flesh. The olive 'bubbles' I appreciated because someone once explained the extraordinary effort that went into making them, but tastewise I would have been as happy with a row of olives...The descriptions make the food sound much stranger than it tastes. There is nothing here that would shock a palate that knew its way round the main herbs and spices. So if you're looking for true innovation, I'm not sure this is your place. If, on the other hand, you want to eat mainly lovely food, and look as if you're innovating at the same time, it's perfect.

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City AM

Tuesday, August 28, 2012 - The starters, with one exception, are all raw. While not to everyone's taste, this really allows the flavours of the dishes to shine. Beautifully rich tones are mixed with refreshing ingredients, as Algarrobo tree honey, Ghoa cress, shaved foie gras and shreddings of duck find harmony together. The pick of the bunch, and one I would quite happily gorge daily, is the truly scrumptious confit of suckling pig, accompanied with roasted Amazonian cashew nuts, lentils and pear, accented with flavoursome crispy pork skin. The food is as beautiful as it is delicious, with Martinez carefully considering every detail.

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Fay Maschler - 4/5

Wednesday, July 18, 2012 - One of the arresting qualities of dishes at Lima is their beauty - due to a vivid use of natural colours. When I saw ceviche of artichoke, white onion, Amazon tree tomato (aka cocona) and pink peppercorns, which I think is the translation of molle, I thought I would like a dress in exactly those colours...Octopus with white quinoa, red shiso and botija olives (allegedly the most flavourful olive in the world) is a wholly satisfying assembly and an argument for wider restaurant use of octopus. Lamb shoulder was rendered too long and glazed too commonly but the black quinoa, coriander, white grape and pisco cinnamon accompaniment compensated.

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Guy Dimond - 4/5

Wednesday, July 18, 2012 - A wide range of chillies are used imaginatively to give colour as well as unusual nuances of flavour, for example a pool of yellow ají pepper contrasting with the delicacy of thin slivers of raw scallops. The flavour pairings didn't cease to surprise us, even with the simpler dishes such as the suckling pig with 'Amazon cashew', tiny cubes of raw pear, and 'potato 4,000 metres'...To eat here you either have to learn a whole new vocabulary, or just sit back and enjoy the ride.

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What a refreshing meal with fresh flavours. We had a delicious sea bream ceviche with excellent textures and a great octopus starter. Main course of suckling pig and Amazon fish were equally delightful. Good balanced drink selection and interesting dessert. Food is reasonably price but you are getting high quality, exciting and well thought out food
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8 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Monday, February 18, 2013

So whats all this Peruvian buzz about my friend said to me, I said I don't know lets try one. We looked at Ceviche, Tierra Peru, Coya & Lima. All the menus looked good but the images and website did it for us. I must say we were not let down, food AMAZING!!!

The restaurant is high end but informal all at once which we think is a hard thing to achieve. The staff are professional and knowledgeable but lacking in personality. Say a tall manager type lady who didn't say much but would have been nice to say hello.

Food: WOW the flavours, colours, presentation. Now I've had Peruvian food in Lima at all the Top Restaurants (Amongst them Gaston Acurio, Rafeal Schiffiano, Virgilio Martinez) and found this food more to my palate as a westerner. It will be a HIT. The ceviche's are a MUST, the Tiradito's are a MUST and the Causa's are a MUST!!! For the first week back in January they are packed and with a set lunch or early evening menu of £17.50 for two courses or £20 for three is GREAT VALUE.

A MUST STOP FOR ANY FOODIE!!
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9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Friday, January 11, 2013

Went there a week or so after opening. Pisco sours fantastic, food very interesting (hadn't gone Peruvian before) & delicious. The portions are indeed rather small and the prices seem a bit steep - but it's nicely fitted & air conditioned and great to eat something so different & high quality. Staff mostly pretty amateur - presumably much better drilled by now. Would try to go on expenses next time!
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Guy
6 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 4
Thursday, October 04, 2012

The pisco sour was really good, when.the starter came (ceviche) I was worried the rest of the portions were going to be quite small. And indeed they were!! The main courses had portions like starters. My husband and I spent £68 sharing 1 starter and we were left very hungry. We had to go for a second diner elsewere.

So don't go to this restaurant if you are really hungry.

I would only go back for the pisco sour (cocktail), but the food although tasty is NOT VALUE FOR MONEY. I felt like robbed..
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Jenny.G
5 Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 2
Sunday, September 30, 2012

Small portions and over priced, the Pisco Sour was quite bad. When my boyfriend and I saw the size of the portions we wanted to laugh, but when we got our bill, we wanted to cry!!!
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Maggie
3 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 0
Friday, August 24, 2012

fhe food was very good althougn i think the menu could have been a little larger

negatives: no peruvian wine, no inka kola, no coca tea

I found my waitress to be completely clueless
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richard
5 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 4
Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Wow this restaurant is amazing! Our Chilean waiter was very welcoming and took the time to clearly explain the menu and make recommendations. The food was fabulous, based on Peruvian ingredients but with a modern twist. The braised octopus starter was melt-in-the mouth and absolutely delicious. It was served with white quinoa and a black olive emulsion, the latter I thought overpowered the octopus and a tomato version would have been better.This was my only criticism of the entire meal though. For the main course I had braised lamb with black quinoa which was excellent and served with a delicious sauce. I could easily have had a second one. My husband had the confit suckling pig with lentils which was equally an extremely tasty dish and one which I would have next time. We could not resist trying the desserts. My chocolate pave-style dessert with mango granita was superb and my husband loved his quinoa pudding which came with a strange but amazing blue corn jelly. The wine was very nice and well priced. I tried a pisco with chilies cocktail which was interesting but a little too spicy for me. Definitely a great addition to an area that is full of excellent restaurants.
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londongal - View all reviews by this user
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Saturday, July 21, 2012

what the bloggers say

A Rather Unusual Chinaman

Sunday, July 29, 2012 - The sea bream ceviche on the other hand was stunning. The "tigers milk" that the fish had been cured in was smooth and full of citrus, yet not overpowering the subtle flavour of the fresh and firm fish. Pairing it with the toasted corn kernels and fried onions was wonderful, adding a contrast in texture and sweetness. Blinding...Although the suckling pig was slightly underseasoned, it was soft and porky with a crisp crunch coming from the perfectly cooked crackling. The slow cooked lamb was even better, rich and meaty accompanied by pisco soaked grapes to give it contrast. All the food was just so well executed, familiar dishes lifted by the addition of some innovative flavours and ingredients.

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Cheese and Biscuits - 8/10

Monday, July 16, 2012 - Four large chunks of halibut, showing a gentle crust from the grill but still tender and moist, were paired with a sort of smooth peanutty sauce, the contents of which I couldn't even begin to hazard a guess at but take your pick from "huacatay herb, Andean grain, aji mirasol" from the menu. Star of the evening though was a plate of the best suckling pig I can remember being given in London...Despite the nagging environmenal questions though, and the cost, there's still a lot to love about Lima. The food, as I say, is extraordinary not just because London has seen little like it before, but because it is thoughtfully constructed, expertly cooked and tastes incredible. Service was spot on and we had a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

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LIMA

Find special offers, earn points, see menus.

our review

what the critics say

Matthew Norman - 5/5

John Walsh - 10/15

Zoe Williams - 3.5/5

City AM

Fay Maschler - 4/5

Guy Dimond - 4/5

your comments review this restaurant and win a bottle of champagne

what the bloggers say

A Rather Unusual Chinaman

Cheese and Biscuits - 8/10

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