Voted World's Best Female Chef in 2022 by San Pellegrino, Lima-born Pía León is a culinary force to be reckoned with, and this airy bistro right next door to the restaurant Central showcases the full range of her talents. In what amounts to a whirlwind tour of Peru, her nine-course tasting menu fuses ingredients from every corner of the country into inspired, innovative combinations. River shrimp, cacao, different varieties of tubers, sweet cucumbers: the menu whips together whatever happens to excite León in a given month.

His wife and Central’s co-founder, Pía Léon, saw her solo project Kjolle reach the top 50 this year, making 28th place. The two other Lima eateries on the list were Maido, led by the award-winning Japanese-Peruvian chef Mitsuharu “Micha” Tsumura, at number six, and Mayta in 47th.

Top female chef, Pía Leon—who at 31, was named Latin America’s best female chef—uses ingredients such as yuca, creamy fleshed cherimoya fruit, and Amazonian honey to create dishes that exude passion and love, making dinner at Kjolle an experience that appeals to all the senses, and a sublime introduction to Lima’s flourishing food scene. Sign up to our free daily email for the latest royal and entertainment news, interesting opinion, expert advice on styling and beauty trends, and no-nonsense guides to the health and wellness questions you want answered. Pía’s restaurant Kjolle, in the trendy district of Barranco, has an industrial feel and a garden filled with poisonous but mesmerizing angel trumpet flowers.

Kjolle is the name of a shrub with orange flowers that grow at the Peruvian heights and, also, is the name of the restaurant of the Peruvian Pia Leon, considered the best woman chef in the world (according to “the 50 best” magazine in 2018). In Kjolle the diner can find a tasting menu, similar to Central (the restaurant of her husband Vigilio Martinez), but with a horizontal concept, which shows dishes based on Peruvian ingredients grown from east to west (While Central shows a vertical concept, with dishes and ingredients cultivated from 20 meters below sea level, up to 4100 meters above sea level). Talking about the best woman chef around the world is talk about a story of success and struggle.

Our listing of the Best Restaurants in Barranco Lima cannot start otherwise without first mentioning Kjolle. A restaurant that provides the off-label dining experience is considered one of the Best Restaurants in Barranco Lima for Andean cuisine options. Chef Pia Leon has shown through Kjolle the great diversity of ingredients that can be found in Peru creating beautiful and creative dishes at the same time, has a tasting menu that becomes a journey through the Andes containing only seasonal ingredients allowing diners to taste a traditionalist culinary heritage, also provides a great pairing experience to accompany the dining experience.

Situated above her more famous husband Virgilio Martínez’s restaurant Central, Chef Pia León’s equally exceptional Kjolle (pronounced ‘koy-ay’) restaurant similarly uses scientific research, knowledge and methods to explore the ingredients from its magical South American surroundings. Kjolle brings light to established and unconventional ingredients executing some of the most beautiful dishes you can find in Peru. If you are interested in tantalizing your tastebuds you can have a taste of León’s magic between 12:00 and 14:00 for a lunch service or between 20:00 and 22:00 for the evening’s dinner service.

Compartiendo espacio con el restaurante Central, Kjolle ofrece otra de las experiencias gastronómicas imperdibles en Perú, convirtiéndose también en uno de los restaurantes que vale la pena conocer en Lima. Su cocina corre a cargo de la chef Pía León, quien rinde tributo al producto peruano en los sistemas altoandinos, esto en una experiencia de diversidad natural, cultural y gastronómica. Su espacio tiene un concepto arquitectónico de balance perfecto entre arquitectura y paisajismo, abundante en vegetación natural y con una decoración de elementos orgánicos.

Kjolle is the more relaxed (but no less impressive) sibling to Central, run by Pía León—one of Latin America’s most celebrated chefs in her own right. Located in the same sleek complex in Barranco, Kjolle offers a colorful, ingredient-driven tasting menu that’s a little more approachable and a touch more playful than Central, while still showcasing Peru’s biodiversity. Here, the focus is on seasonal produce and native ingredients from across the country—think cushuro (a high-altitude algae), cacao, tubers, and coastal seafood—presented in bold, vibrant plates.

This year, however, the 50 Best list includes four restaurants from Peru alone — Martínez’s Central; Mitsuharu “Micha” Tsumura‘s luxury Nikkei restaurant Maido, ranked No. 6; Kjolle, at No. 28 and run by Martínez’s wife, Pia Léon, who in 2021 was named Best Female Chef; and Jaime Pesaque‘s Mayta at No. 47. There were also two restaurants on the list based in Mexico — Jorge Vallejo‘s Quintonil at No. 9 and Enrique Olvera‘s Pujol at No. 13 — plus one from Brazil, wife-and-husband co-chef team Janaína and Jefferson Rueda‘s A Casa do Porco at No. 12.

It was only a matter of time before Pia León's exceptional culinary prowess earned her restaurant, Kjolle, a well-deserved spot among the prestigious top 50 restaurants in the world in 2023. Pia León first made waves in the culinary world by working alongside Virgilio Martinez at Central, and their joint efforts paved the way for Central's rise to international acclaim. After realizing this shared dream, Pia embarked on her own venture by opening Kjolle—a more approachable and flexible gastronomic experience, all within the same establishment.

El nuevo restaurante Central parte de la búsqueda por entender el paisaje que habitamos, para así relacionarnos con la diversidad de nuestros ecosistemas y sus interacciones. El Perú es un país megadiverso dónde se puede encontrar más del 70 % de la biodiversidad del planeta, desde el mar frío y el desierto costero, hasta el bosque tropical amazónico o el Ande. A través de la comprensión de las condiciones físicas y materiales particulares de este paisaje heterogéneo, podemos recuperar y recrear el imaginario biodiverso de nuestro territorio.

Kjolle is an esteemed restaurant located in Lima, Peru, renowned for its innovative and contemporary approach to Peruvian cuisine. It is the sister restaurant to Central, both of which are owned and operated by Chef Pía León, who is recognized as one of the leading figures in the Peruvian culinary scene. Kjolle offers a unique dining experience that celebrates the diverse flavors, ingredients, and culinary traditions of Peru, showcasing Chef Pía León’s creative interpretation of local cuisine.

Upstairs from Central is Kjolle, helmed by Martínez's wife Pía León, and recently judged the world's 28th best restaurant. Ingredients like sea bass and river shrimp from Peru's four regions – Sea, Coast, Andes and Amazon – are highlighted on innovative menus including flavours often unknown even to Peruvian diners. Indigenous Andean and Amazonian produce such as cocona, huamatanga and sachatomate all feature on seasonal menus incorporating unique tastes often both familiar and confounding.

Lima’s fine dining restaurants are consistently ranked among the best in the world. Central, ranked # 1 on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list in 2023 and now belongs on the list of "The best of the Best", offers an immersive experience that explores Peru’s ecosystems through Chef Virgilio Martínez's unique “vertical ecology” concept. Maido is a world leader in Nikkei cuisine, blending Japanese techniques with Peruvian ingredients under the creative direction of Chef Mitsuharu Tsumura.

It was easy to get into Kjolle, and after eating there, it won’t be long before this restaurant will make the World’s 50 Best Restaurant list in its own right, in my opinion. But that is a separate review. By sheer luck, I managed to get a booking at Central the day before eating there, when I arrived for the lunch at Kjolle, asking Chloe whether there would be a space for one for the following day, my last day in Lima, by any chance, and I was shocked and delighted when she said yes!

Matías Cillóniz, a member of the original kitchen at Central, now runs Mó Bistró, whilst former head chef Pía León opened the doors of the hotly anticipated Kjolle 2018. These restaurants are bastions of a new era that has traded white table cloths and private guest lists for a more casual setting and a primary focus on sustainability. They are a symbol of the forward thinking and fascinating unpredictability that has made Lima the culinary giant that it is today.

While Pia León was named recently named Latin America’s best female chef, she might just be the best chef in the region, period. With Kjolle, she steps out of the shadows of Central, where she has been the executive chef for years, and ventures into her own, airy space without the limitations of a strict ecosystem-based menu. The result is a spectacular exploration of Peruvian flavors that feels completely unique yet complementary to Central downstairs.

The Kjolle is a tree that only grows at extreme altitudes with limited oxygen available and high solar radiation. The Kjolle tree has an orange flower, that has been historically used within Peruvian culture to dye textiles and make infusions. Owned by Pia León, Latin America’s top female chef who worked for over a decade at Central alongside her husband Virgilio Martínez, Kjolle restaurant has lit up the Barranco district of Lima as her debut project.

Not to be outdone by the success of its aforementioned neighbour, Kjolle, the brainchild of Chef Pía León, aimed to further express the vibrance of Peru. After working in an award-winning kitchen with her husband at Central, Chef León spearheaded her own operation and earned the distinction as one of – if not THE – best female chef on the planet. The eclectic mix of Peruvian classics with aesthetically pleasing course design adds to its allure.

Another of Barranco’s finest restaurants, the highly rated Kjolle takes its name from the kjolle flower that grows in the high altitude of the Andes. Having been founded by Pia Leon (the wife of Virgilio Martínez Véliz), it’s the sibling restaurant to Central, but is a slightly more relaxed affair. There’s an exceptional menu of colorful dishes to try out here; Leon herself has won the accolade of being the best female chef in Latin America.

Kjolle, a sister restaurant to the acclaimed Central, offers a more casual dining experience while still ranking among the best restaurants in Barranco for Andean cuisine. Led by chef Pía León, Kjolle showcases the diversity of Peru’s indigenous ingredients through creative and beautifully presented dishes. The tasting menu is a journey through the Andes, featuring seasonal ingredients that tell the story of Peru’s rich culinary heritage.

En el puesto ocho de los ‘50 Bes Latam’, Kjolle recibe el nombre de un árbol que crece en alturas extremas y así es la cocina de Pía León, en donde priman los colores de los ingredientes con origen definidos por Mater Iniciativa. Además, se caracteriza por la fusión de productos, por ejemplo los de mar se encuentran con otros de valles, lagos de altura, montañas y bosques amazónicos. Los precios van desde los 46 soles hasta los 92 soles.

A rising star in Lima's culinary scene, Kjolle is renowned for its innovative and contemporary approach to Peruvian cuisine. Led by acclaimed Chef Pía León, co-owner of Central Restaurant, Kjolle provides a unique dining experience that celebrates Peru's diverse ingredients and rich culinary traditions. The restaurant's name, inspired by an Andean tree, signifies its dedication to sourcing local and sustainable ingredients.

Winning 6 th place in the World’s 50 Best in 2019, Central is a dining experience you absolutely must take if you wish to taste incredible plates made out of unique ingredients within Peru. The chef, Virgilio Martínez, received the 2017 Chef’s Choice award and is also known for the Michelin starred restaurant LIMA in London. His wife, Pía León, also won the elite Vodka award of Latin America’s Best Female Chef in 2019.

Upstairs from world-famous Central, co-chef Pia León has opened her own dining spot. Kjolle is more relaxed than its sister restaurant, but it still delivers a fine-dining experience, pairing Peruvian ingredients with modern techniques. Waiters serve dishes while showcasing their raw ingredients at its tables, such as black mashwa (Andean tuber) and other local gems from the coast, Amazon and Andes.

Whether you order à la carte or go for the 8-course menu, the food served at Kjolle – the Quechua name given to a high-altitude Andean tree – reflects Pía León’s indisputable talent as head chef of this outstanding restaurant. Their location in Barranco, right beside the famed Central, is not a coincidence. Pía is the co-owner of both places along with her spouse and associate, Virgilio Martínez.

Pía León, one of Peru’s most prominent chefs, decided to carve her culinary path with Kjolle, a restaurant that celebrates the diversity of ingredients from the Peruvian pantry. In 2023, Kjolle was recognized with the 7th spot on Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants list and the 28th on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Additionally, the Somos Awards awarded Pía León Best Chef of the Year.

Between Friday night and Monday noon, I was going to visit: Kjolle, number 28 on the list; Maido, number 6; Mayta, number 27; Cosme, number 69 (in the Latin America's version) and Alado, not yet in the list but most probably, soon to be. I was going to spend more time sitting at a restaurant than doing anything else, but isn't this the dream of any food journalist and sommelier like me?

On the top floor of Central, Kjolle is the passion project of Pía León (wife and business partner of Virgilio Martínez) and it shares the same excellent sommelier team with over 650 wine labels in their books. Let sommelier Diego Vásquez Luque take you through his Latin American wine pairing, with many labels which were exclusively developed with local Peruvian producers for Kjolle.

Named after an orange-flowering tree from the Peruvian Andes, Kjolle reflects chef Pía León’s ever-evolving culinary style. León previously worked in Astrid & Gastón and abroad at the Ritz Carlton in New York City. She began working at Central at age 21, contributing to its ascent to the #1 restaurant in Latin America in 2014 (displacing her former employer, Gastón Acurio).

Unique restaurant in Lima, Peru, led by talented chef Pía León, recognized for her innovative approach to Peruvian cuisine. Kjolle offers an exciting dining experience that fuses local ingredients with creative culinary techniques. With a menu that changes regularly to highlight seasonal produce, each visit promises to be a unique and unforgettable culinary adventure.

Kjolle is another impressive experimental restaurant, which is located next to Central in Barranco. The owner, Pía León, was ranked as the best female chef in 2021, and it really does show in her impressive cooking and presentation skills here!. The restaurant features an open-plan dining room where you can watch Pía and her team prepare your food from your table.

I adore slick restaurants, and they don’t come much slicker than Kjolle, headed up by chef Pía León, who, at 31, was named Latin America’s best female chef. The place has an industrial feel, the service is extremely attentive, and the staff really know what they’re talking about. I had the nine-course tasting menu with wine pairing; it was a lot to take in.

Pía León’s cuisine is imbued with color, reflecting the kaleidoscopic nature of the indigenous ingredients she culls from Peru’s diverse regions; from the Pacific Ocean and the Amazonian forests, to the mountains, valleys and lakes of the Andes. Pía and her team propose a culinary experience as multifaceted as the nature and culture of this country.

One last piece of advice: Central and Kjolle - and for that matter their restaurant MIL outside of Cuzco - are pretty similar in approach. Despite all three having significant plaudits, going to more than one is a bit redundant. If you can only pick one, I'd say Central is probably the best, but MIL's full day trip experience is also pretty cool.

El restaurante peruano Kjolle, liderado por la chef Pía León, alcanzó el cuarto lugar en la edición 2024 de los Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants. Reconocido por su enfoque único que resalta la biodiversidad peruana a través de platos vibrantes e innovadores, continúa consolidándose como uno de los referentes de la gastronomía de la región.

The Peruvian capital is now home to four entries in the 2025 list: besides Maido (No.1) and Central, Kjolle — also helmed by León — came in at ninth, while Mérito and Mayta ranked 26th and 39th respectively. Such concentration of top-tier restaurants in one city is rare and underscores Lima’s transformation into a global fine dining capital.

Virgilio is a true genius and his tasting menus at Central (11 or 14 ecosystems) are not only a great expression of his creativity and the ongoing research at MATER, but they are also the perfect way to understand Peru through its incredible biodiversity. Central even ranked #2 on the planet in the World's 50 Best Restaurants list.

While Kjolle stands on its own two feet and is not simply a “backup plan,” some visitors are unaware that the restaurant shares the same concept (and building) as Central. Pia Leon runs Kjolle and was named the World’s Best Female Chef in 2021. Leon also still runs the kitchen at Central alongside her husband, Virgilio Martinez.

Before opening her latest venture, León channeled her culinary talents into Central, named one of the best restaurants in the world, so you know that when you sit down to dine at Kjolle you’re in for a treat. It’s one of the most delicious restaurants in Lima, and offers creative dishes focused on local Peruvian ingredients.

Kjolle, the solo venture from Pía León, might be located in the same building as Central, but it has a personality all its own. The style is a bit lighter and more delicate, more feminine, named for a yellow/orange flower that is used for making natural dyes. They use this flower in the food and drinks at the restaurant.

A new kid on the block, situated beside the famous Central, Kjolle serves unfussy, exquisite food among a very chic and minimalist decor. Here, you will find yourself rubbing shoulders with Lima’s hippest crowds. Chef, Pía Leon, takes inspiration and uses ingredients from Peru’s mountains, ocean and the Andean valleys.

An example of this is the coffee they serve at Central and Kjolle. Outside of Cusco, there is no place where you can taste the delights of Three Monkeys Coffee. An innovative and boundary-pushing coffee collective, it is growing and working with coffee farmers, improving quality and putting Peruvian coffee on the map.

Heading away from the plaza down Pedro de Osma towards the electric museum (with its antique street car for photo ops), the houses become mini-mansions. Famous artists and chefs showcase their talent in these renovated mansions. This is where you will find one of the most famous restaurants in the world, Central.

Kjolle is tucked away in Lima’s Barranco district and led by chef Pía León. The restaurant focuses on Peru’s diverse landscapes by using locally sourced ingredients, showcasing the country’s natural variety. Its regularly changing menu makes each visit feel fresh while reflecting a careful approach to flavor.

We also love Isolina (mentioned above), which serves traditional Peruvian food and so many star dishes that it’s hard to pick a favorite. The seco, cebiche, and lomo saltado are all hits. In Barranco, you can find creative cuisine like Mérito and Sibaris, as well as fusion offerings like Casona San Martín.

Pia León, wife of Central's Virgilio Martínez, runs Kjolle, which offers a unique take on Peruvian cuisine. While Central focuses on biodiversity at different altitudes, Kjolle emphasizes the variety of native Peruvian ingredients. The colorful dishes are as visually appealing as they are tasty.

Restaurant Kjolle, named after the high-altitude plant, Buddleja coriacea, with its bright orange flower. Head chef Pía León has made her mark, with Kjolle now ranked among the top 50 best restaurants in the world. It’s also in the upmarket Barranco district of Lima.

The new haute cuisine spot in Lima which, according to us and many others, will soon surpass Maido and Central (yep!). The chef, Pía León, is in fact the wife of Virgilio Martínez, chef of Central. The two restaurants are next to each other, in the same building.

En el ránking ‘Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants’, hay 7 nuevos restaurantes: Kjolle, en Lima; De Patio, en Santiago de Chile; Mil, en Cusco (también de Virgilio Martínez y Pía León); La Docena, en Ciudad de México; Manu, en Curitiba; y Mayta, en Lima.

Kjolle, led by Pía León, rose to 16th place, showcasing its growing popularity and culinary excellence. Mayta, under the direction of Chef Jaime Pesaque, achieved a remarkable position at 41st, reaffirming Peru’s presence in the global culinary elite.

Pedro de Osma 301, Barranco, Lima, +51 1 242-8575, www.kjolle.com. Kjolle is my secret recommendation for Lima. It is only half price compared to “Maido” or “Central” and scores highest points for food ingredients and quality, innovation and service.

Kjolle, pronounced KO-yay, is a new culinary highlight in Lima. It is an independent project led by acclaimed chef and co-owner of Central, Pia Leon. Since its debut in 2018, Kjolle has received acclaim from both local and international consumers.

Featuring a large garden, an investigation centre, as well as León’s solo restaurant, Kjolle (No.16 in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024) and the couple’s family home, it is a haven of delicious flavours and thoughtful hospitality.

Seafood at La Mar is unforgettable, but Kjolle offers something fresh and intriguing. Chef Pia León creates seasonal menus that highlight local Peruvian ingredients. Each dish looks like art on a plate, thanks to her careful touch.

Kjolle focuses on the natural flavours of Peru’s ingredients (Shutterstock). You may recognise the name behind this restaurant. Pía León – the head chef at Central – returns to the list with her solo enterprise, Kjolle.

In total, South America now counts with nine restaurants, two of them new: Kjolle, #28 in Lima, which is the solo venture of Chef Pía Léon, and El Chato, #33 in Bogotá, Colombia, in the prestigious competition.

At The World’s 50 Best Restaurant 2023 awards ceremony, held last night in Valencia, Spain, the Lima-based restaurant Central took first place. Four French restaurants feature in the ranking.

Barranco is home to some of the most acclaimed restaurants in Latin America including Isolina, the new incarnation of well-known Central, and Kjolle, from Central co-founder chef Pia Leon.

Other Peruvian eateries include Oso (9th), Astrid y Gaston (13th), Isolina (12th), Rafael (19th), Kjolle (21st), La Mar (26th), Mil (36th), Mayta (49th), and Malabar (48th).

After making her mark alongside her husband at their restaurant Central, León branched out on her own with Kjolle, which features ingredients from all over Peru.

This year, it’s joined by three neighbors in Lima: #6 Maido, #28 Kjolle (Pía’s solo venture which shares building space with Central), and #47 Mayta.

When she’s not behind the pans at acclaimed restaurant Kjolle, you’ll find top chef Pía León at these city hotspots.