Amazon cooking is one of the great discoveries of a trip to Iquitos. Peru is known for ceviche on the coast and potatoes in the Andes, but the jungle has its own cuisine, built on river fish, plantain, cassava, palm hearts, forest fruit and leaf-wrapped dishes cooked over fire. It is hearty, fresh and surprising, and a few days in the city give you the chance to try much of it. Here is a guide to what to eat, drink and look out for.
Dishes to try
Start with juane, a mound of seasoned rice with chicken or fish, wrapped in a bijao leaf and boiled. It is the signature dish of the region and traditionally linked to the San Juan celebrations, but it is served year round. Tacacho is a ball of mashed grilled plantain, usually served with cecina, a dried smoked pork, and sometimes chorizo. Patarashca is fish steamed or grilled in leaves, inchicapi is a rich peanut and chicken soup, and chonta salad uses tender palm heart. Ceviche amazonico uses river fish and local flavors, often with a touch of regional chili.
Fish
The river provides a huge range. Paiche, among the largest freshwater fish in the world, is farmed and sold grilled, fried or in ceviche, with firm, mild white flesh. Gamitana, doncella, boquichico and sabalo appear on menus too, and piranha is eaten, usually fried or in soup. Fish is generally the safest and most rewarding choice in Iquitos, and a good restaurant will tell you what is fresh that day. Ask which species are in season, and enjoy them with plantain and rice.
Fruit and juice
The region's fruit is one of its best-kept secrets. Camu camu is intensely tart and rich in vitamin C, aguaje is a palm fruit made into juice and ice cream, cocona is a sour fruit used in sauces and drinks, ungurahui produces a deep purple oil, and cashew fruit, guava and dozens of others appear in juices at markets and restaurants. Fresh juices are widely available, though if you are cautious about water and ice, ask for juice made with bottled or boiled water, or choose a well-reviewed place.
Drinks
Masato is a traditional fermented cassava drink, often made by hand and served in villages. Cachaza and herbal liquors, sold in bottles with roots and bark and sometimes called siete raices, are popular in bars. Pisco sours and local beers are easy to find, and coffee and chocolate from the Peruvian Amazon are well worth trying. Drink alcohol in moderation in the heat, carry water at all times and avoid mixed drinks of unknown origin in markets.
Where to eat
Markets and small restaurants serve the most authentic food at the lowest prices, and the Belen market and the stalls around the center are full of grills and soup kitchens. Restaurants near the Malecon and the Plaza de Armas offer a wider range, including modern interpretations of Amazon dishes and views of the river. A guided food tour is the easiest way to learn the basics, and it gives you a list of dishes to repeat. Ask your hotel for current favorites.
Food safety
Eat at busy places where food is cooked to order, wash or sanitize your hands, drink bottled or treated water and be careful with raw salads and ice if you have a sensitive stomach. Carry basic stomach remedies and rehydration salts. If you have allergies or dietary restrictions, learn the Spanish words for your needs, since many dishes include pork, fish or fried plantain. Vegetarians can find rice, plantain, beans, cassava and fruit, though menus are meat-heavy.
Etiquette and ethics
Do not buy or eat protected species, such as turtles or certain wild game, which may be sold in markets, and avoid products from endangered animals. Ask before photographing vendors, buy small amounts from many stalls to support local families and be open to trying new things. A smile and a few Spanish words go a long way, and Amazon cooks are usually delighted when visitors are curious about their food.
A one-day eating plan
Begin with a fruit juice and a tacacho with cecina for breakfast, take a market snack mid-morning, enjoy a juane or a grilled fish with rice and plantain for lunch, sip a camu camu drink in the afternoon and finish with paiche or patarashca for dinner on the Malecon. Add a regional dessert, such as ice cream made from aguaje or cocona, and a coffee. It is an easy, delicious way to taste the region in a single day.