Anticuchos

Beef heart is marinated in ají panca, vinegar and cumin, then skewered and grilled over charcoal until charred and tender. A Lima street-food classic with pre-Columbian and African roots.

Anticuchos trace their roots to pre-Columbian Andean cooking, where indigenous peoples skewered and grilled meat over open flames. The modern version, using beef heart marinated in ají panca, vinegar, and cumin, emerged in colonial Peru, shaped by African slaves who adapted offal cuts into a flavorful street food.

Today they are a quintessential Lima street-food staple, often sold from carts with boiled potatoes and choclo (Andean corn). While beef heart is classic, variations exist across Peru, using chicken or other meats, but the dish remains a symbol of Peruvian fusion—blending indigenous, Spanish, and African culinary traditions.