Gastronomic Tour of Tacna – Part 1: Best Restaurants and Traditional Dishes
Giacomo Bocchio takes viewers on a gastronomic tour of Tacna, Peru, visiting four standout restaurants and showcasing traditional Tacneño cuisine. The tour begins at Selva Alegre in Pachía, run by Apolinario — a cook who once worked in Giacomo's great-grandmother's restaurant — where they enjoy a full Tacneño spread: picante a la tacneña with mondongo (tripe), marraqueta bread, choclo con queso de Palca, cazuela de ave, cuy chactado, chicharrón mixto, and vino de chacra made from negra criolla grapes. Next stop is La Glorieta, where they taste patasca tacneña, charquicán (a disappearing dish similar to picante but with whole small potatoes and onion), adobo tacneño (distinguished from Cusco/Arequipa versions by its use of vinegar instead of chicha de jora), and more picante a la tacneña. They then visit Tito Trabuco's cevichería, sampling locos (tolina/pie de burro) with homemade mayonnaise, chicharrón de pescado, and a seafood charquicán wrapped in a tamal. The evening ends at Albertina, where Giacomo highlights corvina from Tacna's cold waters — the fattiest and most flavorful in Peru — served with zapallo de carga purée, risotto de zapallo, cordero saltado, and Tacna sour (pisco sour with damasco liqueur). A final stop at Jeff's house features an asado with matambre, vacío, picaña, ojo de bife, entraña, artisanal chorizo, morcilla, and craft beer — all from Tacna.
Ingredients
Steps
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1Visit Selva Alegre in Pachía — order the full Tacneño spread: picante a la tacneña with mondongo, choclo con queso de Palca, cazuela de ave (chicken soup), cuy chactado, chicharrón mixto, and marraqueta bread. Pair everything with vino de chacra from negra criolla grapes.Tip: Tacna is the only city in Peru where the traditional dish is paired with wine — always order vino de chacra with your picante a la tacneña.
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2Head to La Glorieta for patasca tacneña (soup with zapallo de carga and pork), charquicán (a disappearing dish with whole small potatoes, onion, and chalona), picante a la tacneña, and adobo tacneño. Note: Tacneño adobo uses vinegar instead of chicha de jora.Tip: Ask specifically for charquicán — it is a disappearing dish that is similar to picante a la tacneña but with distinctive differences worth tasting.
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3Stop at Tito Trabuco's cevichería for locos (tolina/pie de burro) with homemade mayonnaise, chicharrón de pescado, and a tamal filled with charquicán de mariscos made with locos. The loco is called that because you have to beat it vigorously to tenderize it.Tip: Locos (tolina) are called 'locos' because you have to beat them like crazy to tenderize the meat — the result is a sweet, tender delicacy.
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4End the evening at Albertina — try the corvina with zapallo de carga purée and mantequilla negra, the risotto de zapallo, cordero saltado, and a Tacna sour (pisco sour made with licor de damasco). Tacna's cold waters make its corvina the fattiest and most flavorful in Peru.Tip: Zapallo de carga has flavor notes similar to lúcuma — it is a uniquely Tacneño ingredient that every Peruvian should know.
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5For a final stop, visit an asador like Jeff's place for grilled meats: matambre, vacío, picaña, ojo de bife, entraña, artisanal chorizo, morcilla, and locally brewed craft beer — all products from Tacna.Tip: Jeff's approach is purist — only two side dishes, letting the quality of the meat speak for itself.