South Beach's Best Peruvian Food is Hidden on Alton Road
Break out of your lomo saltado rut
There’s an old joke that says every gringo who’s ever walked into a Peruvian restaurant spends 20 minutes looking at the menu and then orders the lomo saltado. And as a card-carrying gringo, I can’t say that’s inaccurate. But in South Beach, there’s a hidden little neighborhood restaurant that’s encouraging everyone to branch out, even if it means doing things a little differently.
It’s called 5 Esquians, and it’s hiding in the corner of that shopping center on Alton Road with Apple a Day Market. I was turned on to it by some Peruvian South Beach locals, who said it was low key some of the best Peruvian food in Miami. It specializes in sandwiches, a rarity in Peruvian places here but apparently commonplace back home. And after trying it, I’ve got a new go-to for laid-back Peruvian food.
Wait, Peru makes sandwiches? Why have I never seen this?
I’m not sure, but sandwiches are actually a big part of Peruvian cuisine inside the country. Somehow, they haven’t made it here en masse but the four-sandwich menu at 5 Esquinas is what makes this place stand out. It’s ideal for a little lunchtime change of pace, or to finally break out of your ceviche-and-lomo-saltado Peruvian rut.
The scene: Is a beautiful blend of South Beach color and neighborhood coziness. The newly-redone dining room is awash in teal, purple, and neon, a sort of ‘90s-era color scheme that, at the very least, gives you a nice sense of place. Inside, the general manager works the tables along with a small staff, where in-the-know locals from West Ave. highrises snack on what they’ll all tell you is the best ceviche in the Beach. You’ll also see a smattering of Spanish-speaking tourists strolling in too, always a good sign in a South American restaurant.
What to eat and drink: If you want a sense of what 5 Esquinas does well, go for the 5 Esquinas Platter. For about $38 you get a ceviche, a causa, fried fish, and fried yucca. Two people can easily split it as an appetizer. The sandwiches are a must, and while the American in you is undoubtedly titillated that you can essentially get a lomo saltado hamburger with the Pan con Lomo al Jugo, opt instead for the Pan con Chicharron. It’s a man-sized pork belly and fried sweet potato with rocoto aioli on French Bread, served with big steak fries.
The tacu tacu is similarly spectacular, a little rectangle of fried rice and beans that makes for the ideal side. The Papa a la Huancaina showcases that other Peruvian specialty – potatoes – better than any dish on the menu, surrounding it with a pepper cream sauce.
Pro tip: Swap out the ceviche classico for the ceviche mixto on the platter. It’s the cleanest, crispest ceviche I’ve had outside Peru.
Perfect for: Relatively affordable lunch or dinner away from the madness in South Beach.
Expect to pay: Around $50 per person.
How’s the parking: The little shopping center 5 Esquinas sits inside has a few spots if you’re lucky enough to get one. Otherwise, you’re at the mercy of the South Beach street parking gods.
@5eqsuinasmiami // 1536 Alton Road, South Beach