Peruvian cooking in Chicago offers more than a single way to order ceviche. Cabra places Stephanie Izard’s Peruvian-inspired shared plates on a West Loop rooftop. Kayao in Old Town gives ceviche, wok cooking and seafood broths a conversation among Peruvian, Japanese and Chinese references. Both suit a dinner with several dishes at the center, but the route differs: a flexible sequence organized by the table at Cabra, or individual dishes and themed whole-table experiences at Kayao. The first useful decision is what kind of progression the diners want.
Cabra’s setting at The Hoxton contributes city views and a rooftop frame to the occasion. The menu provides the culinary reason to stay at the table. Bass ceviche combines sweet potato, leche de tigre and crisp cancha; a shrimp version introduces ají panca and avocado. Mushroom ceviche uses smoked dashi, while crab causa brings whipped potato, huacatay and tempura pieces together. The preparations turn acidity, potatoes, vegetables and seafood into a set of contrasts that can develop across a shared meal.
A goat empanada or chicken-thigh skewer brings something warmer beside those plates. Larger choices include pollo a la brasa with ají verde, or steak and salmon saltado with crisp tater tots, peppers, tomatoes and onions. The forms refer to Peru, while the compositions belong to Izard’s kitchen. A couple can build dinner around one fresh preparation and one larger dish; a group has room to compare more without repeating ceviche in every course. Picarones extend the references into dessert.
Kayao offers a different way to explore the same breadth. Classic ceviche combines the day’s fish, sweet potato and Peruvian corn; a Nikkei version uses yellowfin tuna, passion-fruit leche de tigre and edamame. Lomo saltado gives wok cooking a familiar main, while chaufa brings mushrooms and vegetables into Chinese-Peruvian fried rice. Parihuela Nikkei combines seafood with miso and ají panca in a broth. The names become easier to understand when the diner can connect each one with a technique or ingredient.
Its published Peruvian Roots, Nikkei and Chifa experiences offer separate whole-table progressions, with beverage pairings optional. That format suits people willing to choose a common direction; à la carte preserves more individual freedom. The Old Town restaurant also gives vegetables a role through grilled mushrooms with anticuchera marinade and sunflower hummus. The selection is broad enough for a dinner to move between raw seafood, grilled food and a substantial cooked main, rather than rely on one celebrated dish.
Cabra is a useful choice for a rooftop occasion whose shared order can develop freely. Kayao suits a planned exploration of Peruvian cooking and its Japanese and Chinese references, with a choice between individual plates and a themed sequence. Neither needs to be described as the only authentic route through Peru. Their differences are the point: distinct Chicago kitchens using ceviche, potatoes, corn, sauces and cooking methods to give a dinner its own structure and sense of place.
Explore the profiles: Cabra · Kayao Restaurant
Recommended restaurants
The profiles below explain each restaurant’s cooking and give practical details for planning a visit.
Stephanie Izard’s Peruvian-inspired rooftop restaurant pairs shareable ceviches, causa, grilled dishes and Chicago views.
Peruvian-inspired shared plates, ceviches, crab causa, pollo a la brasa and saltado.
Kayao combines Peruvian, Japanese and Chinese influences in Old Town through ceviches, wok dishes and whole-table culinary experiences.
Peruvian Nikkei and Chifa cooking, yellowfin tuna ceviche, lomo saltado, chaufa and seafood broth.
Sources & references
Sources for the information and reporting discussed in this guide.
- Cabra Chicago: restaurant, services and contact ↗ Primary source www.cabrachicago.com · Accessed September 28, 2026
- Cabra Chicago: team and approach ↗ Primary source www.cabrachicago.com · Accessed September 28, 2026
- Cabra Chicago: dinner menu embedded on its website ↗ Primary source www.cabrachicago.com · Accessed September 28, 2026
- Cabra: Google Maps listing ↗ Primary source www.google.com · Accessed September 28, 2026
- Kayao: restaurant, contact and services ↗ Primary source kayaorestaurant.com · Accessed September 28, 2026
- Kayao: approach and culinary influences ↗ Primary source kayaorestaurant.com · Accessed September 28, 2026
- Kayao: current menus and culinary experiences ↗ Primary source kayaorestaurant.com · Accessed September 28, 2026
- Kayao: current starters menu ↗ Primary source kayaorestaurant.com · Accessed September 28, 2026
- Kayao: current main courses menu ↗ Primary source kayaorestaurant.com · Accessed September 28, 2026
- Kayao: whole-table menus and service conditions ↗ Primary source kayaorestaurant.com · Accessed September 28, 2026
- Kayao Restaurant: Google Maps listing ↗ Primary source www.google.com · Accessed September 28, 2026