Martin Morales did something weird in 2016. He didn't just open another flashy Soho spot; he built a "picanteria." If you’ve ever wandered through the backstreets of Cusco or Arequipa, you know exactly what that means. It’s not about white tablecloths or stiff service. It’s about a grandmother's kitchen. Specifically, Casita Andina restaurant London was inspired by Morales’ own grandmother, Mamita Naty.
It feels different.
The air in that tiny Great Windmill Street townhouse—before its transition and the shifts in the Ceviche family brand—always smelled like toasted corn and citrus. It wasn't just another place to grab a Pisco Sour. It was a 58-seat sanctuary of high-altitude cooking. Most people think Peruvian food begins and ends with raw fish cured in lime. They're wrong. While the coast has the ceviche, the Andes has the soul. Casita Andina was the first major London player to shout that from the rooftops.
The Picanteria Philosophy You Probably Missed
Traditional picanterias are the heartbeat of the Peruvian highlands. Historically, these were spaces run by women (picanteras) where the neighborhood gathered to eat spicy, hearty stews and drink chicha de jora. When you stepped into Casita Andina, you weren't entering a corporate chain. You were walking into a curated, colorful recreation of a home.
The design wasn't accidental. It used textiles from the Peruvian Andes and art from local craftsmen. It was cramped. It was loud. It was vibrant.
Honestly, that’s why it worked. In a city like London, where everything can feel a bit polished and cold, Casita Andina offered a sort of frantic, warm embrace. It focused on the sierra. This meant ingredients like quinoa, maca, and amaranth weren't just "superfood" buzzwords on a menu; they were the literal foundation of the plates. They used sustainable British produce but kept the Peruvian heart beating through imported chillies like rocoto and amarillo.
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What the Critics Actually Said (And Why It Mattered)
When the doors first swung open, the London food scene was skeptical. Could a restaurant focusing on the "little house in the Andes" survive the cutthroat Soho environment?
Jay Rayner, the legendary critic for The Guardian, noted the "tiny, intense, and very pretty" nature of the place. He pointed out something crucial: the food wasn't just tasty; it was technical. You had dishes like the Salmon Tiradito with beetroot infusion. It wasn't just fish in juice. It was a visual riot.
Then there was the Macu—a dish of panca-marinated chicken. It proved that Peruvian food didn't need to be cold to be world-class. People kept coming back because the menu felt like a secret. You weren't just eating; you were being educated on the biodiversity of the Andes without being preached at. The price point also helped. For a long time, it was one of the more accessible ways to experience high-end Peruvian flavors without the "fine dining" tax you’d find at places like COYA or Lima.
The Secret Sauce: It’s All About the Chillies
If you want to understand why Casita Andina restaurant London left such a mark, you have to talk about the peppers.
- Aji Amarillo: The sunshine pepper. It’s fruity, vibrant, and surprisingly mild. It’s the base for almost everything that tastes "yellow" and happy in Peruvian cuisine.
- Aji Panca: This is the smoky, dark, mysterious sibling. It’s used in marinades for meats like the Anticuchos (skewers).
- Rocoto: Look out. This one looks like a harmless red bell pepper, but it packs a punch that will clear your sinuses in three seconds flat.
At Casita Andina, they didn't mute these flavors for the British palate. They leaned in. The Lomo Saltado, a stir-fry that showcases the Chinese influence on Peru (Chifa), relied on that high-heat wok breath and the sharp kick of fresh chilli. It’s that fusion—African, Spanish, Chinese, and Indigenous—that makes this specific spot so hard to replicate.
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Is the Dream Still Alive?
The London hospitality world is brutal. Since the pandemic and the restructuring of the Ceviche group, the physical landscape of these restaurants has shifted. But the influence of Casita Andina remains a case study in niche marketing.
It taught Londoners that Peru isn't a monolith.
You can’t just lump "Latin American food" into one bucket. The restaurant proved there is a market for hyper-regionality. It showed that people will climb narrow stairs in a Soho townhouse to eat pig's head terrine or octopus with purple potato mash if the story behind it is authentic enough.
Beyond the Plate: Sustainable Sourcing
One thing Martin Morales championed before it was "cool" was the ethical supply chain. He worked with charities like Amantani, which supports children in Ccorca, Peru.
The restaurant wasn't just extracting culture; it was giving back.
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This created a brand loyalty that went beyond the food. When you ate there, you felt like a patron of the arts and a supporter of social justice. That’s a heavy load for a plate of seabass to carry, but somehow, Casita Andina made it feel effortless. They used MSC-certified fish and focused on heritage grains long before your local supermarket started stocking "ancient grains" in the cereal aisle.
What Most People Get Wrong About Peruvian Food
People think it’s all spicy. It’s not.
Actually, much of it is incredibly earthy. Think of the Pachamanca style of cooking—meat and vegetables cooked underground with hot stones. While you can't exactly dig a hole in the floor of a Soho restaurant, Casita Andina used slow-cooking techniques and heavy clay pots to mimic that deep, mineral flavor profile.
Another misconception? That it’s all gluten-heavy or dairy-rich. Because the Andean diet relies so heavily on tubers (Peru has over 3,000 types of potatoes) and corn, a huge portion of the Casita Andina menu was naturally gluten-free. It was an accidental haven for the health-conscious, even though the food felt indulgent and rich.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Visit (or Home Cook)
If you’re looking to capture the magic of the Casita Andina experience, whether you're scouting for similar spots or trying to cook it yourself, here is the real-world breakdown:
- Seek the Smokiness: If a Peruvian restaurant doesn't smell slightly of charred chillies, move on. The "wok hei" of the Lomo Saltado is non-negotiable.
- The Acid Test: A real Peruvian kitchen uses Leche de Tigre (Tiger’s Milk). It should be sharp enough to make your eyes water but balanced enough that you want to drink the leftover liquid from the bowl.
- Don't Fear the Offal: The Andes culture utilizes everything. If you see Anticuchos de Corazon (ox heart skewers) on a menu, order them. They are more tender than any ribeye you've ever had.
- Look for the "Sierra" Labels: When browsing menus in London, look for ingredients like huacatay (black mint). It’s the hallmark of authentic Andean seasoning.
Casita Andina restaurant London wasn't just a place to eat. It was a 1:1 scale model of a culture thousands of miles away. It remains the gold standard for how to bring regional international cuisine to a global city without losing its soul in the process. If you want to understand the future of London dining, look at the places that dared to be this specific. They are the ones that actually leave a legacy.
To truly appreciate this style of cooking, start by sourcing real Aji Amarillo paste from a specialty importer. It is the single most transformative ingredient you can add to your pantry. From there, explore the smaller, independent picanterias popping up in South London and Elephant and Castle, which carry the torch that Morales lit in Soho. Support the spots that refuse to compromise on their heat levels or their heritage. That is how you keep the spirit of the Andes alive in the heart of the city.