Lady Bee, Lima, Peru
#52 on the World’s Best Bars list in 2023 and winner of the Campari “ one to watch “ award.
Through their attractive seasonal cocktail and food menus, Lady Bee proudly showcases what Peru has to offer, sourcing ingredients such as cacao, tubers, trout caviar and coffee from small producers. Gabriela Leon and Alonso Palomino opened the place with sustainability in mind, so in addition to working with regional farmers and fishers to source fresh local seafood and produce, oftentimes kitchen ingredients are repurposed for the bar, and vice versa, to keep waste to a minimum.
Instagram @ladybee.lima
“Our purpose is to show the wealth of Peru in a seasonal manner . We work closely with farmers, communities, artists, specialists in marine biology and conservation, cocoa and chocolate producers and coffee growers, while nourishing ourselves with their knowledge and experiences”
Drinks from the current menu take inspiration from classic cocktails, boosted with Peruvian flavours to create signature concoctions.
The mid-sized drinks list kicks off with the two cocktails that inspired the bar’s name, then divides up into eight sections: Diversity, Sea, Local Market, Orchard and Harvesting, Tubers, Fruits and Heliconias from the Amazon, Pisco and Peruvian Distillates, and Specialty Coffee and Chocolate.
A key part of Lady Bee’s philosophy is developing ties with farmers, producers and scientists to create a virtuous and traceable circle behind the bar and in the kitchen, putting names and faces to these people then sharing their stories and ingredients with guests.