Barranco’s Peruvian Flavors Are Now Livening Up Lafayette

Fans of Peruvian food’s increased presence in the Bay Area can thank Carlos Altamirano, a chef and restaurateur whose seventh restaurant serving the cuisine, Barranco, is now open in Lafayette. Also behind Mochica in Potrero Hill, and Parada in Walnut Creek, Altamirano’s newest eatery is focused on seafood (and named after a coastal area in Lima), including plenty of cebiche.

Traditional dishes like empanadas and lomo saltado are also on the menu, alongside Barranco’s mac n cheese, and pork spareribs with Gochuang‐Inca Kola barbecue sauce and cole slaw. Many of the dishes are favorites from Altamirano’s other restaurants, which also include Piqueos in Bernal Heights, La Costanera in Half Moon Bay, and the Emeryville counter-service eatery Paradita.

Bright colors, patterned tile, and depictions of the mountains of Peru give the 3,000-square-foot space a lively vibe. Designed by Crome Architecture, there’s also a roomy patio that will be popular amongst the neighborhood dwellers who enjoy warmer weather than San Francisco neighbors. Art from Bay Area artists Letty Samonte and Bridget Moser adorn the walls.

Barranco (3596 Mt. Diablo Boulevard, Lafayette) is now open Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Lunch service begins October 1 and will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Barranco’s Menu of Peruvian Seafood Brings Lima to the East Bay [ESF]