At Eli’s Peruvian Kitchen, chef and owner Elizabeth Mostacero isn’t just going to feed you. She’s going to teach you about her homeland of Peru. The first lesson? Peru is more than Machu Picchu.
“When you come here, my goal is not only [for you] to try our food,” says Mostacero. “It’s also to learn a little bit of our tradition… Machu Picchu is one of the wonders we were blessed with. But there’s a culture, the people, the food.”
Thirty five years ago, encouraged by her in-laws, who had already settled in Southern California, Mostacero left Peru and came to the United States with her husband to build a better life for their family. “I love my country, but there are no opportunities,” she explains. “But [in the U.S.], you can reach your goals if you work. You can reach your dreams. That is not impossible in this country.”
She worked as an operations manager for many years before the company moved to Mexico, giving her an opportunity to change her life’s trajectory. Her family often drove to Los Angeles to get their Peruvian food fix, but she regularly cooked at home and knew she could transfer her skills into a business. In 2016, she launched a catering business and began looking for a commercial kitchen.
Mostacero found one in the Colina Del Sol neighborhood in City Heights, complete with a small restaurant space in the front. Her operating permit allowed her to do catering and a full-service restaurant, something she hadn’t really thought about but was open to. “I was like, ‘I don’t think it’s going to be too different from catering,’” she laughs. “I was very wrong!” Eli’s Peruvian Kitchen opened in July 2017 at 4979 El Cajon Boulevard.
After (unexpectedly) opening her very first restaurant, Eli’s Peruvian Kitchen became a community gathering place for Peruvians and families in the Latin American diaspora. Most of her customers are regulars, locals who found her through word-of-mouth, and plenty of out-of-towners who come from all over San Diego, Orange County, Riverside, L.A., and beyond.
During our conversation, her daughter Mariel said they recently had customers from Colorado and Nevada who specifically traveled for her mother’s cooking. “There’s not a lot of Peruvian restaurants, and there’s even less that have the down-to-earth food that your grandma was gonna give you,” she laughs. “We are the authentic place.”
Mostacero avoids Peruvian fusion cuisine, focusing on more traditional flavors and ingredients for dishes like lomo saltado, ceviche, and pollo estilo a la brasa. “If you go to Peru, you can find many restaurants with that kind of food,” she explains. “That’s what I try to do. It’s just the most traditional; the most authentic Peruvian dishes are on my menu.”
Eli’s hours are limited—only Thursdays through Fridays from noon to 4 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from noon until 5 p.m. Her short-term goal is to extend her hours, but she’d also like to eventually find a bigger space with a larger kitchen so she could expand her menu. Peruvian food isn’t as well-known as other cuisines like Mexican, Italian, or French, but Mostacero says it’s one of the most versatile and best food cultures in Latin America.
Like everyone in the hospitality industry, the pandemic nearly crushed her business, but she’s proud to be here still. “I’m still here,” she promises. “If I can do this with small hours—I’m open only four days a week—believe me, I can do a lot.”
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Cocktails for a Cause to Raise Money for Pediatric Cancer on September 5
September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and with it comes many opportunities to impact a child’s life. On Thursday, September 5, at Pacific Coast Spirits, the nonprofit KICKcancER is hosting “Cocktails for a Cause” from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. to help raise money for youth athletes battling cancer. Their Athlete Program offers scholarships for kids to keep moving and participating in their sport(s) of choice, from skating to soccer and more. Can’t make it in person? Check out their online auction for more ways to contribute.
Next, You Can Support Hospitality Workers on September 9
More philanthropic opportunities await, the next being Big Table’s “Eats Around the World” fundraiser on Monday, September 9, at the Catamaran Resort Hotel. Big Table helps hospitality workers who are facing food insecurity, lack of housing, addiction, and mental health issues to find the support they need through healthcare, mentoring, and financial assistance. Italy and Morocco inspire the evening’s cuisine, and guests will also have the chance for raffle prizes, auction items, and more. Find out more about Big Table’s efforts here.
Beth’s Bites
- Can it be so? Is Wooltari opening a San Diego location on Clairemont Mesa Blvd? The Korean snack food fiend in me prays yes. Goggle at their array of drinks, snacks, and other goodies on their USA Instagram page.
- First there was Blanco Cocina + Cantina, and soon there will be the next Culinary Dropout. According to the sign outside 12875 El Camino Real, the next Fox Restaurant Concepts restaurant is coming to Del Mar Highlands Town Center sometime… soon. The closest ones are in Arizona, so this is shaping up to be the first California location for the concept.
- I just joined my first cider club, but might need to expand my horizons with a local wine club. The latest to hit the San Diego wine scene is Vino Disco Wine Club, launched by Erin Callahan in 2024. The curated selections come delivered each month with tasting notes and a playlist to groove with your grapes.
Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].
