To say Lima, Peru inspired Yuyo is to say that water is wet, or that you can see Lima from the South Pacific. For Maribel Rivero, her time there inspired and informed every aspect of the restaurant she shares with her brother and restaurateur Carlos, of El Chile Group. Maribel spent years immersed in Limeño cuisine, working under such renowned chefs as Pedro Miguel Schiaffino and Virgilio Martinez. She also spent time with Peruvian friends in home kitchens, learning family techniques and secrets. Then it was time to come home.

“When my brother presented the opportunity to bring a piece of Lima back to Austin by opening a Peruvian restaurant,” says Maribel. The decision came after Carlos visited Lima for their two-week-long food festival Mistura. “My whole world was presented on a platter filled with so much joy and good times,” says Maribel. Next, they needed to carve out a market in Austin.

The opportunity and challenge of introducing Peruvian to Austin was the contrast of similarities and differences. Austin’s established market for Mexican food made Peruvian relatable, but certainly Yuyo was something to be touted as very new. Beyond this, there was an educational component involved in the Yuyo concept. “We were introducing and contemporary take on what most people expected to be a traditional take on new cuisine,” say Maribel. It was an A to C approach, transequatorial even, but ultimately what mattered is if the guests connected with the food. That was not a problem.

Yuyo opened on Manor road, formerly home to El Sapo. There, thoughtful and beautifully composed contemporary Peruvian dishes have been a hit in a busy area. The competition is stiff on Manor, which with such places as Dai Due, Unit D Pizza, and Patrizi’s has become a bit of a culinary corridor in Austin. Yuyo has staked its claim in East Austin all the way from the West coast of South America. And now you can take a trip to both at the same time.