Ceviche cured to order, steak seared in the wok, and pork smoked in a Peruvian cilindro. Family owned since 2017, cooking the way it is done in Lima.
Don Cha started with a simple kind of homesickness, the sort only the flavours of home can settle. When Pedro and Mary opened their doors in Fort Walton Beach in 2017, the plan was to share the soul of Peru with a brand new community, one plate at a time.
What began as a small kitchen with a very large heart became a local favourite fast, known for bold flavours, generous portions, and the sort of welcome that makes you feel like family before the food even lands.
Every dish is a tribute to the traditions we grew up with, from the sizzle of lomo saltado to the citrus brightness of fresh ceviche. With a second dining room now open in Pensacola, the mission has not changed at all.
Cooking isn't just about food for us. It's about sharing a piece of home with everyone who walks through our doors.
If you have never eaten Peruvian food before, start here. These six plates cover the wok, the citrus cure, the fryer and the smoker.
Peruvian food is a meeting point of Indigenous, Spanish, African, Japanese and Chinese cooking. Here are the six things you will taste on our menu, and where they come from.
The golden chili that gives Huancaina sauce and aji de gallina their colour. Fruity and warm rather than fierce.
Peru's red mountain pepper. This is where the real heat lives, and where our spicy ceviche gets its kick.
The citrus cure left behind by ceviche. In Lima it is drunk on its own, and we serve it that way too.
Peruvian Chinese cooking, born when Cantonese cooks reached Lima. Every chaufa on our menu comes from that meeting.
The Peruvian drum smoker. Our chanchito and picanha go inside it, which is why the pork tastes the way it does.
Peru grows thousands of potato varieties and giant kernelled choclo corn. Both show up on nearly every plate we send out.
Tap any course to jump straight to it on the full menu, complete with prices and descriptions.
Owner and Executive Manager
Born and raised in Lima, Pedro brings more than recipes to the kitchen. He brings a lifetime of flavour and the stories behind it, blending techniques he grew up with and a genuine love of looking after people.
Owner and General Manager
Both locations cook the same menu. Pick whichever is closer and call ahead if you are bringing a crowd.
Don Cha has been named a Best of Florida winner more than once, and that recognition comes from the people we actually serve. Which is the only kind that counts.
Not by default. Peruvian cooking is built on layered, aromatic chilies rather than raw heat, so most of the menu is bold without being fiery. If you do want heat, ask for rocoto or aji on the side, or order the Trio de Ceviches and the Chanchito al Cilindro.