The Bay Area presents some fantastic options when it comes to the local dining scene, and that’s certainly true with Fresca Peruvian Kitchen. Fresca has strong family ties that date back to a time when Ivan Calvo-Perez and his family first came to San Francisco from Peru. Ivan and his family started the original Fresca restaurant in West Portal with gourmet wraps and sandwiches on the menu. When his brother went on to attend culinary school, the menu grew to include gourmet Peruvian selections.

Ivan is one of the owners of Fresca Inner Sunset on Irving Street today, which has been a staple in the community for about eight years. Located close to Golden Gate Park, it’s easy to grab a bite to eat at Fresca, then go for a stroll in the park or check out the nearby California Academy of Sciences. 

Ivan counts several menu items as hits with locals and regulars alike, including Arroz con Mariscos, a Peruvian seafood paella, rotisserie chicken, and Lomo Saltado, which is stir fry sirloin steak strips. If you’re not afraid to try something new, Ivan recommends the octopus cooked on a wood-fired grill.

You can check out Fresca Inner Sunset for lunch or dinner Wednesday through Friday. The restaurant’s open for brunch or dinner on the weekends. Happy Hour runs from three-to-six on Wednesday, Thursdays, and Friday, while you can dine outside listening to live music on Friday and Saturday. 

If you’re in the market for gourmet Peruvian food, Fresca actually has two locations in the city. Fresca Noe Valley is coming soon to 24^th Street in San Francisco. The third sister restaurant in the mix is Puerto 27 in Pacifica. This location serves family-style Peruvian food in a two-level dining room with ocean views.