My Kat Life

I’ve dined at Tio Lucho’s twice and have enjoyed each visit. Chef Arnaldo Castillo’s menu is is comprised of dishes infused with Peruvian flavors from his roots, inspired by his father. Chef was also a James Beard Foundation Best Chef: Southeast semifinalist in 2024! Interestingly, the Michelin Guide for Atlanta lacks Latin American representation. There’s just one Venezuelan restaurant in the guide, and I know that there are stellar Latin American restaurants in this beautiful city that deserve to have their chefs and cuisines included (based on merit, in terms of cuisine and quality of course).

On my recent visit, I tried (for the first time) and loved the hamachi tiradito and pork belly majado. The flavors of Tio Lucho’s ceviches and tiradito are stellar, and I will probably always order one of them on future visits because I love the bright citrus flavors combined with the seafood. I love a good pork belly dish because of the crunchy skin; the pork belly majado was paired with cancha corn and plantain chips — delicious! Other dishes in our meal: cachanga fry bread, crawfish tostones, Tio’s raw oysters, and parihuela (a Peruvian seafood soup).

We had to end the meal with dessert of course, especially since desserts are made by Claudia V. Martinez. Over her career as a pastry chef, she has worked at stellar Atlanta restaurants including Miller Union, Tiny Lou’s, and Atlas. We ordered the lime passion fruit tart and creme brûlée with blackberry jam. I’m glad I tasted the tart first since my friend who did the opposite said that the tart tasted a lot more sour after having the sweeter creme brûlée. Both of these were fabulous, and I can’t wait for a future visit to see what Claudia comes up with next! The menu at Tio Lucho’s changes regularly, so different visits month-to-month can look different.

Tio Lucho’s
675 North Highland Avenue Northeast Suite 6000, Atlanta, GA 30306
Parking is in the back of the building in the garage; validate your ticket prior to leaving the restaurant!

Menu
Lunch available Tuesday-Friday only
Happy Hour: Tuesday-Friday 5-7pm
I highly recommend Happy Hour for deals on oysters, small plates, cocktails, beer, and wine!