In Fanadir Marina, a new culinary destination is reimagining Latin American cuisine for Egypt’s coast. Andina, a Latin-Peruvian restaurant founded by Peruvian-Egyptian chef Christian Espinoza, offers a rarely seen take on Peruvian gastronomy—melding traditional technique with Egyptian produce and craftsmanship.

“Peruvian food is one of the most diverse in the world,” Espinoza tells SceneEats. “We’re talking about a cuisine that mixes Incan roots with Spanish, African, Chinese, and Japanese influences. It’s flavour-forward, with a story.”Named after both the Andes mountains and Espinoza’s mother, Andina introduces a tight menu of regional classics to El Gouna’s food scene. Highlights include lomo saltado (stir-fried beef with soy and ají amarillo), pollo a la brasa (Peruvian rotisserie chicken), and ceviche, the country’s national dish.

“Cooking Peruvian food with Egyptian ingredients was always a challenge,” Espinoza says. “The natural ingredient variety found in Peru is too vast to compare—just in potatoes alone, we have more than 200 different types.”In the early days, replicating Peru’s complex, earthy flavors meant leaning on creative substitutions and a willingness to adapt. But over time, the Egyptian market evolved. “More ingredients have become available in recent years, which has made it much easier,” he adds.
Today, Andina’s kitchen stays close to its roots, striking a balance between locally sourced produce and imported Peruvian spices. Still, not everything makes the cut. “Some dishes simply can’t be made authentically without specific ingredients,” Espinoza admits, “and until those are accessible, they remain off the menu.”

The restaurant uses key elements like pisco—the grape brandy behind its signature pisco sour—while adapting the rest to the Egyptian coast. “We use Egyptian produce, Egyptian fish, Egyptian peppers,” says restaurant manager Kamal Khalil. “But everything is done the Peruvian way, from the marinades to the cooking techniques.”

The space blends warm woods, exposed tile, and greenery with subtle nods to Andean color palettes. A sunlit bar, lined with cocktail tools, opens onto a lounge framed by tropical plants and striped cushions. According to Espinoza, the interior was designed to feel familiar yet transportive.Andina’s staff are trained to walk diners through the menu, often recommending less familiar dishes. “We like to give our guests something they wouldn’t necessarily order themselves—something closer to home for us,” Khalil says.

Since opening, Andina has attracted a mix of Gouna locals, tourists, and Cairo weekenders. While it began as a passion project, expansion is on the table. “The idea is to open more branches across Egypt,” Espinoza says, “but with the same kitchen DNA.”

The restaurant joins a growing wave of niche culinary concepts emerging outside Cairo, as international residents and returning expats look to re-create the tastes of home through food.

Andina began with homesickness.