Trujillo's culinary specialty is ceviche and other seafood dishes from the coast — the proximity to Huanchaco means fresh fish arrives daily. The city is also known for its cabrito norteño (goat braised with chicha de jora, the local fermented corn beer) and shambar (a thick, hearty bean and wheat stew traditional to northern Peru and only made on Mondays by convention).
Along the malecon at Huanchaco, a string of cevicherías does brisk business at lunchtimes — El Mochica and Big Ben are consistently well-regarded. In the city centre, the Mercado Mayorista has market food stalls selling cheap, filling local lunches.