Since opening Lady Bee in Lima in 2021, Alonso Palomino and Gabriela León have set the Peruvian capital abuzz with their signature drinks and small plates that celebrate the country’s diverse pantry. It’s this dedicated Peru-facing philosophy that has made the establishment the bee’s knees, and part of the reason it won the Campari One To Watch Award at The World’s 50 Best Bars 2023. Here’s why visitors are flocking to the bar – and why you should too
Bartender Alonso Palomino and chef Gabriela León have figured out the secret recipe for success in Lima. Through their attractive seasonal cocktail and food menus, the young husband-and-wife team proudly showcases what Peru has to offer at Lady Bee, sourcing ingredients such as cacao, tubers, trout caviar and coffee from small producers, while also taking a sustainable approach.
The couple came up with the gastro bar’s concept after León returned from a three-year stint leading a hotel restaurant in Puerto Maldonado, in the Peruvian Amazon. Formerly a professional footballer on Peru’s national team, she quit the beautiful game to study culinary arts and later trained behind the burners at Noma, while Palomino worked as a hotelier before becoming a bartender and spirits educator. During the pandemic, they set up a ready-to-drink concept called Bee 4 with two friends, but it evolved fast and soon the duo began to seek an outpost to unite their disciplines.
While its name is a portmanteau of two cocktails, the bar leans heavily into the bee design motif
Opened in July 2021 in Lima’s Miraflores district, Lady Bee takes its name from two classic cocktails, White Lady and Bee’s Knees (both are permanent fixtures on the menu, albeit with Peruvian bounties such as ruguso lime and Señorita Bee honey from the Amazon), while also paying tribute to the humble bumble bee, the hardest worker and greatest team player in the world’s ecosystem.
Flavours from Peru’s pantry
The bijou space for just 20 guests strikes a dynamic balance between cocktail bar and eatery, with both dishes and drinks focusing on Peru and the team always suggesting pairings, explains León. “Our purpose is to show the wealth of Peru in a seasonal manner and from our perspective. But it’s not just about our vision: we work closely with farmers, communities, artists, specialists in marine biology and conservation, cocoa and chocolate producers and coffee growers, while nourishing ourselves with their knowledge and experiences.”
While many Peruvian restaurants spotlight this wealth of ingredients, including The World’s Best Restaurant 2023, Central, it might sound challenging to apply the same concept behind the stick. But the duo charges on with their philosophy, says León, their seasonal approach driving them forward. “Our desire to adapt to the environment, preserve our raw materials and focus on Peruvian products means we can create experiences that reflect the seasons. By taking culture, drinks and cuisine as our inspiration, we create new ideas that form part of our identity.”
New classics
Drinks from the current menu take inspiration from classic cocktails, but Palomino boosts them with Peruvian flavours to create signature concoctions, working alongside head bartender Alejandra León – Gabriela’s sister – on new creations. The mid-sized drinks list kicks off with the two cocktails that inspired the bar’s name, then divides up into eight sections: Diversity, Sea, Local Market, Orchard and Harvesting, Tubers, Fruits and Heliconias from the Amazon, Pisco and Peruvian Distillates, and – for the caffeine fiends and chocoholics out there – Specialty Coffee and Chocolate.
The Three Sips Martini is one of the bar's signature serves
The bar’s most popular drinks include the Three Sips Martini, inspired by a Dry Martini but with a more botanical and smoother profile, says Palomino. “I use Coastal Hills distillate [created from sugar cane and botanicals and sourced from Mater Iniciativa, the research arm of Central restaurant], sherry and extra dry vermouth. It’s paired with an olive sourced from Arequipa, lechuga de mar algae from Ica and trout caviar from Puno.” Three sips, three bites, and you’re in cocktail heaven.
Oca/Mashua, another customer favourite, takes inspiration from two Andean tubers for a uniquely dry and earthy drink. “For this cocktail, we use the red oca distillate made by Manuel Choqque in Huatata, Cusco, adding the mashuas’ natural colour to boost the liquid’s hue. I place slices of both tubers on top of the ice as complementary flavours to the cocktail,” he explains.
Sustainability at the core
A key part of Lady Bee’s philosophy is developing ties with farmers, producers and scientists to create a virtuous and traceable circle behind the bar and in the kitchen, putting names and faces to these people then sharing their stories and ingredients with guests.
“For fish and seafood, marine biologist Pamela Lazarte oversees our providers and informs us of what products we can use according to the season,” says León. “On occasion, they might catch something more unusual such as barnacles or sea urchin, so she helps us decide what products to incorporate. She also sources all the algae we use from Playa Mendieta in Ica.
Lady Bee's sustainable philosophy extends beyond cocktails into its food pairing
“In terms of Amazonian ingredients, agroforestry engineer Ruth Herrera provides us with products from Madre de Dios; she’s our link to the communities. We receive perita bananas, which are dried in bamboo boxes under the sun, honey from stingless melipona bees and different parts of the Theobroma tree, such as copoazú. And, whenever they need assistance for reforestation programmes, we get involved.”
Delicious dishes designed for sharing include Cholos, a brioche with mussels and specialty coffee sourced from Cusco, and Almejas, clams with Amazonian chestnut milk, sacha culantro (jungle coriander) and basil. Almost all cocktails come with a complimentary bite-sized delicacy.
The team applies their sustainable philosophy to the physical menu and dishware too. The menu’s cover, for example, is printed on recycled paper coated with natural rubber and is made by craftswomen from the Amazon village of El Progreso in Tarapoto, San Martín. The Three Sips Martini comes with its own ‘Tres Tiempos’ spoon: designed by León herself, it is made from wood salvaged from trees felled by storms in the Amazon, with three spherical parts holding the aforementioned olive, algae and trout caviar.
Alejandra León, Lady Bee's bar manager (right), collected the coveted trophy on stage at the awards ceremony in Singapore
In just two years, Lady Bee has already caused a stir, with the team picking up several prestigious awards, including Best Bar and Restaurant in Latin America and the Caribbean 2023 at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. León, meanwhile, was named Best New Young Chef by Peruvian magazine Somos. The latest achievement has been ranking No.52 in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2023, sponsored by Perrier, for the first time.
“It was a very lovely surprise,” says León, “and this recognition confirms our commitment to exploring, investigating and creating new alliances with people from different specialties. But, above all, we must maintain our philosophy and responsibility for communicating Peru's biodiversity.”
As for the next 12 months, the hive is set for a boost, says Palomino. “We plan to strengthen the team by bringing new people into the family and giving them the tools to forge a career alongside us. And we’re looking to move into a new location in the next few months, not only so that Lady Bee can double in size to cater for 40 guests, but so that our operation can become more agile.”
Having picked up the Campari One To Watch Award 2023, the buzz about this gastro bar is set to continue. Let’s watch them really take flight.
The 15th edition of The World’s 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, was announced on Tuesday, 17th October 2023 in Singapore. To stay up to date with the latest news and announcements, browse the website, follow us on Instagram, find us on Facebook, visit us on X and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
