VALLEJO — In the heart of Vallejo, Lucky Garden Peruvian Cuisine has brought authentic Peruvian cuisine to Solano County.
Lucky Garden, located at 860 Tuolumne St., was the first Peruvian restaurant in Solano County when it opened in April.
"It used to be a Chinese restaurant, and we had to transform the kitchen to meet the needs of Peruvian cuisine," explained Edson Vega, the restaurant's owner. He remodeled almost the entire kitchen, but kept the wok, which is also widely used in Peru.
Vega created a new area for cold foods like ceviche and causas, a traditional dish that includes a layer of mashed potato, another of avocado, another of shredded chicken, crab, shrimp, or ham with mayonnaise, and vegetables, all bathed in an olive sauce.
"It’s made Japanese-style," Vega said. "You have to make it fresh; you can’t prepare it ahead of time because it tends to change flavor. It’s the same as sushi."
Vega opened his business just as Peruvian cuisine was at the height of its global popularity. Two restaurants in Lima, Peru, have consistently ranked among the top 10 in the World's Best Restaurants awards since 2017, with Central taking the number 1 spot in 2023 and Maido in 2025 with its Peruvian-Japanese Nikkei fusion.
"That’s the point I want to reach," Vega said. "I have experience in Japanese cuisine, I have the necessary technique, and I’m going to fuse it with Peruvian cuisine."
Vega worked for 10 years in restaurants in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Miami, specializing in Japanese, Italian, French, and Peruvian cuisine. He holds a degree in international business administration and had previously managed a network of 12 pharmacies in Peru. This experience allowed him to assume leadership roles in restaurants and gain knowledge of various aspects of the business, which helped him plan the opening of Lucky Garden.
He opened the restaurant with his mother, Vilma Torres, who has over 20 years of experience in the food industry and organized events for up to 5,000 people. The idea was born during the pandemic.
When Vega found the Lucky Garden location, it seemed ideal because it was large enough to house both a restaurant and a space for celebrations. On weekends, they offer karaoke, sometimes feature well-known Peruvian singers, and rent the space for birthdays and other events, for which they provide catering.
The business maintains a connection to its history. The previous owner had run her Chinese restaurant there for 27 years. She taught Vega how to cook some of her most popular dishes so he wouldn't lose her regular customers.
A week after selling the business, the former owner passed away. In her honor, and to respect the restaurant's 27-year history, Vega decided to keep the original name for a year. He plans to change it in the future. "I have in mind the name Kankas, which comes from Quechua, a native Peruvian language, and means crispy or golden," Vega explained.
He also maintains what he calls a "secret menu" of Chinese dishes for former customers. "There are people who used to come here and they tell me, 'I used to eat this.' So I bring out the secret menu," Vega said. "But I always try to include one of our dishes. And then another day the same family comes and orders all Peruvian food."
Among the restaurant's most popular dishes are the combination plates. "Peruvians like to sample a little of this and a little of that," Vega stated. The combination plates they serve include lomo saltado, or stir fried pieces of beef tenderloin and vegetables with fettuccini in huancaína sauce; "the seafood trio," with three seafood dishes; and "the ‘my land’ trio," which consists of three hot meat dishes.
Vega is very aware of the power of social media. In September, the Spanish influencer Ibai Llanos created an Instagram contest for the best breakfast in the world. Sixteen countries participated, and Peru won with its pan con chicharrón, or bread with stewed and fried pork belly. After the contest ended, Lucky Garden's customers started constantly ordering pan con chicharrón.
"For three consecutive weeks it was one of our best-selling dishes. We had orders of 15 or 20 plates of pan con chicharrón. We still have it now, it's become a house specialty," Vega explained.
In addition, a customer made a TikTok video about one of the combo trios, which garnered 30,000 views, helping to make it one of the most popular dishes. Vega emphasized that his own social media accounts are managed by a Peruvian employee, as he wants to not only showcase his food but also share the food’s history and highlight Peruvian culture.
The restaurant has had a strong start, especially on weekends. Vega says it's all thanks to word of mouth. "I give you good service, you recommend me. I give you a good dish, you recommend me. I will give you business cards, a sweet treat, something we've made at home, a lúcuma ice cream, which is traditional in Peru. These little touches are what make people recommend me."
Lucky Garden operates from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., extending until 10 p.m. on weekends. Next year, Vega plans to open earlier and introduce a Peruvian American breakfast, following the local custom of a hearty brunch on weekends. He’s also analyzing which days have the fewest customers to determine if they will close on any weekdays in the future.
Until then, Lucky Garden Peruvian Cuisine offers Vallejo a taste of authentic Peruvian flavor every day.
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