Last month, Johnson City saw its first-ever Peruvian restaurant open up. Located off of North State of Franklin Road at Hamilton Place, Brassa 51 serves up delicious and authentic dishes based on the rich culture of Peru.

After hearing all the buzz over the place, a couple of friends and I decided to check it out. 

The restaurant itself is stunning, with black exposed brick and industrial vaulted ceilings contrasted against wood tones and vibrant decorations hanging from the walls and ceilings, creating a both modern and comfortable atmosphere.

More frequent in restaurants, the server makes drinks for customers at a station somewhere in the back. However, at Brassa 51 the server stations are out at the front, allowing the customer to see how clean and organized the station is. This transparency isn’t that big of a deal, but it displays the restaurant’s dedication to cleanliness. 

The crispy yuca, a staple dish at Brassa 51. (Ethan walker/East Tennessean)

The food is absolutely delicious; my friends and I got a variety of dishes and enjoyed every single one of them.

The crispy yuca, a rooted shrub native to South America, is like the fluffiest french fry you will ever eat. The specialty of Brassa 51, pollos a la brasa, is a freshly marinated rotisserie chicken baked in an authentic Peruvian charcoal oven.

Finally, the tres leches de lucuma is the best tres leches cake I have ever had. I could write essays about how great it was.

The prices are perfectly reasonable as well, as most items fall between $8 and $15.

The owner of Brassa 51, Daniel Tejada, instills the celebration of family and culture into every aspect of the restaurant.

I wholeheartedly recommend Brassa 51 to anybody. Whether you dine-in or take out, expand your palette and support this small business to ensure that this place can thrive in Johnson City for generations to come.