Huanchaco [1] offers many great budget eateries.
Off the Plaza de Armas, in a quiet bohemian setting, is Casa Tere (257 M Soane, tel. 044/46-1197, casaterehco [at] yahoo [dot] es, 3–11 p.m. daily, US$1.50–2.50), which comes alive during the evening as it dishes up pizzas, sandwiches, and crepes. Casa Tere also has a breakfast location farther south on Larco.
Don Pepe (Av. Larco 502, US$3–5) offers cangrejo reventado, a local dish where crab shells are broken open and the crab meat cooked with eggs, sea algae, and ají.
El Mochica (Av. Larco on the corner with Independencia, tel. 044/46-1963) has great seafood dishes in a location just across from the ocean.
Otra Cosa (Av. Larco 921, El Boquerón, tel. 044/46-1346, www.otracosa.info [2], 9 a.m.–8 p.m. Wed.–Sun.) has outstanding veggie food at very good prices, including fruit salads, healthy breakfasts and lunches, and the best coffee in Huanchaco [1]. The restaurant is part of Otra Cosa Network, a Peruvian NGO, and the restaurant is managed by locals with the support of European and North American volunteers.
Big Ben (Av. Larco 836, El Boquerón, tel. 044/46-1378, www.bigbenhuanchaco.com [3], 11:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. daily, US$4–16) has delicious seafood and fish dishes including cebiches, tiraditos, crab, deep-fried calamari, chicken, and beef plates. Enjoy your meal sitting at a table on the terrace overlooking the beach.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/peru/trujillo-and-the-north-coast/huanchaco
[2] http://www.otracosa.info
[3] http://www.bigbenhuanchaco.com