Best Restaurants in Cusco for Couples
If youre looking for some yummy food while in Cusco Peru you are in luck because this Andean cities food game truly blew us away. If you followed us on Instagram during our time in Cusco then you saw how many amazing meals were posted on our stories. Honestly, we wanted to call each one, "the best meal we have ever eaten in Cusco". Before we get into the nitty gritty details of our favorite food spots, lets review some must try Peruvian cuisines you will likely find!
Traditional Peruvian Dishes to Try
- Peruvian Ceviche – is a citrusy seafood dish traditionally made from raw fish and cured with lime.
- Chicharron – is a dish generally consisting of fried pork belly or fried pork rinds.
- Lomo Saltado – a stir fry that typically combines marinated strips of sirloin with onions, tomatoes, french fries, rice and fried plantain.
- Chupe de Quinoa – a brothy, warm soup made with quinoa and vegetables, perfect for a cozy day.
- Cuy – or shall I say guinea pig is a delicacy that is usually served with potatoes and a fresh bean, onion and tomato salad.
- Alpaca – a mild red meat that is tender and lean, that can be compared to lamb.
- Pisco Sour – Peru’s signature drink is composed of pisco, lemon, simple syrup and raw egg white shook til its changes to an ice cold foam topped with angostura bitters. Be careful, they go down like candy!
- Chirimoya – a fruit that tastes like pineapple that is native to the Andes of Peru and Ecuador.
- Picarones Ruinas – "peruvian doughnuts" made from deep fried squash and sweet potato doused in chancana (sugar sauce). They are chewy and extremely delicious.
One of our favorite ways to guarantee we will be able to find all the best spots to eat & try all the best local favorites is to book a food tour. Here is one that we enjoyed! |
Breakfast Spots
- La Bo'M Franco -Peruvian blend crepes made fresh, high quality and by small local suppliers. This was actually such a favorite place in the San Blas neighborhood for us that we went back multiple times. The cafe is located within a hostel & the building creates such an oasis for travelers within such a large city. The crepes are amazing, the drinks were delicious, and the cafe offers 20% off for hostel guests.
- Jack's Cafe a western menu catered towards expats and travellers who have a hunger for American-styled home comforts - or in our case - want to cure a bad hangover from one too many Pisco Sours.
Coffee & Snacks
- Cappaccino Cafe Located on Plaza de Armas in Cusco, Cappuccino Cafe offers breathtaking views of the cathedral from its three outside balconies. The cafe also features fast Wi-Fi and a variety of organic coffee drinks.
- Three Monkeys Coffee Cusco Located halfway between the main tourist area east of Plaza de Armas and Qorikancha with the most unique story. This famous little bicycle coffeee cart used to appear in locations all over the city of Cusco. In fact, you had to follow their Instagram account to find out where it would be parked each day. Now, Three Monkeys is now in a permanent location, and a convient one at that! When entering, the famous coffee cart is inside & still being used for coffee making. Now, you can decide whether to sit inside to enjoy your coffee with a snack or take it to go.
- L'Atelier Café Located in San Blas neighborhood is a luxurious coffee shop/boutique with local handmade goods, 100% Peruvian sourced coffee, teas, fresh squeezed juices, and tasty treats. Be prepared to wait for this pinterest famous window spot, there is only two in the cafe!
Lunch Spots
- Inkazuela Restaurant
Mana Cafe Restobar
- Green Point popularly known as the best vegetarian/vegan restaraunts in Cusco! Green Point also offers a full schedule of cooking classes from Mondays to Saturdays. Classes cover cooking ranging from gluten-free baking/desserts, raw foods, sushi and typical Cusquenian ().
Dinner Spots
- Kusykay Traditional Peruvian dishes with all ingredients grown locally (& if you know anything about Andeans it’s that they care about the products and the land).
The fresh, local and organic menu features iconic Peruvian dishes such as the Chicharron de Cerdo and Trolly Ceviche. They also have a wide selection of vegan and vegetarian options.
- Organika is one restaraunt that I cannot rave enough about! All the meals are made with ingredients harvested from their very own garden in the Sacred Valley of Urubamba – Cusco.
With this list, you will be sure to leave Cusco Peru with a profound appreciation for good, quality cuisine and a new standard for how beautiful your food should appear on a plate at a restaraunt. We hope you guys enjoy as much as we did!
- LapinskiTravels