Restaurants in Cuzco
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Los Toldos
A local favorite for abundant cheap eats, this rotisserie restaurant features a worthwhile salad bar (try the black olive sauce). Most people can’t go past the Peruvian classic cuarto de pollo (quarter of a chicken), done here to perfection.
reviewed
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Jack’s Café
- Cuzco, Peru
- Restaurants › Cafe
A line often snakes out the door at this Western-style, Australian-run eatery. With fresh juices blended with mint or ginger, strong coffee and eggs heaped with smoked salmon or roasted tomatoes, it’s easy to get out of bed. Also has nice cafe food, soups and good service.
reviewed
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Granja Heidi
- Cuzco, Peru
- Restaurants › Cafe
A cozy Alpine cafe serving healthy fare, some of it provided from the small farm of the German owner. In addition to Peruvian fare (rocoto relleno is served vegetarian, with stuffed chili and peanuts), there are crepes and huge bowls of soups and salads. Save room for dessert.
reviewed
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Green’s Organic
With all-organic food and a bright farmhouse feel, Green’s Organic oozes health. Inventive salads with options like roasted fennel, goat cheese, beets and spring greens are a welcome change of pace and the heartier fare includes pastas and alpaca dishes. Come early (or late) as it fills up fast and service is notably slow.
reviewed
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Aldea Yanapay
The stuffed animals, board games and decor perfectly evoke the circus you dreamed of running away with as a child. Aldea Yanapay is pitched at families but will appeal to anyone with a taste for the quixotic. Food includes burritos, falafel and tasty little fried things to pick at, and there’s a whole separate menu for vegetarians.
Profits go to projects helping abandoned children. Highly recommended.
reviewed
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Cicciolina
On the 2nd floor of a lofty colonial courtyard mansion, Cicciolina has long held its position as Cuzco’s best restaurant. The eclectic, sophisticated food is divine, starting with house-marinated olives, continuing with crisp polenta squares with cured rabbit, huge green salads, charred octopus and satisfying mains like squid-ink pasta and tender lamb.
The service is impeccable, and the warmly-lit seating will make any laid-back globetrotter feel at home. Highly recommended.
reviewed
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Juanito’s
With the griddle hopping, this sandwich shop churns out made-to-order numbers. Vegetarians get big fried-egg sandwiches and new combos like chicken and walnuts prove tasty.
reviewed
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Trotamundos
This coffeehouse has a dead-on view of the cathedral and sells a bit of everything, with especially good coffees and baked goods. It's also a popular late-night bar-cum-café.
reviewed
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Maikhana
A friendly, comfy place to enjoy excellent, good-value renditions of all the Indian classics, including a long list of vegetarian dishes.
reviewed
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Pachapapa
Invoking a rustic highland ambience, this open courtyard with wooden tables serves up well-prepared Peruvian classics, cooked over a wood fire or in clay pots. It’s also livened by a harpist on weekends. It’s a good spot to try buttered corn in herbs, aji de gallina or oven-fired trout. Cuy should be ordered in advance.
reviewed
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Inka Panaka
Along an alleyway west of the plaza, this ambitious and artistic restaurant has just a half dozen candlelit tables at which you can fork into novoandina (Peruvian nouvelle cuisine) fare, including delicious breakfasts, steaks and desserts. There's a chill-out soundtrack and artisan crafts for sale.
reviewed
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Marcelo Batata
A sure bet for Peruvian food, often with an added twist. The chicken soup with hierba Luisa, a local herb, is exquisite, and that’s only the start of an eclectic fusion menu. You might also want to sample their daring array of cocktails from the rooftop deck – the city views make it the best outdoor venue in Cuzco.
reviewed
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Inkafe Café
With an art gallery on the walls and magazines scattered on the front table, this intimate café does a stellar job not only with breakfast, but also with regional Peruvian dinners and desserts, real Italian espresso and a short, but sassy wine list.
reviewed
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Al Grano
Al Grano has a non-spicy menu of varied Asian food, including great vegetarian options, plus big breakfasts and some of Cuzco’s best coffee. You’re welcome to hang out and enjoy it with cards, games, free wi-fi and a book exchange.
reviewed
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Muse, Too
The laid-back San Blas version of the center’s iconic cafe-bar, Muse, Too serves up fresh, funky food through the day, big-screen sport and movies in the afternoon, and live music and cocktails at night.
reviewed
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Kin Taro
Local expats rave about the noodle bowls. The set lunch proves a good deal and provides a welcome change from local flavors. Also serves sushi and sake.
reviewed
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MAP Café
Inside the gorgeous Museo de Arte Precolombino, this is the city's most sophisticated restaurant and lounge. Outdoor tables with starched white tablecloths sit royally upon a glass-enclosed patio, while attentive waiters pour ruby red glasses of fantastic South American, European and New World wines. The menu ranges from Italianesque salads to Andean steak and guinea-pig confit. The crowd of movers and shakers is always dressed to the nines.
There's live music almost every night. Make reservations for dinner.
reviewed
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Chicha
A Gastón Acurio venture serving up haute versions of cuzqueño classics. Their riff on anticuchos (beef skewers) is a delectable barbecued octopus, grilled on skewers with crisp herbed potato wedges. Other contenders include rocoto relleno, the wonton-style sopa de gallina and chairo (beef soup) served in a clay pot. The chicha morada is beyond fresh.
Naturally, debate rages as to whether it’s worth the price (and pretension): our vote is yes.
reviewed
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El Rey de Felafel
If, as has been known to happen, you stumble out of a discoteca at 4am with an insatiable hunger, you could go to El Rey de Felafel. Of the many sandwich stalls that serve late-night revelers along Plateros and Saphi, this is by far the best. Not only are the sandwiches clean, safe and tasty, and the felafel itself the best in Cuzco, but Victor is a kindly soul who will let you squeeze behind his hotplate and sit on a bucket to eat.
reviewed
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Olas Bravas
Most cuzqueños think Olas Bravas offers the best ceviche in town, so it’s often packed. Even if ceviche isn’t your thing, this is a great place to try other criollo (coastal) dishes, such as causas and seco a la norteña (goat stew). Check out the hammocks and the mural of the surfer.
reviewed
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El Mesón de San Blas
Many cuzqueños eat out every day for lunch and dinner. Menú (set meal) is so economical in many places that it’s cheaper to eat out than to cook for yourself. You generally have to ask about the menú – it’s often not advertised, but is available almost everywhere. You’ll get soup, a main course, a drink, and sometimes dessert. El Mesón de San Blas is one of the good options here.
reviewed
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Q’ori Sara
Many cuzqueños eat out every day for lunch and dinner. Menú (set meal) is so economical in many places that it’s cheaper to eat out than to cook for yourself. You generally have to ask about the menú – it’s often not advertised, but is available almost everywhere. You’ll get soup, a main course, a drink, and sometimes dessert. One of the good options here is Q’ori Sara.
reviewed
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Ñucchu
Many cuzqueños eat out every day for lunch and dinner. Menú (set meal) is so economical in many places that it’s cheaper to eat out than to cook for yourself. You generally have to ask about the menú – it’s often not advertised, but is available almost everywhere. You’ll get soup, a main course, a drink, and sometimes dessert. Ñucchu is one of the good options here.
reviewed
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Kukuly
Many cuzqueños eat out every day for lunch and dinner. Menú (set meal) is so economical in many places that it’s cheaper to eat out than to cook for yourself. You generally have to ask about the menú – it’s often not advertised, but is available almost everywhere. You’ll get soup, a main course, a drink, and sometimes dessert. One of the good options here is Kukuly.
reviewed
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Che Carlitos
Many cuzqueños eat out every day for lunch and dinner. Menú (set meal) is so economical in many places that it’s cheaper to eat out than to cook for yourself. You generally have to ask about the menú – it’s often not advertised, but is available almost everywhere. You’ll get soup, a main course, a drink, and sometimes dessert. Che Carlitos is one of the good options here.
reviewed