36 Best Restaurants in Cusco and the Sacred Valley, Peru

The family that owns this restaurant pours passion into their business and their excellent food, which is made using local ingredients that are carefully sourced in ways that lend poorer communities a helping hand. To ensure that everyone who walks in gains a little more understanding of Indigenous culture, the specialty here is meat prepared on stones that are full of nutritious, flavor-enhancing minerals. There are also veggie options and a daily menu.

A labor of love from someone born and raised in Ollantaytambo has resulted in a must-visit restaurant experience—one in which you will savor traditional ancestral foods (from cuy to anticuchos) made with the freshest of local ingredients and prepared to appeal to the foreign palate. The all-wood decor makes for a warm and rustic yet chic atmosphere, with Peruvian accents sprinkled throughout. If you like cocktails, you must try one using Destilería Andina’s artisanal hooch produced, like Chuncho, by the El Albergue family.

Everyone seems to know everyone at this second-floor eatery, part lively tapas bar, part sit-down, candlelit restaurant. The tapas are delicious and varied, while the main dishes offer fabulous Mediterranean cuisine with twists from the Andes. You can order off the restaurant menu in the tapas bar, but not the other way around.

Reservations are very strongly encouraged.

One of the best restaurants in the Cusco region was serving Peruvian fusion before it became trendy, perfecting the art of combining flavors in a way that each one can be savored. You’ll need some time to decide between all the enticing options on the menu; the cuts of meat are amazingly tender, and there are some interesting vegetarian choices as well, not to mention an array of fabulous appetizers that might tempt you to just order a medley.

Walk through a dimly lit tunnel directly below the Mirador de San Blas to find this stylish bistro boasting some of the best views of Cusco—especially from the balcony terrace after sunset, when the city lights start flicking across the hills like fireflies. Besides the views, patrons come for the menu of burgers, Peruvian mains like cebiche and lomo saltado, and grilled meats. It’s also a great place for a sundowner, with disco music beats, a relaxed atmosphere, a great wine list, and a creative selection of cocktails that blend local tastes such as agave, hibiscus, and herbal infusions with international spirits.  

Nestled amid the charming cloisters of Belmond’s posh Hotel Monasterio, OQRE opened in 2024 and offers the haute pan-Peruvian cuisine of Michelin-star chef Jorge Muñoz, who mixes ingredients from the coast, the mountains, and the forest. Standout dishes include tiradito al olivo (with leche de tigre, olive oil, and crispy garlic) and the delicious cochinillo crujiente (chunks of pulled pork compacted into a crispy, irresistible skin, served with mashed potatoes). A live band performs romantic opera music in this dimly lit space.

Twice daily, at noon and 2:30, El Albergue organizes the pachamanca (meaning "earthen oven" in Quechua), one of Ollantaytambo’s most distinctive traditional culinary experiences. Used across the country for special celebrations, this traditional Peruvian method—which entails burying hot stones in a pit and covering it with wet cotton sheets, leaves, and soil—produces an unforgettable lunch of tender meats, fresh vegetables, and steamed quinoa. The property hosts this experience under a rustic portico with a backdrop of mountains on one side and views of the whistling trains to Aguas Calientes on the other.

The menu at this restaurant, which is modeled after a typical open-air quinta, with wooden tables scattered around a large patio, gets its influences from all over Peru, and the waiters are happy to explain what makes each traditional dish special. For a special treat, go for the underground-oven-baked pachamanca, in which different types of meats are slow roasted together with potatoes and aromatic herbs. This dish, as well as the cuy, has to be ordered 24 hours in advance, so plan ahead.

Pouring some of the best coffee in the city from a special house blend, this café is a Cusco icon; Martin Chambi photos help anchor it in Peru, but the jazz and bohemian atmosphere make it feel more cosmopolitan. It's great for a quick bite, as well as for picking up fliers on current cultural offerings. Try the passion-fruit cheesecake or tiramisu with your cappuccino, and head next door to the Cusco School of Fine Arts to see what's on display.

With just a handful of tables and a couple of employees, this local patisserie surprises with some of the neighborhood's most delicious homemade pastries, juices, and hot drinks. Savor the local coffees, hot chocolates, and Andino herbal infusions. 

Set on the ground floor of a local casa, this homey vegetarian café is a favorite stop for travelers in search of a satisfying espresso drink and some local knowledge. You'll find organic local coffee, all-day breakfasts, and even some well-prepared Indian fare (think vegan curry, paneer tikka masala, and butter chicken). The café's doors, completely plastered with flyers, also function as a bohemian message board, where you can discover many local activities, including shamanic breath work, yoga courses, and ayahuasca ceremonies. 

Facing the plaza with a great view of the cathedrals, this smart, intimate café serves vegetarian and vegan fare using organic ingredients, from breakfast platters with avocado toast and healthy waffles to caprese salads, hearty lasagnas, and a smattering of Thai staples such as pad Thai. There is, of course, great coffee poured from an imported Italian espresso machine.

Although there are plenty of vegetarian options elsewhere, here vegetarians and vegans can order anything with a clear, animal-loving conscience. You can even have your coffee with nut milk. The menu of the day (S/22), which includes salad, soup, main course, dessert, and a drink, is one of the best deals in town and one many nonvegans flock to as well. You can also pick up some of that nondairy goodness to go, as well as a variety of fresh breads.

This old-world bakery inside a courtyard just off the Plaza Constitución is a Pisac institution and, like the rest of the town, it's had to adapt to the town's growing tourism. The aging cloisters are now filled with trinket shops and even La Waylaca del Horno Colonial, a craft beer shop. Empanadas (S/4, some vegetarian) and homemade breads are delivered from the clay oven and into your hands. Look in the southeastern corner, where a quirky cuy tower holds the critters that, like it or not, are served as food. There's no phone or website.

The empanadas are fantastic, but that's not the only reason to stop by at this classic empanada place. The real hook is a "cuy castle," a sort of Barbie mansion for guinea pigs. But rest assured, there are no cuy empanadas on the menu.

This little café is the place to go for pizza, lasagna, breads, desserts, and, of course, coffee. There are some vegetarian and gluten-free options, and they also feature a small selection of organic products.

Stylish contemporary design in an Andean setting has made this large, upscale restaurant near the Plaza de Armas a hit with those looking for a classy night out. It dishes up Mediterranean-Andean fusion cuisine, meaning that traditional Italian favorites are given a twist thanks to the use of Peruvian ingredients and flavors. Wander down the back to the open kitchen, and don't forget to have a look at the original Inca wall on the way.

Scrumptious breakfasts can be had all day at this bright, busy, American-style café with Aussie roots, where you can order granola and yogurt, large fluffy pancakes, or a grand "brekkie" with bacon and eggs. Also on the menu are gourmet sandwiches, fresh salads, and a variety of other satisfying dishes. Everything is prepared in-house, including the delicious breads, and the coffee and hot chocolate are excellent. If you come during high season, you may have to line up to get a table; this jumping spot stays open well into the night.

If you're looking for something healthy, with plenty of choices for vegetarians, Kaia is the best bet in Urubamba for lunch or an early dinner (it closes at 6). With fresh salads, soups, sandwiches, wraps, and all sorts of snacks to choose from, you'll easily satisfy your post-hike hunger. There is often live music here on the weekends, and the playground will entertain kids while parents linger.

One of the valley's best restaurants, this lively spot helmed by chef Eduardo takes inspiration from his extensive travels around the world, featuring delicious dishes influenced by Indonesia, Thailand, parts of Africa, and Peru. Consider the shrimp cebiche, Peruvian trout curry, and the Street Fighter (filet mignon stir-fried with spices and sauces from Bangkok).

If you're craving Japanese food, you can get the real deal at Kintaro. Amid a quietly elegant atmosphere, you can order miso soup, udon, teriyaki dishes, tempura, a wide variety of fresh and authentic sushi, and hot or cold sake.

There are plenty of chifa (Peruvian-Cantonese cuisine) restaurants to be found along the side streets of town, but the best by far is Kion, with its modern decor and attentive service. Although the menu has many familiar Chinese offerings, like wontons and fried rice, the Peruvian influences and preparations make it a nice change from your neighborhood wok and, indeed, from straight-up Peruvian eateries.

This excellent restaurant on the plaza has a large dining hall with wooden tables and floors and a traditional but well-executed menu of cebiches, pastas, sandwiches, and Peruvian staples. There's also a daily set menu for S/25, and you can sip espressos, juices, and smoothies on the cozy balcony overlooking the square.

For a quick bite, it's hard to go wrong with the flavorful Franco-Peruvian crepes served on the ground floor of this backpacker hostel; with both savory and sweet to choose from, they're the perfect meal or pick-me-up any time of day. The prix-fixe lunch is a delicious deal, and there's a great tea selection for an afternoon break.

The wide selection of pizzas, pastas, soups, and salads here, as well as a few great desserts, ensure that you will leave feeling satisfied. In particular, the unique blue cheese, bacon, and sauco (elderberry) pizza can't be beat. Be sure to accompany it with one of their reasonably priced wines or a selection from the extensive list of craft beers.

This is a great spot to regroup, caffeinate, and make use of the Wi-Fi after a hard morning's sightseeing. The coffee is quality, there's a huge range of mouthwatering cakes, and you can also grab breakfast, sandwiches, and slices.

With striking wooden blue balcony overlooking Plaza de Armas and brown adobe walls decorated with murals of flowers, this jolly restaurant-cum-café is inside a traditional casona and embodies Pisac's recent wave of places catering to both hippie digital nomads and more and more tourists. The menu offers a wide selection of mains like alpaca steaks, spaghetti with pesto, pork burgers, and juices, smoothies, and coffee. Wi-Fi is strong and the upstairs lounge is handy for getting some work done while sipping an espresso.