4 Best Restaurants in Cusco and the Sacred Valley, Peru

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.

Museum eateries don't routinely warrant a mention, but this small, glass-enclosed, elegant café inside the courtyard of the Museo de Arte Precolombino is actually one of the city's top restaurants. It has top prices to boot, but it's still a bargain compared with what this quality meal would cost in New York or Los Angeles. Of its novel and exciting twists on traditional Peruvian cuisine, try the chicken estofado (stew) with goat cheese and raisins or the pork adobo on a bed of sweet potato mousseline à l'orange. The dessert presentation is so clever that you may not want to ruin it by eating it—but you'll be glad you did.  The menu is prix-fixe after 6 (S/225), and you can choose one each from any of the appetizers, main dishes, and desserts; between 3 and 6, only dessert and coffee are served.