Cusco food guide
Cusco Food Guide: 12 Andean Dishes + Where to Eat Them (2026)
Peruvian food is one of South America’s most celebrated. Cusco specializes in Andean cuisine — quinoa, alpaca, cuy (guinea pig), and the trout-rich rivers of the Sacred Valley. Lima gets the international press, but Cusco’s food is distinct.
Ceviche (cebiche)
Despite Cusco being inland, the city has good ceviche. La Picantería (Mercado San Pedro) for fresh; Cicciolina (San Blas) for upscale.
Price: 25-50 soles
Lomo saltado
Beef stir-fry with onions + tomatoes + soy + fries over rice. Chicha por Gaston Acurio is the celebrity chef version; Cusco’s traditional version at La Cusqueñita.
Price: 30-65 soles
Cuy (guinea pig)
Andean delicacy — usually whole-roasted or fried. Traditional Andean meal. Pampa de Anta (Sacred Valley village) for authentic; Cicciolina for refined version.
Price: 60-120 soles
Alpaca steak
Lean, mild red meat. Lower fat than beef. Cicciolina, Inkazuela, MAP Café (in the Inka museum) for the upscale presentation.
Price: 45-90 soles
Aji de gallina
Creamy yellow-chili chicken stew. Comfort food. Calle del Medio (Cusco main square) is the iconic spot.
Price: 25-50 soles
Trucha (trout)
Sacred Valley specialty — fresh trout from Andean rivers. Restaurant La Compañia (Sacred Valley) for trout caught nearby.
Price: 30-60 soles
Anticuchos
Grilled beef-heart skewers with potato. Cusco street food. Anticucheria de Cuzqueñita (San Pedro) for evening stalls.
Price: 8-20 soles for 2-3 skewers
Quinoa soup (caldo de quinua)
Andean breakfast staple. Most family-run restaurants serve it. Best at Pucara Restaurant (Plaza de Armas).
Price: 12-25 soles
Causa
Cold mashed potato cake layered with tuna or chicken salad. Coastal Peruvian — but Cusco’s version uses Andean potato varieties.
Price: 20-35 soles
Pisco sour
Peru’s national cocktail — pisco brandy + lime + egg white + bitters. Best at Cicciolina or at any Cusco bar — universally well-made.
Price: 18-30 soles per cocktail
Chicha morada
Purple corn drink, sweet, non-alcoholic. Comes with most meals. Try at Mercado San Pedro from a vendor.
Price: 5-12 soles per glass
Coca tea (mate de coca)
Traditional altitude remedy. Every hotel and cafe serves it. Coca leaves are legal in Peru/Bolivia and help with altitude sickness.
Price: 3-8 soles per cup