Are you looking for good restaurants in Cusco? Look no further! Below is our pick of the top five best restaurants in Cusco.
Chicha by Gastón Acurio
The first restaurant where you can find delicious food and drink in Cusco is Chicha, by the famous Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio
Chicha is a restaurant owned by the Peruvian award-winning celebrity chef Gastón Acurio. Gaston has many other restaurants in South America, including a second, more sporty restaurant in Cusco.
Chicha is located on the second floor of El Troco Boutique Hotel. The restaurant offers a fantastic view of Plaza Regocijo. Request a table by the windows overlooking the plaza to enjoy the best view.
Cocktails are a must-try here if you are into it, as they are well crafted and delicious. We enjoyed our classic pisco sour (one the best we had in Peru)
The food is a mix of traditional Andean with some twists.
As an appetizer, we had Langostino Melcocha, an Asian-inspired dish we enjoyed a lot.
We also had Cuy Pekines, which is Guinea pig prepared like a Beijing duck
Our main dish, La Gran Pachamanca a la Olla, was a delicious hearty slow-cooked stew with meat, potato, corn, and much more; it is very heartwarming comfort food, perfect for a cold day in Cusco. We had a version of Tres Leches with an Andean twist to finish.
Overall, we really enjoyed the food, the service and the design of the restaurant and would highly recommend it.
Ceviche Seafood Kitchen
Our second choice for the best restaurant in Cusco, Peru is Ceviche Seafood Kitchen located on the main square of Cusco, Plaza de Armas.
Ceviche is located in Plaza De Armas, which is the main square in Cusco. The location is perfect for people-watching, especially if you sit upstairs. Make sure to request a table by the windows overlooking the plaza to enjoy the best view.
The restaurant décor and ambiance are refreshing, and you feel like you are by the sea, although Cusco is landlocked. The service is excellent, and the food is delicious.
We had the classic pisco sour to start
Since we were there at lunch, we each tried a ceviche, the Ceviche Clasica, and Ceviche Barrio, both very fresh and well-balanced, with different textures, and a hint of heat. The portions are also abundant.
For dessert, we tried the Texture of Peruvian Chocolate, that was kindly offered on the house, and it was chocolate heaven!
We enjoyed this restaurant so much that we would have returned if we had more time in Cusco. We highly recommend it, especially if you want to find a place to eat something different from the hearty cusqueño cuisine.
Limo Peruvian Nikkei
Our third choice is a Peruvian Nikkei restaurant, a fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine, is located on the main square of Cusco, Plaza de Armas.
Limo is located in a beautiful colonial building in Plaza de Armas, the main square of Cusco. Also here, you can enjoy the fantastic view if you request a table by the windows overlooking the plaza.
First, let’s start with the cocktail; they are amazing! We are generally wine people, but we tried the cocktails in every restaurant we visited in Peru. The Limo (quebranta tabernero, ginger cordial, passionfruit & limo chilli) is delicious, and the Pisco Sour was great as well. Additionally, they have a great selection of Pisco and Sake on the menu.
We had the Age Gyoza as appetizer. It was delicious but slightly different from the version we had in Japan, especially since the outside of the dumpling is a bit thicker.
For our main course, we tried the Udon Saltado, which is a delicious fusion of Lomo Saltado, which is the most popular dish in Peru, with Japanese Udon noodles
Limo fuses Peruvian and Japanese cuisine and if you like both cuisines, you will love the food here. The service is also impeccable!
Al Toldos Chicken
Our fourth choice is more of a fast-casual Pollo a la Brasa (rotisserie chicken) restaurant, a go-to place in Cusco for locals and tourists alike.
The other food Peruvians adore is charcoal-grilled chicken, as evidenced by the multitude of restaurants around the country. Finding the right one can be tricky as everyone has their favorite. Al Toldos Chicken is one everyone seems to like. The restaurant is a basic family-style place, but what sets it apart are the tender, juicy chickens that comes out of their giant brick oven.
The offer is simple, chicken, salad, and French Fries, of course, accompanied by the delicious Inca Cola (or your choice of beverage).
The sauces are good, and the chicken is moist and delicious. Living in Washington, D.C., I am lucky to say that we’ve had better Peruvian chicken in our area, but it is definitely a great place to visit if you crave chicken while in Cusco.
Remember that the place doesn’t open before noon, so plan accordingly.
El Tablon
Our last choice is also a fast-casual Pollo a la Brasa (rotisserie chicken) restaurant, away from the bitten path of the center Cusco.
This place was recommended by a local and is not located in the center of Cusco. It’s a good ten-minute taxi drive from the center.
If you are interested in a very local experience, this is it. The restaurant is a family-style basic restaurant. Many local families were sharing meals when we went there and it felt very authentic.
The chicken here is also good, with crispy skin and moist interior
As I said before, there are better Peruvian chicken places in my city, so I was not blown away by the taste.
I enjoyed a glass of Chicha Morada, which is a typical corn non-alcoholic drink with my chicken
We hope you enjoyed our recommendations. Please come back for more recommendations from our travels around the world! Thank you!
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