Good Eats – Cusco, Peru

Well hello lovelies! How are my fellow world travelers today?

I have some exciting news! I recently returned from a trip to Peru and it was everything I hoped it would be and more! I have some friends who were staying in the little town of Ancahuasi, Peru (which I will write about in a blog post to come) that were continually urging me to come and visit them.

I was a bit nervous as this would be my first “solo” trip, but finally, in October 2018, I booked my tickets for a flight in January! My first thought was “Yay!”, my very next thought was “OH NO! That’s so soon! *terrified screaming*”

Ok, so I wasn’t that dramatic about it… no matter what my mom says.

While I didn’t stay in Cusco during my time in Peru, I had the chance to visit some of their best restaurants. Without further ado, here are my favorite places to eat in Cusco, Peru:

Morena

Morena was a chic, modern restaurant close to the town center of Cusco.

We were famished so my group and I asked for a couple orders of fries while we waited. They were absolutely delicious! The fries tasted much different than the ones back home and *bonus* they were served with an unique ‘honey mustard’ type sauce.

*Note – Be very careful about eating sauces at any establishment in Peru. Many places do not refrigerate such items even though most of them contain eggs or milk. You will get VERY sick. It’s best to ask or look it up online to see if it’s safe first.*

I also got a Passion Fruit Sour and my goodness it was outstanding! They make it right in front of you and it is very authentic for the area. If you have the chance I say it is definitely something you don’t want to miss out on.

And of course, I messed up and once again tried to order a burger in a foreign country. Only eat burgers from the U.S. Try something new instead! There are plenty other local favorites on their menu!

Address:
348-B Calle Plateros Cusco Peru, Cusco 08000

La Valeriana

Great costumer service!

La Valeriana was the first restaurant I visited in Peru. Straight off the plane my friends were dying to take me here, and I even ended up coming back two more times!

They mainly focus on breakfast items, but I found that my favorite thing from here were the steak empanadas! I’ve tried empanadas almost everywhere I’ve been and I have never had any as good as the ones they serve here. I just wish I had remembered to take a photo before scarfing it down haha.

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Be sure try their coffee and homemade cakes as well *heart eyes*!

Address:
Avenida del Sol 576, Plazoleta Espinar, Cusco, Cuzco

El Francesito

Of course, I felt the need to add at least one restaurant that’s already on the top of Trip Advisors list! El Francesito is perfect for a fancy night out with your friends or a romantic one with your love.

Be warned, you have to climb many steps to get here, but its all worth it once you taste the delicious French Cuisine. The atmosphere of this restaurant was one that really enraptured me more than anything. Once we walked inside, I noticed that we weren’t inside at all, instead it seemed more like a courtyard. It was beautiful.

Unfortunately, We went on a Monday night and they seemed to be out of almost everything, including the lamb! *Crying face*

You may have better luck going later in the week.

Address: Calle Siete angelitos 638, Cusco 08000

Carpe Diem: Cucina Italiana

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Finally, the moment you’ve all been waiting for! This was by far my favorite place to eat in all of Peru. Each and every time we stopped in Cusco we had to come here to eat.

It’s a small hole-in-the-wall (the best kind) located directly across the street from Morena. The atmosphere is friendly and energetic and the food is to die for!

Great pizza, amazing tiramisu, and the best ossobuco I have ever had! The owner is an Italian who married a Peruvian, and every recipe he makes came straight from his grandma, who got it from her grandma, and so on and so forth.

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I don’t think I can even recommend one thing, just try it all!

All the ingredients arrive fresh each day and nothing is ever frozen.

Well, thanks for letting me rant about food haha! I hope I didn’t make you too hungry!

Now you’re ready to get out there and see what Peru has to offer! Safe travels my friend!

Thanks for visiting

I’m so happy you decided to come and see me! Stay tuned for more travel tips about Peru coming soon.

Let’s chat

Have you been to Peru? What was your favorite part and did I miss one of you’re favorite restaurants? Let me know in the comments below!

Disclaimer: All photos in this post belong to Brooke Walker. Any use of these photos without permission will not be tolerated.