Flavors that remain

Peru is a country that can be understood from its gastronomic tradition, one of the most delicious ways to get into the local culture. Peruvian cuisine has flavor, color, and history. And there are so many options that having a list of recommended restaurants will always be a good idea.

5 must-visit restaurants in Cusco

Both in the city and in the Sacred Valley, the Andean tradition and landscape are expressed to perfection in the local food. Fresh ingredients, spaces with design and art, and new culinary concepts in this list of must-visit restaurants in Cusco. 

Cusco: Destino culinario

Both in the city and in the Sacred Valley, the Andean tradition and landscape are expressed to perfection in the local food. Fresh ingredients, spaces with design and art, and new culinary concepts in this list of must-visit restaurants in Cusco. 
Inti Raymi
Novo-Andean cuisine emerged as a genre of Peruvian gastronomy that set out to rediscover the original cuisine by retaking ingredients and styles but fused with international techniques. This ethnically diverse approach, with a sophisticated look, is the one followed by the Inti Raymi restaurant at the Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Cusco. Here, homage is paid to Andean products and the fusion of cultures by offering avant-garde cuisine with local products. 
The menu includes everything from chupe de langostinos, tiradito and cebiche to main courses with seafood, guinea pig, trout, and beef, accompanied by regional products such as quinoa, purple corn, or Peruvian cocoa in different versions. In addition, at the Inti Raymi restaurant you will dine surrounded by the colonial paintings and sculptures that make up the hotel’s collection and overlooking the inner courtyard of Palacio del Inka.  

MAP Café
It is located in the central courtyard of the Pre-Columbian Art Museum of Cusco and, in addition to the cultural visit, at MAP Café you will discover a high-level cuisine that incorporates local ingredients and classic flavors of Peruvian cuisine, prepared with a personal touch.  
Here you can find dishes such as hot cebiche, huatia potato (an ancestral Andean tuber), a preparation of paiche (Amazonian fish), and side dishes such as mashed highland potato and caramelized quince. Because of its gastronomy, location, and design, it is a hidden treasure and a place to eat while enjoying the beautiful architecture. 
Chicha
In Regocijo Square, in the heart of Cusco, Chicha offers a tribute to Peruvian food with the vision of renowned chef Gaston Acurio. Chicha reflects tradition, culture and ancient techniques that create “an enveloping, captivating and creative gastronomic proposal”.  
Some of the favorites are the crispy pork belly, which is marinated with a mixture of aromatic spices and accompanied by golden potatoes, corn, traditional Cusquenian zarza and chili creams; or the Cinco Razas chicken, which combines wood-fired cooking with an oriental touch. There is also happiness in simplicity, as evidenced by its traditional tender corn with paria cheese (a Cusquenian classic) and its spongy yellow potato bread. 
 MIL
It is a project of Peruvian chef Virgilio Martínez, whose restaurant Central, in Lima, is currently considered the best in the world according to the 50 Best guide. MIL stands at more than 3,500 meters above sea level in Moray, on the edge of an archaeological complex whose remains are just a few meters from the restaurant. That spirit permeates it. 
The project includes the Mater Research Center, which feeds the proposals of MIL, Central and Kjolle, the group’s restaurants. For this reason, MIL is considered more than a gastronomic proposal. Visitors have the opportunity to experience a journey that includes touring the crops, meeting endemic plants, as well as some local characters; and, finally, tasting a tasting menu of eight courses that are related to the Andean high-altitude ecosystems. 
 Hawa
Surrounded by the privileged nature of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa offers a life experience of Cusquenian gastronomy. Its Hawa restaurant was named after the Quechua word which means “heaven”; and here, flavors are discovered with a captivating view of the Vilcanota River, an outdoor terrace ideal for sunny days and a very warm internal environment. 
In addition, the hotel has its own 2000 square meter garden, so 90% of the vegetables and herbs used as ingredients are organic and go from the land to the table. 
The menu of Hawa was specially designed with Peruvian and novo-Andean dishes, from traditional to more sophisticated ones, as well as a variety of desserts and signature cocktails. Wild leaf salads, cebiches, different types of causas (made from tubers) and unique delicacies, such as alpaca shin from the altiplano, are some of the dishes that stand out on the menu. It thus becomes an essential stop during your stay.