Cusco, Peru Hotels and City Guide

Cusco - Restaurants

Food & Drink:

Not surprisingly for a country with such a diversity of geography and climates, Peru boasts the continent's most extensive and varied menu. In fact, Peru is rivalled in Latin America only by Mexico in the variety of its cuisine. Those who are willing to forego the normal traveller's fare of pizza and fried chicken are in for a tasty treat. Lunch is the main meal, and apart from the most exclusive places, most restaurants have a set lunch menu, called menú or menú económico. The set menu has the advantage of being ready and is served almost immediately and it is usually cheap; as little as US$1.75-3.50 for a three course meal. But don't leave it too late - most Peruvians eat lunch around 1230-1300. For really economically-minded people the Comedores populares found in the markets of most cities offer a standard three course meal for as little as US$1.

For those who wish to eschew such good value, the menu is called la carta. An à la carte lunch or dinner costs US$5-8, but can go up to an expensive US$80 in a first-class Lima restaurant, with drinks and wine included. Middle and high-class restaurants add 11% tax and 17% service to the bill. This is not shown on the price list or menu, so check in advance. Lower class restaurants charge only 5% tax, while cheap, local restaurants charge no taxes. Dinner in restaurants is normally about 1900 onwards, but choice may be more limited than lunchtime.

The situation for vegetarians is improving, but slowly. In Cusco you should have no problem finding a vegetarian restaurant (or a restaurant that has vegetarian options), and the same applies to Lima. Bars as we understand them in Europe or North America are not prevalent in Peru. Other than in the poorer working class districts, most people seem to do their drinking in restaurants, peñas, discos or at fiestas. In saying that, there are some very good bars/pubs in Cusco.

Hotels in Cusco, Peru