Cusco: Food, Drinks, and the market

As my time here in Cusco is coming to an end, I have decided to list my favorite foods, drinks, and market surprises that I have encountered throughout my adventures. Cusco and the surrounding towns are filled with fantastic selections. Below are my favorites!

Foods:

-White fish and trout. This is my go-to at most restaurants. It is healthy and surprisingly tasty. So far, Perú has had some great fish options, and I imagine that it will only get better when we get closer to the sea in Lima.

-It is imperative to try Alpaca while in Perú. Yesterday, I went to Chakruna and had the Alpaca burger. It came with fries and an assortment of sauces. This was my first time trying Alpaca and it did not disappoint! If I had to describe it, Alpaca tastes similar to Lamb.

-Last week, we made our own chocolate at ChocoMuseo. During the chocolate-making class, we were taught the steps of cooking chocolate, starting with the cocoa bean. The process is extremely fascinating and I would recommend this class to anyone in Cusco.

Some of my favorite restaurants:

-Crepería la Bo’m: This place has French crepes turned into Peruvian crepes made with local flower. I ordered the El Huerto crepe, which was a vegetarian crepe with parmesan. I really enjoyed this place because the food was different than anything else I have had in the world.

-Limo: This place has the best sushi and seafood that I have found in Perú. While pricier, Limo was delicious and definitely worth it.

-Chakruna: This burger spot is cheap yet amazing. It is right by our hotel Casa Elena and is worth a visit.

-Monkey Cafe: Monkey Cafe is the best cafe that I have encountered in Cusco. The place is very small, so it may be hard to visit with big groups, but everything there is delicious. Also, they have really great craft beer that is worth trying.

Drinks:

-My go-to beer here in Perú has been Cusqueña trigo and then the Cusqueña dorada, which is the golden lager version. The wheat version is slightly more expensive but better in my opinion.

-I am on my adventure to find the best pisco sour in Perú. I have only had a few, but so far the best one is at Museo del Pisco. While on the pricier side, Museo del Pisco is worth checking out--the live music there is authentic and great.

-While in Perú, I have developed an addiction to tea. My two favorite teas are Manzanilla and Hierba Luisa. I find Manzanilla to be smooth and great in the mornings. Furthermore, Hierba Luisa was key during my initial days in Cusco, as it helped with altitude

-Juices: Try anything with ginger. The ginger drink of the day at Crepería la Bo’m was exceptional. Additionally, the strawberry juice at plaza cafe is extremely refreshing.

Market and street vendors:

-While in Perú, I have noticed that a lot of the vendors carry similar merchandise. Everything is colorful and everyone wants you to visit their shop. When shopping and dealing with street vendors, it is important to know that not everything is hand-made and that it is easy to bargain with vendors regarding their prices. After visiting many shops, it becomes easier to identify what is hand-made and what is machine-made. If something is stitched too perfectly then it is machine-made. Also, you can tell by simply feeling the material.