Peru Food Tourism: A Foodie’s Guide to Cusco, the Sacred Valley and the Andes
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Peru Food Tourism: A Foodie’s Guide to Cusco, the Sacred Valley and the Andes
Culinary travel is one of the fastest-growing reasons people choose a destination, and Peru has quietly become one of the most exciting food countries on the planet. Lima’s restaurants regularly top the world’s best lists, but the real surprise for most visitors is the Andes. In Cusco and the Sacred Valley, thousands of years of agricultural know-how meet a modern generation of chefs, and the result is some of the most memorable eating you will do anywhere.
If you are the kind of traveller who plans trips around markets and menus, this guide is for you. Here is how to eat your way through the Peruvian highlands.
Start with the classics
Some dishes you simply have to try, and Peru delivers them at every price point, from street stalls to white-tablecloth dining rooms.
- Ceviche — fresh fish cured in lime, chilli and red onion. A coastal icon that has travelled inland beautifully.
- Lomo saltado — a stir-fry of beef, onions and tomatoes over fries and rice, and a perfect example of Peru’s Chinese-Peruvian fusion.
- Ajà de gallina — a creamy, gently spiced shredded-chicken dish that feels like comfort food from the first bite.
- Cuy and alpaca — the adventurous end of the menu, and a genuine taste of Andean tradition.
The Andean pantry you have never heard of
Peru is home to thousands of varieties of potato and dozens of native grains and corns. On a trip through the highlands you will meet purple corn, giant Cusqueño kernels, tarwi, and quinoa in forms far beyond the packet you know from home. Trying these ingredients where they are grown, prepared by the families who have cultivated them for generations, is the heart of Peru food tourism.
Where to eat, region by region
Cusco
Cusco is the culinary launchpad of the southern Andes. Wander the San Pedro Market in the morning for fruit you cannot name and fresh juices, then book a proper dinner in the evening. A half-day Cusco city tour is a smart way to get oriented — you will learn the neighbourhoods, and your guide can point you to the places locals actually eat.
The Sacred Valley
The Sacred Valley is farm country, and it shows on the plate. This is where you find corn the size of your thumbnail, trout from mountain streams, and long lunches with a view of the terraces. Pair a food-focused day with the ruins and markets of Pisac and Ollantaytambo for the full experience.
On the trail
Do not assume trekking means bad food. On a supported route like the Salkantay Trek, camp cooks turn out multi-course meals at altitude that regularly astonish first-timers — soups, fresh bread, and hot dishes carried in and prepared from scratch. It is one of the quiet luxuries of hiking in Peru.
Make it a proper food trip
If food is your priority, build a route that combines Cusco, the Sacred Valley and a night or two near Machu Picchu, such as the Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu 3-day tour. You will get the markets, the farms, the fine dining and the icon, all in one unforgettable week. Hungry yet?