Cusco and the Sacred Valley Restaurants

1. Apu Veronica

The family that owns this small restaurant pours passion into their business and their excellent food, which is made using local ingredients that are carefully sourced in ways that lend poorer communities a helping hand. To ensure that everyone who walks in gains a little more understanding of indigenous culture, the specialty here is meat prepared on stones that are full of nutritious, flavor-enhancing minerals. There are also veggie options and a daily menu.

2. Chuncho

A labor of love from someone born and raised in Ollantaytambo has resulted in a must-visit restaurant experience—one in which you will savor traditional ancestral foods made with the freshest of local ingredients and prepared to appeal to the foreign palate. The all-wood décor makes for a warm and rustic yet chic atmosphere, with Peruvian accents sprinkled throughout. If you like cocktails, you must try one using Destilería Andina’s artisanal hooch produced, like Chuncho, by the El Albergue family.

3. Cicciolina

Everyone seems to know everyone at this second-floor eatery, part lively tapas bar, part sit-down, candlelit restaurant. The tapas are delicious and varied, while the main dishes offer fabulous Mediterranean cuisine with twists from the Andes. You can order off the restaurant menu in the tapas bar, but not the other way around. Reservations are very strongly encouraged.

4. El Huacatay

One of the best restaurants in the Cusco region was serving Peruvian fusion before it became trendy, perfecting the art of combining flavors in a way that each one can be savored. You’ll need some time to decide between all the enticing options on the menu; the cuts of meat are amazingly tender, and there are some interesting vegetarian choices as well, not to mention an array of fabulous appetizers that might tempt you to just order a medley.

5. La Cantina

More a wine bar than a restaurant, La Cantina has walls lined with Italian vintages that are poured by a friendly and attentive staff, creating a setting that invites both sampling and lingering. For your meal, there are delicious pizzas with wafer-thin crusts and high-quality ingredients, plus meats and cheeses from the Old Country and a killer tiramisu for dessert. If the location in the center is full, there's another in the Magisterio neighborhood.

6. Marcelo Batata

Start with a drink made from one of the many house-made pisco infusions, and then move on to the Peruvian fusion that is Batata's specialty, in particular, mouthwatering alpaca steaks. With a rooftop terrace and a cozy interior dining room, the vibe here is in the sweet spot between upscale-but-friendly and romantic. The wine list is continuously improving, and you may be able to get in a wine or pisco tasting if you ask ahead of time. The restaurant also offers cooking classes that include a trip to the local market for the freshest ingredients.

7. Pacha Papa

The menu at this restaurant, which is modeled after a typical open-air quinta, with wooden tables scattered around a large patio, gets its influences from all over Peru, and the waiters are happy to explain what makes each traditional dish special. For a special treat, go for the underground-oven-baked pachamanca, in which different types of meats are slow roasted together with potatoes and aromatic herbs. This dish, as well as the cuy, has to be ordered 24 hours in advance, so plan ahead.

8. Fallen Angel

Come for the kitschy, fun, over-the-top decor: take your pick of seating from a brass daybed, a heart-shaped couch, or leopard- and cheetah-print stools, and dine off bathtubs that double as fish tanks covered with glass tops, watched over all the while by baroque angels, flying pigs, and disco balls in all sizes. The steak-driven menu, just like the decoration, is absolutely fabulous, darling. A massive angel sculpture presides over the courtyard, whose walls are painted to look like a sky full of clouds. This was one of Francisco Pizarro's houses, and it's doubtful that he envisioned anything so avant-garde. The decor encourages you to indulge, and you won't want to pass up a sinful dessert. There are plenty of tables, but if your heart is set on dinner here, make a reservation. Fallen Angel rents out similarly decorated, uniquely luxurious rooms upstairs starting at around US$200 per night.

9. Green Point

Although there are plenty of vegetarian options elsewhere, here vegetarians and vegans can order anything with a clear, animal-loving conscience. You can even have your coffee with nut milk. The menu of the day (S/22), which includes salad, soup, main course, dessert, and a drink, is one of the best deals in town and one many nonvegans flock to as well. You can also pick up some of that nondairy goodness to go, as well as a variety of fresh breads.

10. Greens Organic

Serving delicious dishes that you can feel good about eating, too, this restaurant's use of top-quality, locally produced, and organic ingredients makes it the go-to place in town. Whether you are a carnivore or a vegetarian, you'll find options to make your mouth water and ensure you leave satisfied. The organic offerings even extend to beer and wine. It also serves one of the better breakfasts in town.

11. Il Piccolo Forno

This little café is the place to go for pizza, lasagna, breads, desserts, and, of course, coffee. There are some vegetarian and gluten-free options, and they also feature a small selection of organic products.

12. Incanto

Stylish contemporary design in an Andean setting has made this large, upscale restaurant near the Plaza de Armas a hit with those looking for a classy night out. It dishes up Mediterranean-Andean fusion cuisine, meaning that traditional Italian favorites are given a twist thanks to the use of Peruvian ingredients and flavors. Wander down the back to the open kitchen, and don't forget to have a look at the original Inca wall on the way.

13. Inka Grill

Featuring soups, salads, a plethora of tasty appetizers, sandwiches, and hearty main dishes, as well as delicious desserts, this popular restaurant located in the Plaza de Armas offers both comfort and gourmet choices, all with a Peruvian flair. It's a great place to go when you are with a group that has varying tastes—even the pickiest of palates should find something to suit them—and it also features live Peruvian music.

14. Jack's Cafe

Scrumptious breakfasts can be had all day at this bright, busy, American-style café with Aussie roots, where you can order granola and yogurt, large fluffy pancakes, or a grand "brekkie" with bacon and eggs. Also on the menu are gourmet sandwiches, fresh salads, and a variety of other satisfying dishes. Everything is prepared in-house, including the delicious breads, and the coffee and hot chocolate are excellent. If you come during high season, you may have to line up to get a table; this jumping spot stays open well into the night.

15. Justina

Pizza is the only thing on the menu here, and drinks are limited, but if it's pizza and wine you're craving, this is one of the best places to get them. The atmosphere is relaxed—starting from the moment you enter the courtyard—but the colonial building is cozy, with only a few tables, so get here early.

16. Kampu

17. Kintaro

If you're craving Japanese food, you can get the real deal at Kintaro. Amid a quietly elegant atmosphere, you can order miso soup, udon, teriyaki dishes, tempura, a wide variety of fresh and authentic sushi, and hot or cold sake.

18. Kion

There are plenty of chifa—Peruvian--Cantonese cuisine—restaurants to be found along the side streets of town, but the best by far is Kion, with its modern decor and attentive service. Although the menu has many familiar Chinese offerings, like wontons and fried rice, the Peruvian influences and preparations make it a nice change from your neighborhood wok and, indeed, from straight-up Peruvian eateries.

19. Korma Sutra

Given the popularity of curries in England, it should come as no surprise that the best Indian food in town is served by a native Brit. You'll find a good assortment of spiciness here, from mild to mouth-on-fire; you'll also find vegetarian options.

20. La Bodega 138

The wide selection of pizzas, pastas, soups, and salads here, as well as a few great desserts, ensure that you will leave feeling satisfied. In particular, the unique blue cheese, bacon, and sauco (elderberry) pizza can't be beat. Be sure to accompany it with one of their reasonably priced wines or a selection from the extensive list of craft beers.