I thought I was done breaking down my Peru trip from May, but I realized that I didn’t even discuss the food, apart from mentioning how I ate guinea pig. I’d heard about the Chinese influences found in parts of Peru, but otherwise, I had no idea what to expect. I knew it would be a lot of meat due to my travels in Central America, but I found a surprising amount of vegetarian and vegan restaurants as well.
Lomo saltado
Lomo saltado is perhaps the most common dish in Peru (no, not guinea pig) and is like a stir fry with sirloin and vegetables, served with rice and or fries. I had an authentic variety for lunch one day on my Inca Trail trip, which was much needed after a long hike, and a modern version with Chinese influences at Kion, one of the top restaurants in Cusco.
Tamales
My friend Sarah had traveled to Peru a few weeks before I did, so she wrote me a list of places I had to eat. One was basically a random stall in the main plaza in Cusco and her directions included which bar they set up in front of.
Josefina’s tamales sell out quickly and she sells sweet and savory varieties. I have no idea what was inside, perhaps chicken, but each one cost around 30 cents! She sets up by Paddy’s Irish Pub, in case you go searching, but go early.
Cuy pasta
I didn’t know I wanted Italian food, but I was still adjusting to Peru and was in search of familiar flavors. My dinner at Incanto was a compromise with pasta made with cuy, also known as guinea pig. The pieces weren’t big, so they weren’t overwhelming.
I was also incredibly impressed with the freshly made pasta made at the high altitude. They also serve pizza and beer made nearby. It cost a bit more than a Peruvian meal would have but was a nice change.
Milanesa de Pollo
After wandering around the market on the free Cusco walking tour, I randomly chose a stall to have lunch as I waited out the rain. This was also one of my cheapest meals at $1.50. It was too hot for soup, so I opted for a fried chicken cutlet with potatoes and rice. Everything was cooked right in front of you and eaten on a small plastic stool, like the ones I’d seen in Southeast Asia.
Curry sweet potato bowl
I was dealing with jetlag and altitude sickness but was starving, so I walked down the street from my hostel to Las Frescas, a veggie-friendly restaurant. This bowl was light enough to keep me from feeling too full but was plenty of food to get me through the day.
Burger
I went all the way to Peru to eat a burger? The hilly San Blas neighborhood is home to Limbus Restobar, the restaurant in Cusco with the absolute best views. A patio juts over the orange tiled roofs, making it the perfect place to grab a drink or meal. My burger was fantastic, cooked perfectly, and paired with hand cut fries.
Lake Titicaca trout
Once I arrived in Puno, I knew I had to try fish from the region’s largest lake. I had it twice, once in town and once on Taquile Island at a local’s home. Both times, I found it to be tasty, slightly resembling salmon, and paired with fries, rice, and vegetables (like just about every meal in Peru).
Vegan dumplings
Arequipa is a surprising food town, so I was pleased to find a few vegan places. Another blogger had recommended El Buda Profano, so I stopped for a quick bite. The vegan gyoza came with vegetables, nuts, and tofu with a delicious dipping sauce. It was the perfect afternoon snack.
Ceviche
I wish I’d eaten more of it during my trip! The only time I had ceviche was on a Peru Hop bus between Arequipa and Nazca. We stopped for lunch at a seaside restaurant so we had open-air views of the water and a nice breeze. It was the perfect place to enjoy my surroundings before getting back on a bus for a few hours.
Fried fish
As I mentioned in my Paracas post, fried food was the main draw at restaurants in this coastal town. I had some sort of white fish that was flaky and delicious, along with fried yucca. There were similar menus at all of the neighboring restaurants, so I don’t remember the name of this one in particular.
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