On my recent trip to Peru, I was determined to try cuy (guinea pig), a local delicacy. But not just anywhere. I wanted the best, so I went to Pachapapa – considered one of the finest restaurants in Cusco.
Location: Pachapapa is in the artsy San Blas neighborhood, directly in front of the San Blas Cathedral in Cusco. It’s just a few minutes’ walk from the Plaza de Armas – the historic colonial center of the city. Address: Plazoleta de San Blas 120, Cusco, Peru
Menu: Pachapapa has a diverse and delicious menu of traditional Peruvian cuisine, and a list of unique specialty drinks. They also serve pizza and calzones.
Thoughts: Peru is famous for its Andean dishes made with guinea pig and alpaca. My friend, Alison, is a vegetarian, but agreed to accompany me on my quest for cuy. During the previous week in Peru’s Sacred Valley with AdventureSmith Explorations, I’d had opportunities to sample small bites of guinea pig, but I passed them up – I was holding out for the whole experience, i.e. the entire rodent, served up on a platter.
We walked to Pachapapa from our hotel near Cusco’s historic center, purportedly the best restaurant for Peruvian food. Passing through the exterior door, you’re immediately enveloped in a cozy, rustic open-air courtyard, with river rock flooring and wooden picnic-style tables and benches shaded by individual canopies. At the back is an open grill and hearth. It was a chilly night, so we chose a large table near one of the outside heaters.
“To stay at this large table, you may be joined by other customers,” warned our waiter. “Or, you can choose a smaller table in the center of the restaurant.”
We decided to take our chances with other diners. Why not?
Read the rest of this Pachapappa review in The Yums.
More things to do in Cusco.
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