🍽️ 5 Traditional Cusco Dishes You Absolutely Must Try Before You Leave

Get ready to experience one of the most delicious sides of local culture!

1. 🐷 Cusqueñan Chicharrón

Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside — this deep-fried pork dish is a classic served for breakfast or lunch. It typically comes with boiled corn (mote), potatoes, pickled onions, and spicy chili sauce.

🔎 Where to find it: Head to Saylla, a town 30 minutes from Cusco, known for its legendary chicharronerías (chicharrón restaurants).

2. 🐹 Baked Guinea Pig (Cuy al Horno)

Cuy, or guinea pig, isn’t just a delicacy — it’s a cultural icon in the Andes. When baked in a clay oven with aromatic herbs, it becomes a rich and savory dish served with potatoes, corn, and spicy ground chili sauce.

It may be unusual to some, but it’s a must-try for those looking for a truly authentic experience.

📍 You’ll find it in traditional restaurants and in towns like Tipón or Lamay, where cuy is a local specialty.

3. 🥘 Adobo Cusqueño

A typical Sunday morning dish, adobo is a slow-cooked pork stew marinated in chicha de jora (fermented corn beer), garlic, Peruvian spices, and ají panca chili. It’s served hot with crusty Andean bread.

🌄 Best enjoyed in the morning, especially in Tipón or Lucre, known for their adobo restaurants.

4. 🐓 Hen Soup (Caldo de Gallina)

Found across Peru but especially cherished in Cusco, caldo de gallina is a rich, hearty soup made with large pieces of hen, thick noodles, potatoes, hard-boiled egg, and Andean herbs.

💡 Dealing with altitude sickness? A hot bowl of this soup is both healing and comforting.

5. 🌽 Tamales & Humitas

These traditional corn-based snacks are steamed in corn husks and sold by street vendors early in the morning.

• Humitas are soft and slightly sweet or savory (often filled with cheese).
• Tamales are heartier, sometimes filled with meat, olives, and spices.

🕘 Perfect for a quick bite while exploring the city or paired with a hot herbal tea.

🧂 Bonus Tip: Try the local chili sauces

Most of these dishes come with spicy sauces like:

• Ají amarillo (yellow chili)
• Rocoto (super hot red chili)
• Uchucuta – a green Andean salsa made with huacatay (black mint), peanuts, and cheese

⚠️ Say “just a little” if you’re not used to spicy food!

✨ Conclusion

Food is one of the most delicious ways to understand a culture. In Cusco, every dish carries centuries of history, tradition, and flavor you won’t find anywhere else in the world. So come hungry — and let the flavors of the Andes win you over.