6 best cafés in Cusco
As one of the world’s leading producers of organic coffee beans, Peru is known for its specialty coffee – and Cusco is no exception. Wander through the cobbled streets of San Blas after your Spanish classes in Cusco or take a stroll around the Plaza de Armas and you’ll find a wealth of independent cafés and restaurants boasting locally-sourced coffee, freshly-roasted beans and more. But which ones are truly worth a visit?
We’ve put together an insider’s guide to the best coffee shops in central Cusco – whether you’re looking for a cold brew hit, non-dairy alternatives, or somewhere you can cosy up and use the WiFi, there’s sure to be somewhere for you.
1. Organika Bakery & Coffee
Just off the Plaza de Armas, Organika offers some of the best speciality coffee in town using locally-grown Peruvian beans that are roasted on-site weekly, as well as bags of ground coffee to purchase. Choose from a range of different preparation methods, from traditional espresso-based coffees to Chemex and Japanese siphon – all available to enjoy in their light, airy cafe or to take away.
They also have a range of fresh juices, housemade sourdough breads and pastries (try their empanadas!) and an array of healthy brunch and lunch dishes using organic vegetables from their own garden, including vegetarian and gluten-free options.
Open Monday – Sunday, 8am – 10pm
Calle San Juan de Dios 214 – Plaza Regocijo
2. Florencia & Fortunata
Founded in 2021 in a renovated colonial casona just off the Plaza de Armas, this stunning coffee shop and roastery is a social project with the mission of promoting the visibility of Peruvian women in the coffee industry.
From the moment you walk into the minimalist, light-filled cafe you’ll be welcomed by an all-female barista team, and their specialty coffee is sourced from exclusively female coffee farmers from various regions across Peru, empowering women right through the coffee-producing chain.
The menu features a range of different coffee preparation methods including filter, origami and cold brew, alongside a selection of teas, hot chocolate, juices, housemade pastries and tostadas. They also have bags of coffee beans and ground coffee available to purchase.
The cafe won the Specialty Coffee Association’s first Coffee Design Award 2023 for its striking interior design, making it a beautiful place to relax and while away an hour or two with your laptop or a good book.
3. Xapiri Ground
This light, leafy cafe is part of a centre of Amazonian art and culture, just a couple of minutes’ walk from our Spanish school in San Blas.
Xapiri Ground is dedicated to enabling people to access the artwork of Indigenous communities across the Amazon basis of Peru, and has four small exhibition rooms where they rotate displays of contemporary art pieces, as well as a small library of books and a shop with art and beautiful crafts handmade by local Amazonian artists – all free to enter.
The cafe menu is small but perfectly-formed, with a selection of coffee, hot cacao, infusions and sweet treats – including their Amazonian brownie which is to die for!
Downstairs on the patio, you can find a couple of tables with benches and a little sofa area tucked away in a recess to fit two – upstairs, there’s a mezzanine with bar seating that’s perfect to set up with your laptop and connect to the super-fast WiFi.
4. L’Atelier Concept
This tiny cafe/boutique in the heart of San Blas was founded by a French designer who visited Cusco travelling, fell in love with the city and never looked back. On the ground floor you’ll find a range of handmade jewellery and vintage clothing from local independent designers; make your way up the spiral staircase to discover the cafe, with just a handful of tables and a small balcony overlooking the Calle de Atoqsayk’uchi.
The menu has a focus on showcasing local artisanal produce, from organic coffee and teas to fresh fruit juices, housemade cakes, Peruvian beer and wine by the glass. They also offer a range of vegan treats and make their own dairy-free hazelnut and almond milks in-house.
Monday to Saturday, 8am – 7pm
Atoqsayk’uchi 695A, Cusco
5. Café D’Wasi Peruvian Coffee
Founded by the son of a local coffee farmer, Cafe D´Wasi’s name comes from the Quechuan word wasi, meaning home – reflecting their goal of promoting coffee grown and produced here in the region of Cusco.
When the cafe opened its doors in Calle Heladeros in 2015, it was one of the first specialty coffee providers in the city. The owner has since opened a further two locations to satisfy Cusco’s discerning coffee-lovers – though in our opinion the original is still the best of the trio!
All coffee is roasted on-site, with a small blackboard providing information about the origin of the beans.
Their menu features traditional espresso-based and drip coffees alongside a range of other artisanal extraction methods including Chemex, Aeropress and cold brew. They also offer an extensive breakfast and lunch menu, with housemade bread and pastries.
Original Cafe D´Wasi
Monday – Sunday, 7am – 10.30pm
C. Heladeros 135
Cafe D´Wasi 2.0
Monday – Sunday, 7am – 11pm
Sta. Catalina Angosta 175
Café D´wasi Magisterio
Monday – Sunday, 7am – 11pm
Av. Jose Gabriel Cosio 204
6. Onírica Tostaduria & Brew Bar
Onírica – an adjective that refers to dreams, fantasies and everything ‘unreal’.
This small hole-in-the-wall roastery and cafe is a spot for genuine coffee lovers, with a range of methods of extraction from the traditional to the experimental – choose from traditional Italian mokka and French press to Japanese origami, V60, Chemex and more.
Pull up a stool and chat to Onírica’s knowledgeable baristas about the varieties of specialty coffee they have available that week, all freshly roasted on-site. Don’t expect much in the way of cosy coffee shop vibes – there are just a couple of outdoor tables – but it’s the perfect spot for a quick caffeine hit on the go. They also offer bags of coffee beans and ground coffee to take away, as well as a selection of sweet treats.
Calle Choquechaka 152 – San Blas
