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 cozy 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 specialty coffee in town, using locally grown Peruvian beans roasted on-site weekly, as well as bags of ground coffee for 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 made with organic vegetables from their own garden, including vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Open Monday – Sunday, 7am – 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 dedicated to 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 exclusively from female coffee farmers across various regions of Peru, empowering women throughout the coffee-producing chain.

Would you like to take Spanish lessons in Cusco? Contact us or learn more here.

The menu features a range of 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.

Opening hours: Mon-Sat 8.30 am- 7.30 pm, Sunday 12 pm-6.30 pm

Address: Calle Suecia 332

 

 

3. Xapiri Ground

 

This light, leafy cafe is part of a center 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 basin 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.

New: Xapiri now has a “no laptop rule “, so no working there.

hours: 9am-8pm todos los dias

dirección: Plazoleta de San Blas 630

 

 

4. L’Atelier Concept

This tiny cafe/boutique in the heart of San Blas was founded by a French designer who visited Cusco while traveling, fell in love with the city and never looked back. On the ground floor you’ll find a range of handmade jewelry 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 focuses on showcasing local artisanal produce, from organic coffee and teas to fresh fruit juices, housemade cakes, and 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, 8 am – 7 pm

Atoqsayk’uchi 695A, Cusco

 

5. Café D’Wasi Peruvian Coffee

 

Founded by the son of a local coffee farmer, Café 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 beans’ origins.

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, 7 am – 10.30 pm
C. Heladeros 135

Cafe D´Wasi 2.0
Monday – Sunday, 7 am – 11 pm
Sta. Catalina Angosta 175

Café D´wasi Magisterio
Monday – Sunday, 7 am – 11 pm
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.

Opening hours: Mon- Sat 8 am- 6 pm

Calle Choquechaka 152 – San Blas

 

Would you like to take Spanish lessons in Cusco? Contact us or learn more here.

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