Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Cusco
Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Cusco
Before coming to Cusco to study Spanish in Peru sometimes students are concerned that it will be difficult to find good and affordable vegetarian meals in Peru. Therefore we made this lists of go-to places for everyone traveling or learning Spanish in Cusco. It includes the favorite vegetarian dishes at the best vegetarian restaurants in Cusco with suitable prices.
Many students were involved and they gave us their favorite vegetarian restaurants they found while learning Spanish in Cusco and living in Cusco. This is their list of Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Cusco!
Go-To-Places with Favorite Vegetarian Meals in Cusco
1. Jack’s Café
A restaurant in classic American-style serving until late hours a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner meals in big portions.
Favorite dish:
Wheat tortilla flipped in half with filled beans in tomato sauce, melted cheese in-between the tortilla, on the other side of the plate: a crispy salad consisting of curly lettuce, carrot, tomato and cucumber in a mild balsamic dressing, and guacamole, sour cream and minced onions on the side. Price: 22 Nuevos Soles Peruanos (S/. )
Comments: “It is the perfect meal. I can eat this meal any time of day, any day. Plus, it is very filling and nutritious”.
Tip 1: Complete this meal with an iced Papaya-Banana Juice or a fresh Lemonade with Mint – Price S/.
Tip 2: Add scrambled eggs (Price S/. 6) because eggs go so well with the beans and guacamole.
2. Green Point
The finest vegan restaurant in Cusco with a surprising variety of choices, where the dishes taste as good as they look, and where every meal is made with attention.
Favorite dish:
Chaufa rice with momos – (Price S/. 24). Arroz chaufa is a classic Peruvian-style fried-rice dish, sold on every corner in Cusco.
Comments: “This is the best chaufa rice I have had so far in Peru. The rice and vegetables are perfectly cooked, crispy, and fried in a sweet, not-so-salty, soy sauce maintaining the perfect balance of flavors. Then there are the Momos on the side, sprinkled with a sweet-sour sauce. Momos are oven-baked, vegetable dough-dumplings, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside.”
Tip 1: Add a delicious juicy chocolate fruit-smoothie for S/. 10!
Tip 2: On your way-out grab a vegan chocolate trufa (truffle) for S/. 3 (and, thank me later!).
3. Tacomania
The best Mexican restaurant in Cusco with the classics such as taco, burrito, enchilada, fajita, and chimichanga. All meals have vegetarian options and are worth a try. The ingredients are fresh, they serve big portions, and the restaurant has a comfortable and spacious environment, and an open kitchen to view how your next favorite dish is prepared!
Favorite dish:
Enchiladas with vegetarian fillings such as black bean or vegetable mushroom filling (S/. 23) Oven-baked rolled tortillas, filled with the pre-mentioned fillings, gratinated with cheese, placed in a quadratic bowl with tomato sauce.
Comments: “This is like the bigger brother of a lasagne, and I could eat this meal every day.”
Tip: Add additional sauces to enrich your enchiladas such as guacamole, bean or spicy tomato sauce.
4. La Suprema
There is an overload of pizzerias in Cusco, and it is always a debate where to eat the best pizza in Cusco. Any vegetarian pizza of your choice will cost between S/. 20 – S/. 30 (depending on the size) and is delicous.
Tip Add or remove any ingredient to or from your pizza. Never forget to add pineapples!
5. Café Carvalho
Café Carvalho is one of the three best places to eat pizza in Cusco. Don’t get confused by their wide-range of worldly cuisines included on the menu such as authentic Indian food (the owner is from India) and tasty American sandwiches. All meals are delicious, the service is exceptional, and the owners make you feel at home.
Favorite dish:
Pizza – S/. 20 – S/. 25 (depending on the ingredients). The pizza dough is made of quinoa flour, and the cheese is mixed with mozzarella. This gives the pizza a crusty ground and cheesy taste, just how a pizza should be.
Comments: “I have tried the vegetarian korma multiple times, made with spices and herbs imported from India!”
Tip: Here you can also add or remove any ingredient of your choice.
6. Korma Sutra
An authentic Indian place in Cusco in a cozy setting with delicious Indian food. You can have a glimpse into the kitchen and see (and smell!) how the food is prepared using fresh and authentic ingredients.
Favorite dish:
Vegetarian korma with rice – S/. 25. The vegetarian korma is with various vegetables, coconut milk and spicy, and has a very creamy texture.Tip: No korma is complete without a Mango Lassie (S/.9!).
7. Limbus Bar
The best restaurant-bar located in the hills, with a stunning view of beautiful Cusco. Also, a great place to have drinks and to socialize with friends.
Favorite dish:
Asian stir fried noodles and vegetables (ask for the vegetarian version, without chicken) – S/.25.
Comments: The noodles and vegetables are fried perfectly, with the right amount of soy sauce and spices.
Tip: An Anis or Coca tea to help you digest the fried noodles to finish your meal! Or, try their variety of artisanal beers.
A Few Special Tips
8. Luxury Tip: La Bodega
A beautiful restaurant where the prices are somewhat higher than the other places I have included in this list, but it’s but worth a go for a special occasion.
Favorite dish:
Vegetarian lasagne – S/. 29: The lasagne is stone-oven baked. It is a relatively small portion, but the taste compensates for it. The lasagne with several layers of pasta with different vegetables in-between, tomato sauce and gratinated cheese are delicious.
Tip: If you have a big appetite, share with someone a medium (8-slice) or with a big group (12-slice) Pizza Azul (with blue cheese) as a starter.
9. Breakfast Tip: Qosqomaki Paneria (bakery):
A traditional bakery in Cusco with a team of young and passionate bakers. Everything is baked fresh daily!
Favorite dish:
Whole wheat bruschetta with gratinated cheese, a sweet castaña croissant with a sweet filling mixed with nuts, and a banana-papaya juice! – S/. 2-10.
Tip: Take their coffee to go, or one of the other pastries to go and enjoy those during the rest of the day!
Other recommendations: other favorites: black coffee, chocolate brownie, croissant bathed in chocolate, cheese empanada.
10. Lunch Tip: Govinda Lila
This is a stand in the San Blas market, only open between 12 and three. It is a hidden jewel. They also serve other daily vegan dishes for S/. 7.
Favorite dish:
Falafel – S/. 10: The plate consists of two crispy falafel patties, sweet potato fries, one bun, salad, guacamole and a variety of sauces. If available, you will get soup.
Tip: Ask for subsite the white bread for whole wheat bread and while your meal is getting prepared, walk a few stands further to grab a healthy juice-mix for approximately S/. 5 with ingredients of your choice. How about a papaya, banana, strawberry, carrot, beet juice with a shot of honey?
11. Dessert Tip: La Esquina
A freshly baked pie of your choice finished off with homemade, fresh ice cream. Recommended: apple pie with chocolate mint and cookies ice cream or chocolate brownie with coconut and lemon ice cream! The staff here is friendly, and it is very comfortable inside.
12. Fast Food Tip: Subway
Everyone knows Subway, but you probably didn’t know they are in Cusco, too. It is located 5 minutes from the Plaza de Armas, and the opening hours are from the early morning until almost midnight. This makes Subway a great place for a quick eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night snack.
There is not much needed to describe this fast-food restaurant. It is famous for its big and versatile sandwiches that you can assemble yourself. For a fast food restaurant, Subway is probably a fresher and healthier option than other known fast food options in town. Plus, they have a vegetarian dish which is very rare for most fast food places in Cusco. So, this is a good go-to fast food vegetarian dish.
Sandwich tip: Vegetarian 30cm Sandwich – S/. 20
A recommended sandwich at Subway is the basic vegetarian sandwich, which looks like this: sweet oatmeal bread, cheddar cheese, lettuce, carrot, cucumber, jalapenos, pickles, onion, olives, avocado, and as a sauce: barbecue and chipotle southwest.
Tip: Add extra cheese to your sandwich for an additional 1.50S. The extra melted cheese adds an extra cheesy taste to your sandwich.
Do we have to say more?
As you see, Cusco is a paradise, not only regarding “Inca ruins”, ‘cultural heritage” or “natural beauty”.
Cusco is also a great place for foodies as there is a good selection of really nice (vegetarian) restaurants as you have seen with this list List Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Cusco. Together with the endless opportunities for sightseeing and having fun, Cusco is the perfect destination in Peru to learn Spanish!
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(thanks to Merdan Albayrak)