Cusco's best food is often not in the restaurants on the main square, and a walking food tour is a practical way to find it. This one is run by a local operator, starts at Plaza Santa Catalina just past the monastery entrance, and lasts around two to three hours. The operator's page does not list the stops, but reviewers describe a mix of street food, restaurants and small shops, with tastings that include tamales, churros, potatoes, anticuchos, causa, street barbecue, picarones, chicha morada and coffee or cacao, and a pisco sour for those who want one. The ticket includes the food, a local guide, coffee or tea, and local taxes, and the tour finishes where it started. Vegetarian options are available if you ask when booking, and the operator is clear that it cannot accommodate nut allergies. It runs in all weather, is stroller and wheelchair accessible, and has a rating of 4.9 from well over a hundred reviews. Tours are small: the operator's page gives a maximum of six travelers, although a category listing says ten, so confirm the group size when booking.
A food tour works best early in a trip, because it teaches you what to order afterwards. Anticuchos are grilled beef-heart skewers, causa is a layered potato dish, picarones are squash-and-sweet-potato doughnuts with syrup, and chicha morada is a spiced purple-corn drink; eating them in context, with someone explaining why each is served the way it is, makes menus much easier to navigate. The guide also acts as an informal orientation to the historic center, so you finish with a better idea of where to return.
Pay attention to the practical details. The booking page says the booking is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason, so lock in your plans first; arrive a few minutes early to sign a waiver; and mention every allergy and dietary requirement at booking. Wheat, sugar, dairy, meat, peanuts and corn all appear in the standard tastings. Children must be accompanied by an adult. The tastings add up to a light meal rather than a full dinner, so plan accordingly, and eat lightly beforehand.
How it compares
The cooking class in this guide is the better choice if you want to learn recipes, the San Pedro Market is the place to explore on your own, and this tour is the best for sampling a wide range of small bites in a short time. It suits solo travelers, couples and groups of friends and works well on a first evening after the altitude has settled, though go slowly with alcohol at 3,400 meters.
What to expect
The experience
A guided walking tour of the old city with tastings at street stalls, small restaurants and shops, starting and ending at Plaza Santa Catalina.
Best time
Choose a time at booking; an afternoon or early-evening session works well as a first-day orientation.
How long
About two to three hours.
Tips
Arrive a few minutes early to sign the waiver, tell the operator about dietary needs when booking (nut allergies cannot be accommodated), and expect the tour to run in all weather.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Curious eaters who want to taste a wide range of Cusco street food and small-restaurant dishes with a local guide.
- Families
- Fine for children who like to try new food; children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Couples
- A relaxed way to spend an evening in the old city, with the option of a pisco sour.
- Pair with
- The cooking class and market tour, a walk through San Blas or a meal at one of the places you tasted.
- Time needed
- Three hours including the walk back.
Good questions
Where does the tour meet?+
At Plaza Santa Catalina, just past the Santa Catalina Monastery entrance, and the tour ends at the same point.
What kind of food will we eat?+
Reviewers describe street food, restaurants and small shops, with tamales, churros, potatoes, anticuchos, causa, street barbecue, picarones, chicha morada and coffee or cacao.
Can vegetarians join?+
Yes, if you request vegetarian options when booking. The operator cannot accommodate nut allergies.
How big are the groups?+
Small. The operator states a maximum of six, though one listing says ten, so confirm when you book.
Can I cancel or change the booking?+
The booking page says the experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason.
