Vegetarian and Vegan Food in Cusco: a Practical Guide

Cusco cuisine is rich in potatoes, corn, quinoa and Andean vegetables — more veggie-friendly than many travelers expect. Here's what we've learned accompanying tourists with these diets.

Traditional dishes that already are (or can be) vegetarian

• Quinoa stew or quinoa soup: plant-based base, ask if they use meat broth.
• Native potatoes with Andean sauces (huancaína without the dairy-based touch in vegan versions, ocopa): ask what type of cheese is used.
• Choclo con queso (corn with cheese): simple and available at almost any market.
• Vegetarian stuffed rocoto: some versions replace meat with vegetables or quinoa.

What to always ask

Many broths and stews use meat stock as a base even when the dish "looks" vegetarian — don't assume, ask specifically "does the broth contain meat?"

Areas with the most options

• San Blas: concentrates most cafés and restaurants with dedicated vegetarian/vegan menus, geared toward international tourism.
• San Pedro Market: a good option for fruit, juices and a few stalls with affordable vegetarian options.
• Healthy-food and international chains also have a presence in the historic center.

Useful menu keywords

• "Vegetariano" and "vegano" are already understood at most tourist-oriented restaurants.
• "Sin carne" (no meat) is clearer than just saying "vegetarian" at less touristy spots.

Common allergens to watch for

• Peanuts are used in several Andean sauces.
• Dairy (fresh cheese) shows up in many "vegetarian" dishes that aren't suitable for strict vegans.

Our recommendation

If you have strict restrictions, tell your guide before the tour — most restaurants used on our itineraries can adapt the menu with advance notice.

Traveling with specific dietary needs? Let us know when booking and we'll coordinate meal stops around your diet.

Andean ingredients worth trying

The Andean pantry is huge and much of it is plant-based:

• Native potatoes: Peru has thousands of varieties. In markets you'll see purple and yellow potatoes and odd shapes that don't exist anywhere else.
• Quinoa and kiwicha: protein-rich Andean grains, in soups, stews, salads and even drinks.
• Tarwi (chocho): a high-protein Andean legume, ideal for vegans. It's eaten in salads or as "chocho ceviche".
• Giant Cusco corn: corn with huge kernels, typical of the Sacred Valley.
• Olluco, oca and mashua: Andean tubers almost nobody knows outside the Andes.
• Fruit: cherimoya, granadilla, lúcuma and golden berry, perfect for juices at San Pedro market.

How to order at local restaurants

At set-menu restaurants, a vegetarian dish isn't always on the menu, but they'll often make one if you ask. Useful phrases:

• "¿Tiene algún plato sin carne?" (Do you have a dish without meat?)
• "Soy vegetariano, no como carne, pollo ni pescado." (I'm vegetarian, I don't eat meat, chicken or fish. Mentioning chicken and fish helps: some people don't consider them "meat".)
• "¿Me lo puede preparar sin queso ni huevo?" (Can you make it without cheese or egg?) if you're vegan.
• "¿La sopa tiene caldo de carne o de pollo?" (Is the soup made with meat or chicken stock?)

More phrases in our guide to useful Spanish and Quechua phrases.

Eating on tours

Full-day tours usually serve a buffet, which makes things much easier: there's always rice, potatoes, salads, vegetables and often a quinoa dish.

• Sacred Valley VIP: buffet lunch with local food.
• Humantay Lake and Rainbow Mountain: breakfast and buffet lunch.

If you tell us when booking that you're vegetarian or vegan, we arrange it in advance so you have plenty of options.

Snacks for mountain days

For pre-dawn tours and hikes, bring your own snacks: nuts, dark chocolate, bananas and quinoa bars sold at the markets. Options are limited in rural areas.

To discover the local dishes beyond the vegetarian options, read our guide to what to eat in Cusco.

Frequently asked questions

Is it hard to be vegan in Cusco?

Not as much as it seems — San Blas and downtown have dedicated options, though outside tourist areas you'll need to ask more.

Do tours include vegetarian options?

Most operators, us included, can adapt lunch if notified when booking.

Which typical dish is 100% plant-based with no changes needed?

Choclo con queso (without the cheese) or Andean vegetable-quinoa salads tend to be safe, tasty options.