Cusco sits high in the Andes, but its food tells a story that stretches far beyond the mountains. Once the capital of the Inca Empire, the city became a crossroads where ancient Andean traditions met Spanish colonial cooking, creating one of Peru's most fascinating food cultures. Markets overflow with ingredients gathered from the Sacred Valley, the high Andes and even the Amazon rainforest, while recipes passed down for centuries continue to be served alongside newer Peruvian favourites.
 Before we get started, our tour reflects the local cuisine and the limitations of traditional eateries mean we unfortunately cannot cater for every dietary restriction. Here's an honest appraisal so nobody is disappointed:
 
⚠ Possible for lactose intolerance, no pork diets, mild peanut and tree nuts allergies, and no seafood diets, though some tastings will be unsuitable
 ✖️ Unsuitable for vegetarians, vegans, gluten intolerance and halal diets

There's no better place to understand Cusco than its markets. Our journey begins inside Mercado Wanchaq, where locals shop daily beneath colourful stalls piled high with produce from dramatically different climates. In one aisle you'll discover exotic fruits arriving from the Amazon basin, while nearby sit potatoes and giant corn varieties cultivated high in the Andes for thousands of years. We'll tuck into a sizzling pan con lomito, one of Peru's great street sandwiches, before chewing coca leaves just as Andean communities have done for centuries. Far more than a remedy for altitude, coca has long held deep cultural and spiritual significance throughout the Andes.

Leaving the market behind, we'll discover how Peru's extraordinary biodiversity continues to shape modern Cusqueñan cuisine. Fresh trout from the icy rivers surrounding Cusco is transformed into vibrant trout ceviche, proving Peru's national dish isn't reserved for the coast alone. Alongside comes causa limeña, delicate layers of seasoned potato filled with savoury ingredients that celebrate Peru's astonishing diversity of native potatoes. Paired with fragrant Andean herbal infusions, it's a meal that perfectly blends tradition with contemporary Peruvian cooking. As we continue through the city, colourful murals reveal another side of Cusco, celebrating Indigenous identity, local folklore and the enduring pride of the Andes.

Some of Peru's best food comes in small packages. Throughout the afternoon we'll snack our way through an ever-changing collection of local favourites, from towering King Kong layered pastries and giant toasted Andean corn to butifarra sandwiches, crispy papa rellena and tocto, the irresistible pairing of pork crackling and corn that Peruvians simply can't get enough of. No visit would be complete without a perfectly flaky meat-filled salteña, one of the Andes' most beloved pastries and a reminder that good things really do come wrapped in pastry.

Crossing Cusco's magnificent Plaza de Armas, we'll uncover the dramatic history of the city's spiritual and political heart. Once the ceremonial centre of the Inca Empire, the square later became the stage upon which Spanish colonial rule reshaped not only the city, but also its cuisine. European livestock, wheat and dairy arrived here, forever changing the flavours of the Andes. Our final savoury feast celebrates both worlds. We'll warm up with lawa, a comforting Andean corn soup, before trying Peru's most famous traditional delicacy: roasted cuy (guinea pig), enjoyed in the Andes long before Europeans ever arrived. Served alongside refreshing chicha morada, made from Peru's distinctive purple corn, it's a fitting finale to a journey through centuries of culinary history.

We finish on a sweet note with freshly made picarones, golden Peruvian beignets drizzled in fragrant syrup and served warm. There's more to this Cusco food tour than the dishes themselves. It's a journey through the markets, traditions and cultures that transformed the ancient capital of the Inca Empire into one of South America's most exciting food cities. Whilst it's possible to eat well in Cusco on your own, you'd be hard-pushed to uncover these stories, hidden eateries and local favourites without our tastemaker guides.