San Blas is Cusco's artisan quarter: steep whitewashed lanes, workshops that have belonged to the same families for generations, and the oldest parish church in the city presiding over a small stone plazoleta. It is also one of the best places in Cusco to eat. Here is how to do it well.
Why eat in San Blas?
Ten minutes uphill from the Plaza de Armas, San Blas trades the tour-group bustle for something quieter: balconies, courtyards and casonas where restaurants actually have room to breathe. Prices are often gentler than on the main square, the views are better, and the neighborhood keeps its own rhythm — artisans by day, soft lights and music by night.
The neighborhood classic: Pachapapa
On the plazoleta itself, facing the church, Pachapapa occupies a colonial casona built around an open patio and visible clay ovens. It is the neighborhood's reference for traditional Cusquenian food: oven-roasted cuy (see how to order cuy al horno), slow-roasted lechón, chicharrón, anticuchos, trout baked on a roof tile and wood-fired pizzas, with chicha de jora to drink and live Andean harp in the dining room. It opens every day from 11:30 am to 10:00 pm; in high season it is worth booking a table online.
What to order
- Cuy al horno — the Cusco classic, from the clay oven; pre-order it about an hour ahead.
- Lechón — slow-roasted pork, crackling included.
- Trucha sobre teja — Andean trout baked on a clay roof tile.
- Anticuchos and chicharrón — the great Peruvian starters.
- Chicha de jora — the fermented corn drink of the Andes.
Practical tips
- The walk up is steep and Cusco sits at 3,400 m — take it slowly on your first day.
- Lunch on a patio is the neighborhood at its best; evenings are cool, so choose an indoor sala at night.
- Combine your meal with the San Blas viewpoint and the artisan workshops around the plazoleta.
Exploring beyond the neighborhood? See our sister guides: fire cooking in Peru and what comes out of a Cusco clay oven.
