Upu Tarpuy & Baked Cuy in Andahuaylillas
Andahuaylillas' small restaurants serve some of the most honest highland cooking in the South Valley — quinoa stews, crispy baked guinea pig and fresh trout from Andean streams, all at prices that reflect local life rather than Cusco's tourist economy.
What to Order
Lead with Upu Tarpuy, a hearty quinoa-based dish cooked with guinea pig, squash and other local produce — a pre-Hispanic recipe that has survived centuries with barely a modification. It is earthy, warming and deeply satisfying at altitude.
Baked Cuy (guinea pig) is the region's flagship protein, served here with golden potatoes and stuffed rocoto pepper. If you've been hesitant to try it elsewhere, Andahuaylillas' family kitchens are the right place: the birds are raised locally and roasted to order over wood fires.
Quinoa Country
The Quispicanchi province around Andahuaylillas is genuine quinoa-growing territory — the grain you eat here was likely harvested from fields visible from the plaza. Local cooks use it in soups, stews and side dishes in ways that bear no resemblance to the bland quinoa salads exported to health-food stores worldwide.
For something lighter, fried trout pulled from cold Andean streams appears on almost every menu, pan-fried with garlic and served with boiled Andean potatoes and salsa criolla. Pair it with a glass of chicha morada for a fully local meal.
Snacks & Sweets Around the Plaza
Before leaving, stop at the Virgen del Carmen bakery on the plaza for corn-based breads and traditional sweet snacks baked fresh each morning — the kind of thing that disappears by midday.
The Qoriorcco dairy stall near the square sells fresh cheese and yoghurt produced from local herds. Buy a wedge of fresh queso to eat with bread on the colectivo back to Cusco — one of the great cheap pleasures of the South Valley.
More of Andahuaylillas
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Andahuaylillas →
