Whether your enjoying an evening stroll in Cusco, or checking out the nightlife in Algarve, chances are you're going to get hungry sooner or later. Sometimes, in the chaos of planning a well-earned holiday, people forget how important food is in choosing a vacation destination.
As for me, basically all of my top holiday spots are also gastronomic centers!
When you're on vacation, you pretty much eat out every day of the trip. That's half the fun of taking a holiday, no dishes and no cooking. But dining out can get pretty expensive, which is another reason Latin countries are at the top of the vacation list.
The above picture is from inside one of the many restaurants that can be found just off the Plaza de Armas in Cusco. Every one of these places is great, although I would recommend against ordering the "Parillas" (Parillas tend to be discount type meals that include large selections of meat, they are a good value, but the meat isn't all that expertly prepared).
At night, Cusco is a truly romantic city, specifically because of all the nice restaurants. You can sit in the balconies and overlook the Plaza de Armas (which is usually delightfully well-lit), and enjoy a gourmet dish that is very economically priced.
Cusco is one of the few places in Peru that expert service is common. I think the waiters of Cusco are a little more familiar with the preferences of foreign visitors, and they make a greater effort to accommodate them than you sometimes see in Lima.
As a general rule, all people in the service industry in Peru tend to be more well-groomed and professional looking than you would find in typical restaurants in the US. However, service tends to be very slow, and you have to be careful to ensure you get what you actually ordered (language barriers can be a problem here, but sometimes you get waiters who just don't listen to you).
To really enjoy your dining experience in Peru, don't be in a hurry. Be prepared to sit back, enjoy your drinks, and just eat whatever delicious meal is brought to you. The likelihood is that it will be what you ordered, but if not, it's still guaranteed to be delicious!
One of the things that I've notices about Peru is that restaurants are everywhere, and even in small towns, you can often find great mom and pop restaurants that serve terrific food that's at least equal to and often a lot better than that found in those big shot gourmet pituco palace restaurants in Lima, and especially concentrated in and around Miraflores. That being said,I'd be willing to bet that many of Cuzco's restaurants fit into that category, so when you're in Cuzco,do just as Mr Peru advises and check our as many of the restaurants there as possible. You'll be probably glad that you did!
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