El Albergue restaurant Ollantaytambo is part of the hotel of the same name and is found in the original station house building right on the platform at the Ollantaytambo train station. Staff is friendly and seem to genuinely enjoy working at this rustic, yet elegant restaurant. Our waitress greeted us with a big smile at the door and continued to be a pleasant, knowledgeable presence throughout our meal.
Domingo, a local Andean harpist accompanied our evening with soft Andean music while we watched the chef and his team produce great tasting dishes made with locally sourced ingredients in the open kitchen where ribbons of house-made fresh fettuccine hang along the counter top.
A tasty complimentary entrée of fried yucca with ocopa sauce (a mix of the huacatay herb, cheese and crackers) started off our meal followed by a good grilled vegetable antipasto plate with hard to find ingredients in the Sacred Valley like sun-dried tomatoes and goat’s cheese. For mains, the house chorizo puttanesca pasta was good and the steak was fabulous, cooked to perfection and one of the best we have tasted here in the valley. For vegetarians, the quinoa tabule or the Albergue salad are nice options.
This is one of our top picks for a romantic candle-lit dinner or a relaxed evening with friends in Ollantaytambo. The prices surprised us here with mains running from S/25 – S/65 which we felt was very reasonable for the quality of food and the ambience of this spot compared with some other run of the mill eateries on the tourist trail in Ollantaytambo.
A decent wine menu is also available. Do remember to book your table in advance as this restaurant is busy all year round.
Best of Peru Travel Recommends:
- The 3 steak tasting dish with beef, alpaca and lamb is a delicious option with all their meat organically sourced from the surrounding area.
- One word for desert – the famous Albergue brownie served with home-made vanilla ice-cream…
- To read about the Albergue’s delicious traditional Pachamanca lunch click here.