Ulrike's Cafe Pisac in the Sacred Valley Peru

We have been living and visiting Pisac for over ten years now and Ulrike’s Café Pisac still remains one of our favourite re-fuelling stops in town. German woman Ulrike has been based here for over 20 years and this is without a doubt one of the hot spots for both travellers passing through and the global spiritual community that now call Pisac home.

The café is located on the pedestrian Pardo street which has over the past few months become the ‘hip’ street in Pisac with lots of small stores selling interesting crafts and spiritual items. Ulrike’s is in the heart of it all and occupies a large two-storey building painted in Ulrike’s signature colourful style – with bright yellow and green walls and cozy sofas for lounging.

The vibe is casual, and the focus of the menu is home-style comfort food made with fresh, seasonal produce. The menu is a mix of Western-style food and local Peruvian dishes. The kitchen is headed up by Chef Tim who has cooked for many top restaurants in the United States as well for big names like the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He knows everyone in town and from his perch in the patio he makes sure the kitchen runs like clockwork and that everyone leaves with a smile on their face!

This is a casual dining café/restaurant and some of our favourite menu options include the delicious alpaca sandwich – tender strips of alpaca served with red pepper, parsley and blue cheese on focaccia bread with salad or house fries and their house burger – it’s not the largest burger you will have ever tried but it is one of the best in the Sacred Valley!

If you’re looking for something a bit heartier try the vegetarian curry which is very popular or the more traditional ‘alpaca saltado’ which is a modern take on the traditional Peruvian dish ‘lomo saltado’ prepared with alpaca meat instead of beef.

For us, the dessert menu is where Ulrike’s really excels with her delicious chewy chocolate chip cookies and moist carrot cake – one of the best we have ever tasted, However, it has close competition from the decadent chocolate volcano cake served with ice-cream – well-worth the sugar rush!

Ulrike’s is one of the first breakfast places to open in town and probably has the best breakfast menu in Pisac at the moment with healthier options like chia porridge as well heartier options including a variety of eggs and a good rice, black bean and blue corn tortilla option which will definitely set you up for the day.

Ulrike has always wanted her café to be like a home away from home for travellers and the little touches like a book exchange, a notice board to let people know what’s on in town and great wifi means that you feel this as soon as you walk in the doors.

Our verdict: Simple, home-style tasty food in a comfortable atmosphere at a good price point.

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They also do great wood-fired pizza baked fresh in their oven every day!

Ulrike’s serves a daily menu which includes a starter, main and desert for 25 soles (Approx. US$9) which includes some of the café’s signature dishes like the quinoa soup. Stir-fried alpaca and carrot cake for those looking for a filling lunch or dinner.