Peruvian Chef Pio Vasquez de Velasco and his German wife Iris run this cozy restaurant which surprises every time with the quality and presentation of its dishes in this casual, warm setting. The menu is built around locally available fresh produce and has definite Peruvian, Asian and Mediteranean influences.

Appetizers included a trout tartare served with guacamole and a calamari sauce and the tender ‘Huacatay’ style alpaca carpaccio prepared with sacha tomato, coriander and sesame.

For mains we loved the breaded prawns served in a tangy orange and Andean mint sauce perfectly complemented by a vanilla infused potato mash and crispy avocado pieces and the pork ribs in a honey and mustard glaze served with grilled vegetables and spearmint and orange quinoa.   The potato gnocchi served with chicken, chorizo and a barbeque and rosemary sauce was a little heavy but a good filling choice for a hungry eating companion!

If you have a little space left over at the end of your meal the fried chocolate cointreau truffles with candied orange are exquisite and the famous chocolate brownie is a must for all chocolate lovers.

Huacatay is the kind of restaurant where we recommend you take your time over your meal and share with friends. We left highly relaxed after an unpretentious and unexpected culinary experience that left our taste buds zinging.

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Wayra is perhaps best known for its Sacred Valley lunch which is served everyday on the outdoor terrace. This traditional Peruvian buffet-style feast includes a selection of tubers, meats and salads flavoured with a tasty uchucuta sauce prepared with local stone-ground spices. Entertainment is included in the form of a Peruvian paso horse display with the excellently groomed horses from the property itself.

Downstairs in the sumptuous Wayra cellar, private dinners can be booked for up to 12 people for a gourmet five, seven or ten course wine and food tasting experience. This private setting is exquisite with large overhanging crystal chandelier, luxurious table settings and an extensive and impressive wine list.

Back upstairs in the more informal restaurant area, kids are very welcome and the staff will organise pizza making nights and other fun activities including circus performances to keep the little ones entertained.

The large dining room with meals served a-la-carte is cozy and welcoming. It’s one of the nicer dining options in Urubamba in terms of both the decor, ambiance and menu. The menu created by chef Nacho Selis appeals to discerning taste buds and showcases some of the Sacred Valleys’ finest ingredients.

Starter options we enjoyed included the goats cheese salad with roasted beetroot and spinach. The ingredients were all sourced locally and were incredibly fresh and accompanied by the perfect tangy yet sweet pecan vinaigrette. The traditional ceviche was made with local trout from the Sacred Valley and was accompanied with sweet potato and crunchy corn all from the local area.

For mains, the home-made sweet pumpkin ravioli served with sweet potato and sage butter was filling, yet light and is a pleasing vegetarian option.  The grilled jumbo prawns were our favourite dinner option. They came served with tangy garlic and lime butter on a bed of Andean potatoes baked in salt and were delicious.

The nicest thing about Wayra is that despite being a large tourist focused restaurant it still manages to maintain its warm, family feel. The vibe is laid-back and casual and it’s a nice option for a lazy, outdoor lunch or a casual dinner with friends or family.

Best of Peru Travel Recommends:

• Wayra also offer a whole range of actvities and tours for all the family. See more infomation here.

 

• Wayra is part of the stunning Relais & Chateaux property Hotel Sol y Luna. If you are looking for somewhere to stay in the Sacred Valley we recommend you consider a stay at this luxury hotel for an unforgettable Peru experience.

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The Qanela restaurant is a good option for a laid-back lunch or dinner in a casual setting. This is a family business run by Yudy, her daughter Mariela and her sister Ana Maria and as such has a nice family feel. They source their ingredients from the local communities and sell weavings from a nearby womens cooperative.

For starters, share the tasty native Andean potatoes served with traditional ocopa, rocoto and uchucuta sauces or the refreshing vegetarian option of mushroom ceviche marinated in yellow pepper.

Our favourite mains included tenderloin medallions in a three mushroom sauce. The meat was tender and cooked to perfection and the locally sourced mushrooms in the sauce gave the dish a lovely earthy flavour. This dish is served with a traditional quinoa ‘pesque’ which is like a risotto made from quinoa with cheese and milk.

The Andean trout in caper sauce is also a nice option if you want to try the local Andean farmed trout which is delicious. If you’re looking for a heavier option the chicken breast stuffed with camembert cheese and served with mashed potatoes looked great!

Without a doubt this is one of the best restaurant options in Urubamba for desserts. Don’t miss the incredible ‘tarte tatin’, slices of carmalized stewed apple on a sponge base made with Yudy’s grandmothers’ recipe. This melt in the mouth dessert is served with ice-cream and is a nice sweet end to your meal! The Bailey’s chocolate mousse with almond praline is also divine…

Best of Peru Travel Recommends:

• We recommend Qanela if you are looking for a simple, laid-back meal that is freshly made with all local Andean ingredients.

Click here to see more great restaurants in Urubamba.

How to get to Urubamba.

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The Hacienda houses the owners private collection of pre-Colombian, Incan and colonial artefacts including an impressive collection of ‘Qeros’ the traditional drinking vessels. Browse through the interesting museum with a welcome pisco sour in hand before heading into the dining area.

If the weather is good sit outside on the terrace for stunning views of the Sacred Valley and surrounding mountains. It will only take a few minutes before you start to feel the silence and peace of this little Eden seeping into your bones! Stunning gardens which include a small collection of local orchids are the perfect backdrop to the country-style home cooking they serve up in the restaurant.

They don’t pretend to serve gourmet cuisine and instead focus on serving hearty, traditional and rustic Andean fare. All ingredients are local and come from either their own farm or other local farms (Our waiter Rodrigo provides the Hacienda with herbs like huacatay, corn and other ingredients) and dishes are tasty with that home-cooked feel.

Starters include the traditional causa dish served with a delicious local smoked trout and tasty quinoa croquettes. The steamed trout in a caper butter sauce was a hit for mains as was the sirloin steak with pisco and mushroom quinotto. They had one of the better selections of deserts we have seen in the Sacred Valley including the typical ‘suspiro de limeño’ made with the lucuma fruit and the house special of meringue served with fresh cream and chirimoya fruit.

For those looking for something a bit more adventurous they have 17 beautifully groomed Peruvian Paso horses and they offer two hour horse-riding tours in the valley for US$60 per person. They also offer traditional Peruvian Paso horse shows if you book in advance.

We absolutely loved our visit to the Hacienda Huayoccari and recommend it for anyone looking for something a bit different. It’s neither a restaurant nor a museum, but a home where owners Ana Maria and Jose Ignacio and their team of staff (all from the local village of Huayoccari) welcome you in. Well worth the visit!

See more of our favourite restaurants in the Sacred Valley here. 

Click here for information on how to get to Urubamba and the Sacred Valley.

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