Huaraz has plenty of pretty good, informal restaurants serving the band of Gore-Tex gringos that come to town. The main drag, Avenida Luzuriaga, is thick with restaurants offering fixed-price menus and other cheap eats. The Andean cuisine of the Cordillera includes hearty items such as Huaracino picante de cuy (spicy roasted guinea pig), jaca-chasqui (spicy guinea pig soup), charqui (dried pork), and trucha (fried river trout). For the less adventurous, there are several chifas and pizzerias in town where you can get a filling, inexpensive meal.
Huaraz's Cafe Culture
A number of cafes around town are inviting spots for good, inexpensive meals in addition to getting your coffee fix. Café California, Av. 28 de Julio 562 (tel. 043/428-354), a favorite of gringos, has fresh-roasted coffee, a sitting lounge, fast Wi-Fi and a book exchange. Café Andino, on Av. Lucar y Torre 530 (tel. 043/421-203), is another popular hangout with good coffee (including cappuccinos and lattes) and breakfasts. It has a library book exchange with titles in several languages, board games, Wi-Fi, and a nice selection of tunes. Also worth a stop is El Parque (no phone), Figueroa 1025, an informal but clean and cute cafe with filling breakfasts and very cheap lunches as well as mixed drinks. Finally, the pub upstairs at the climbing agency Monttrek, Av. Luzuriaga 646 (tel. 043/421-121), has tasty pizza, a roaring fireplace, and strong pisco sours.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
