Gluten Free in Peru: Cusco, Lima & Machu Picchu

Peru is gaining traction as the gastronomic capital of South America, and it has no shortage of delicious gluten free dishes to try out. This guide covers delightful gluten free dishes you can find in Peru, including things to avoid or use caution with, as well as the best restaurants in Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu. 

What Peruvian Food is Gluten Free?

Ceviche, the national dish of Peru is gluten free. Raw fish marinated in a citrus-based juice with spices, onions, sweet potato and white corn kernels. The type of fish used also varies by region. For example in Lima, you’re likely to receive dorado, whereas in the mountain region of Cusco, they’ll serve river trout.   

Rocoto Relleno is a mildly spicy roasted rocoto pepper stuffed with seasoned diced meat (usually beef or pork), eggs, potatoes, and cheese. It’s also flavoured with a blend of herbs and spices. 

Causa (Crocante) is a cold, layered mashed potato dish with slices of avocado, seafood or chicken in a mayonnaise-based sauce. But check if it’s fried to avoid any cross-contamination issues. 

Crema Volteada is a dessert similar to a creamy flan. With a base of eggs, sweet evaporated and condensed milk and vanilla essence, it’s a popular dessert choice. 

Suspiro de Limeña – Originating from Lima, this creamy dulce de leche (caramel) dessert is topped with meringue, and sometimes spiked with pisco. 

What Foods to Take Caution With

Lomo Saltado, Arroz Chaufa and Pollo a la Brasa typically contain soy. Some establishments can prepare this gluten free, so it’s worth checking with your server to see if it’s possible. 

Sauces: Salsa de huancaína, salsa de rocoto, and crema de ají use crackers or bread as a sauce thicker. Papa a la Huancaína and Ají de Gallina are typical dishes that also contain these sauces. 

Eating Gluten Free in Cusco

If you’re heading to Peru, the chances are you’ll be spending some time in Cusco. The city has many restaurants, bars, cafes and bakeries offering tasty gluten free options, showcasing the best of Peru.

Budget-Friendly Options

Native Burgers & Salads – We stumbled upon this little gem while walking up to the Sacsayhuamán Inca ruins. This budget-friendly restaurant serves locally sourced, organic ingredients from their own garden in the Urubamba valley. They offer a selection of sandwiches, burgers, salads and fresh fruit juices. Everything is made-to-order, so I enjoyed an alpaca burger without the bun and a side of potato chips (or crisps as I’d call them) with no cross-contamination issues. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable about the kitchen preparation. I’d have eaten here every day if I could. 

Address: Calle Resbalosa 410 

San Pedro Market is Cusco’s biggest local market, and it’s located in the heart of the city. It’s a perfect place to grab breakfast or a refreshing pit stop throughout the day. I didn’t feel confident eating at any of the budget-friendly restaurants located inside the market. But I recommend visiting the fruit stalls. The fruit plates, fresh fruit juices and smoothies tasted so fresh and clean. There is a wide variety of fruits to choose from at an affordable price point. 

Address: Thupaq Amaru 477 

Mid-Range Restaurant

Il Olivo Trattoria Ristorante – If you’re in the mood for some Italian cuisine, this restaurant hits the spot. It’s centrally located with views overlooking the streets below. Their menu is also allergy conscious and features a legend with various symbols for each dietary requirement. I enjoyed a raspberry prosecco with a mushroom risotto topped with crispy pancetta, squisito!  

Address: Calle Plateros 365  

Higher-End Restaurants

Yaku is a higher-end Peruvian restaurant but worth the splurge. The waiter advised what dishes could be prepared gluten free, and I was able to order Lomo Saltado without the soy sauce and fries. The chef prepared a variation, but it was the best tasting lomo saltado I had on the entire trip. I paired it with a natural red Peruvian wine which was perfect. I crave this dish regularly!   

Address: Calle San Juan de Dios 214 – Plaza Regocijo 

Organika is another high-end restaurant serving all organic ingredients (hence the name). The menu plays with a fusion of flavours, and there are countless options available. I opted to go for the Quinotto, Peruvian quinoa with a variety of vegetables and cheese. The dish was presented beautifully, and the flavours were incredible. The menu also features an allergen key as it caters to various dietary requirements. If the weather allows sitting in the garden courtyard is an enjoyable dining experience.   

Address: Calle Ataúd 154 

Bakery Option

Panam Café Panaderia – One of my eagle-eyed friends spotted a ‘productos sin gluten’ sign in this local bakery, and we just had to head in. They were selling gluten free alfajores, two cookies sandwiched with dulce de leche, a sweet thick caramel sauce. There were two sizes to choose from, large and small, and they were delicious. Alfajores are found in many Spanish-speaking countries, but the fillings often change by region. I 100% recommend trying them. 

Address: Portal Nuevo 232 Plaza Regocijo 

Eating Gluten Free in Lima

I didn’t spend too much time in Lima, but the good news is that I found some great gluten free options in the city. The options below cover various districts I was able to visit. 

Budget-Friendly Options

La Carneceria – Mercado 28 is a large food hall with various vendors selling different types of food, craft beer, wine and cocktails. We arrived quite late in the evening and assessed our limited options. La Carnicería looked and smelled amazing, so we chose to dine there. The manager spoke with me and took my order to ensure everything was gluten free, which is always reassuring. I ordered a grilled steak with potatoes and tomatoes, perfectly cooked and seasoned at a reasonable price point. 

Address: Mercado 28, Balboa 755, Miraflores 

Bar Cordano is packed with history and crops up on Lima’s ‘must-do’ lists. The old taverna is located in the historical centre of Lima, behind the presidential palace. I enjoyed one of the best pisco sours I’d had on the trip. I didn’t opt to have anything to eat, but they do serve causa, a potential gluten free layered potato dish. Others in my group tried out the pork sandwiches, the butifarra, which they enjoyed. 

Address: Jr. Ancash 202 al frente de la Casa de la Literatura Peruana 

Mid-Range Restaurants

Popular de aqui y de alla – This was the first place I tried food in Peru, and it was a great experience. Arriving late in Lima, we opted to go to Lacomar in the Miraflores district. It’s an outdoor mall with various restaurants overlooking the Pacific Ocean. We were seated straight away, and the staff were friendly. I knew I wanted to try out the ceviche and a pisco sour, they didn’t disappoint. The quality of food was exceptional and also set the pace for the rest of the trip. 

Address: Lima 18 Larcomar Malecón de la Reserva 610 Miraflores 

Mangos Restaurante is another option in the Lacomar shopping area. It has contemporary decor and a large outdoor area. The service was slow, and gluten free options were limited. But I enjoyed a gluten free pasta dish with vegetables while soaking up the impressive views across the Pacific Ocean. 

Address: Malecon de la Reserva N° 610 Centro Comercial Larcomar 

Higher-End Restaurants

Isolina Taberna Peruana – While researching restaurants in Lima, Isolina tops many visitor lists, including those requiring gluten free. We didn’t reserve but were able to grab a table due to a cancellation, reservations are preferred. As the name suggests, the tavern-type decor is typical in the Barranco area and provides a cosy atmosphere. I ordered the Lomo Saltado, which they amended to be gluten free, and washed it down with one of their tasty cocktails. 

Address: Avenida San Martin Prolongacion 101 Esquina Con Calle Domeyer – Barranco

Astrid & Gastón was the ultimate splurge on our trip to Peru. Housed in a historical mansion, Casa Hacienda, the decor and courtyard area are stunning. With a focus on Peruvian fusion cuisine, the menu mixes traditional dishes with inspiration from around the world.

I ordered the ceviche to start, followed by the arroz con pato (duck and rice) on advice from the waiter. The fragrant, gluten free rice and duck combination is a well-known dish in Peru, hailing from Chiclayo, north of Lima. This was my first time trying it, and the flavours were delicious. We also enjoyed various cocktails and natural wine from their extensive collection.  It was worth the extra in my opinion.

Address: Av. Paz Soldán 290, San Isidro 

Gluten Free Lima Food Tour

I did some research into food tours in Lima before visiting. Exquisito Perú offers a food tour in Barranco that caters to gluten free requirements. At the time of booking, advise them of specific dietary restrictions so they can accommodate. Sadly our timings didn’t work out, but it’s an opportunity to learn about the artsy district, foodie scene and food preparation all in one tour. If you book it, please let me know how it is as I’d love to return.

Eating Gluten Free in Machu Picchu Town (Aguas Calientes)

Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu town, is located in the mountains at the base of the famous Machu Picchu archaeological site. The remote town is small, but a lot of restaurants I visited were able to accommodate gluten free requirements and serve up some tasty cuisine. 

Mid-Range Restaurants

Chullos Restaurant is a popular restaurant and craft beer bar. It’s situated along the Urubamba River, and depending on what time of day you visit, request a table overlooking it. There weren’t many gluten free options here, but I enjoyed alpaca loin with mushrooms, rice and potatoes. They also serve up tasty pisco sours and a variety of cocktails.   

Address: Imperio de los Incas 612 

Full House – If you visit only one restaurant in Aguas Calientes, I recommend Full House. Grab a table overlooking the river and enjoy some delicious cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere. I tried out their vegetarian ceviche as I hadn’t seen it before, and it was super tasty. They offered to make some variations of dishes to accommodate, but I was happy with my selection. My other half ordered the quinoa, which also happened to be gluten free, he’d recommend it too. 

Address: Imperio de los Incas 620 

Mandor Restaurant – We had a bit of time in Aguas Calientes due to a rail strike and decided to visit Mandor, a botanical garden with waterfalls and beautiful views. They have a small restaurant onsite and were able to accommodate gluten free requirements. I had the Cuban Special, which consisted of fried eggs, rice, beans, plantains and pico de gallo salsa. 

Address: Sector Mandor

Coffee Shop

Ollantay Café – We found this place while looking for a nice place to stop for coffee. While there aren’t many gluten free options, they do offer tasty fruit smoothies. 

Address: Alameda de los Artesanos 209  

Thanks for reading, I hope this has been a useful guide to eating gluten free in Peru. If you find any more places that you’d recommend, or should be on this list, just let me know in the comments below or find me on Instagram.

You might also like these related posts:

• Top Things to do in Cusco
• How to Buy Machu Picchu Tickets
• Visiting Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain
• A Day Trip to Huacachina from Lima

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