Specialty coffee in Cusco.
Specialty coffee is still finding its feet in Cusco. Roasters lists 9 cafés and roasters here for now, a short list that is easy to work through in a weekend.
Where Cusco sits on the map
In the Americas, Cusco ranks #118 of 1,217 cities on Roasters, in the same size band as Costa Mesa, CA, Fort Lauderdale, FL and Portland, ME.
Cusco ranks #2 of 8 cities in Peru, behind Lima (90 cafés). Its 9 cafés account for 8% of the national total. One step up the national table is Lima (90 cafés); one step down, Chiclayo (3 cafés).
Measured against all 3,601 cities on Roasters, Cusco sits in the upper half, at #370.
Every café added in Cusco moves it closer to the 30-café mark where Roasters starts publishing themed guides.
What makes a great café in Cusco
The best coffee in Cusco isn't a chain. It's the independent café where the barista dials in espresso every morning, the roastery that names the farm on the bag, the brew bar that takes filter as seriously as espresso. Roasters maps 9 of them.
What to look for: a short menu, light-roasted single-origin beans, a proper grinder behind the bar, and staff who can explain the origin and process of what you're drinking. If a café in Cusco ticks those boxes, it belongs on Roasters.
- A grinder dialled in daily
- Pour-over and espresso both on the menu
- Community reviewed, no paid placements
- Baristas who can talk through the menu
Find every specialty café
in Cusco.
See all 9 cafés in Cusco on one map, check opening hours, and keep your own list of favourites. Free on iOS and Android.
About specialty coffee in Cusco
How big is the specialty coffee scene in Cusco?
There are 9 cafés and roasters in Cusco on Roasters, which ranks the city #2 in Peru and #370 worldwide.
How does Cusco compare with other cities in Peru?
Cusco ranks #2 of 8 cities on Roasters in Peru. The median city there lists 1.5 cafés; Cusco lists 9.
What other cities in the Americas are comparable to Cusco for coffee?
Looking only at the number of specialty cafés listed, Costa Mesa, CA (USA), Fort Lauderdale, FL (USA) and Portland, ME (USA) are the nearest peers to Cusco in the region.
A great café in Cusco is missing. What can I do?
Submit it from the app. The community team checks every submission against the specialty bar before it appears on the map.
What counts as specialty coffee?
Specialty coffee is graded 80+ points on the Specialty Coffee Association’s 100-point scale. In practice it means traceable beans, lighter roasts that keep origin character, and baristas who dial in espresso and filter with care.
What is the easiest way to plan a coffee crawl in Cusco?
Open Cusco in the Roasters app, save the cafés you want to try to a list, and use the map to route between them. The app shows which ones are open right now.
