Trying Guinea Pig in Peru: What It Tastes Like and Where to Eat It in Cusco

If you’re planning a trip to Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu, you might be wondering what delicious local concoctions there are to try in the high Peruvian mountains. Lima, the country’s coastal capital city, has long been on food lovers’ radars as serving up some of the finest fare this wide world of ours has to offer. With bougie top chefs’ restaurants like Central and this year’s World’s 50 Best Restaurant Maido, there has been an explosion of creativity combined with the bounty of endemic produce. Even in a run-of-the-mill restaurant in Lima, you just might have your socks knocked off by some of the best ceviche you’ve ever tasted.

However, far away and up in the Andes, seafood is not as plentiful. So, what are the locals eating for protein? Dominating the menus are chicken, beef, alpaca, and guinea pig.

When in Peru previously, I partook in alpaca and llama and found that alpaca was definitely the more scrumptious. This fluffy, lovable animal not only grants the locals some of the softest and most sought-after wool on the planet, but it is also quite delicious and even nutritious. Alpaca is a lean, tender, slightly sweet red meat, high in protein and iron content, with low levels of fat and cholesterol. Before chickens, cows, and pigs were introduced into the local diet by the Spaniards, alpaca reigned as king of Peruvian steaks. As it was such a prized form of nourishment, it was often reserved for festivities or for nobles’ tables.

Alpaca steak at Cicciolina restaurant in Cusco, Peru

Guinea pig, known locally as cuy, was the everyday person’s meat that could be paired with a veritable kaleidoscope of potatoes that spring forth from the earth in the Peruvian Andes. These peaks put on a potato parade in shapes and colors that boggle the mind. They make the homogenized spud that has taken over the global stage seem khaki and humdrum—hearty and fibrous yet lacking in character and flavor in comparison. Anywhoo, don’t get me started on Peruvian potatoes; I could get lost in all of the varieties that root in these majestic mountains.

The only way I had seen to eat guinea pig before on Peruvian menus was by ordering the whole hog. I couldn’t quite work up the courage to order a guinea pig—meaning paws, ears, face, eyes, and all—staring up at you startled. I did have guinea pigs as pets when I was a kid, but I also got used to eating rabbit when I lived in Southern Italy in my twenties. It’s more or less the same thing, right? It wasn’t the morality that weirded me out (as you can tell, I am by no means vegan); it was more about the fact that if I ordered an entire critter fried up and served to me, what if I didn’t like it? I didn’t want it to go to waste just because I wanted a taste.

This time in Peru, after talking to some of my coworkers at Vaya Adventures, I still wasn’t sold on the idea of eating this shaggy-haired rodent. I was told it could be super greasy, leathery, and bony—not what I’m looking for in a meat to eat.

The day my sister Kristy met up with me in Cusco, I wanted to take her somewhere special. This was her first time in Peru, and I wanted to have an exciting dining experience with her. I made an early reservation at one of Vaya’s favorites to recommend, Cicciolina. An elegant restaurant in a converted colonial palace down the street from Plaza de las Nazarenas, where you’ll find some of the most opulent hotels in all of Peru (Casa Clara, Belmond Monasterio, Palacio Nazarenas, and Inkaterra La Casona Cusco).

Cicciolina restaurant in Cusco, Peru

Kristy and I arrived at Cicciolina in time to get a prized window spot at sunset. We settled into our window nook with the pretty lights flickering on the hills as the clouds turned cherry blossom pink. We started off with pisco sours, a cocktail made of pisco (a local spirit made from grapes), lime juice, sugar, egg whites, and Angostura bitters. It’s widely considered the national drink of Peru and even has its own national holiday.

The menu boasts tapas with a twist, elevated national dishes, and Italian gastronomy. Kristy and I decided to share a tri-colored quinoa salad, guinea pig gyozas, and an alpaca fillet topped with wild mushroom sauce. The tri-colored quinoa salad was bright, crisp, and citrusy—a sublime palate cleanser prior to what was to come.

I was stoked about the guinea pig dumplings! Having this rodent deboned and presented wrapped up in a doughy papoose made it much less daunting. As we went in for our first bite at the same time, smiles broke out on our faces as we chewed and made yummy sounds of delight. The flavor was downright delectable. If I hadn’t known what it was, I would have thought I was eating fowl of sorts instead of a tiny capybara cousin. The chefs at Cicciolina know how to flavor-build like skilled masons at Machu Picchu. The gyozas danced in our mouths, covering all the bases and back again—from sweet to sour, salty and bitter, and overall umami-inducing.

Guinea pig (cuy) gyozas in Cusco, Peru

Next up to bat was the alpaca fillet. The chef recommended alpaca to be served medium rare, and it was juicy and delicate. Alpaca reminds me of a much less gamey venison. The wild mushroom sauce was creamy and decadent, and the red wine quinoa risotto accompanied by zesty dressed watercress once again had our taste buds doing acrobatics.

Even at an altitude of 11,200 feet and feeling extremely stuffed after our intoxicatingly distinctive meal, Kristy and I seemed to float up the cumbrous steps to where we were staying at Antigua Casona San Blas. The ancient streets and architecture displayed the ingenious cobbling of Incan stone walls. The night’s stars shone down, and the lights on the hills twinkled. The combination of strong pisco sours and a magical meal made with exceptional care was the perfect introduction to Peruvian cuisine for my sister. And eating guinea pig was something I had wanted to try for a while.

I like to step out of my comfort zone when traveling—isn’t that what it’s all about? These dumplings did the trick of easing me into enjoying this local grub. If you’re curious about trying guinea pig but might be a bit reserved, I recommend making a reservation at Cicciolina when you’re exploring Cusco during a Vaya Adventures Itinerary. Nowhere else in the world will you find yourself smacking your lips like a llama after dining on guinea pig and alpaca. When in Cusco, do as the Cusqueños do!