Ponchos Peruvian Kitchen — Restaurant in Machu Picchu

We loved our meal at Ponchos! The facilities are clean, tidy, and up to date, the food is delicious, and the service was great. Melany, our server, was friendly and helpful, and answered a ton of questions that we had. We started with an order of Conchitas which is like a homemade corn nut. It was accompanied with little chunks of a lightly salty and fresh Peruvian cheese. A nice combo. We also tried two different frozen drinks, strawberry lemonade, and a maracuyá or passionfruit. Both drinks were cold, tart, tangy, and full of fresh fruit flavor. For dinner, we ordered Arroz Chaufa Amazónica and Lomo Saltado. The Arroz Chaufa Amazónica was excellent. The rice was toasty and had a nice flavor. It came with fried platano and an egg on top. We broke the yolk and let it run over the rice, and it made it even more delicious. The sausage in the fried rice was an excellent compliment to the plate. It also came with a fruity sauce that you could drizzle on the platanos or mix in with the rice. Both ways were delicious. The Lomo Saltado was also delicious. The meat was juicy, tender, and had a good savory beefy flavor. The vegetables were cooked to my liking lightly sautéed and retaining a good amount of snap or crunch when you would buy into them. The papas fritas or french fries were also to my liking. They tasted like a thick cut version of In-n-Out fries. The dipping sauces were very tasty. There was a smooth and creamy red aji sauce made with rocoto, a spicy local chile. There was also a slightly sweet and tangy sauce made with chaparita a chile from the Amazon region of Peru. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed every bit of our meal. I’d come back again for sure and wish we had a Peruvian restaurant this good back home.

Some of my favorite items are: Arroz Chaufa Amazónica ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Frozen Maracuyá (passion fruit) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Frozen strawberry, lemonade ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Lomo Saltado ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Canchitas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My guide on how I use the 5 star system: ⭐️ = Not good ⭐️⭐️ = Not terrible, but would not get again ⭐️⭐️⭐️ = Solid, but I’d try something else before this again ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ = Really liked it! You should try this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ = Loved it! Must try I’ll make adjustments to my ratings after subsequent visits. If you see a .3 or .7 it means: .3 = Wasn’t as good the 2nd or last time I tried it .7 = This was better the 2nd or last...

Exceptional Dining and Hospitality at Ponchos Restaurant

Our recent trip to Machu Picchu was made unforgettable thanks to Ponchos Restaurant and the incredible team behind it. Nestled in the heart of the town, this gem offers not only delicious food but also heartfelt hospitality. Staying at the cozy hotel located above the restaurant, we found ourselves dining here every single night—and for good reason.

The star of our experience was Inés, a truly exceptional waitress who went above and beyond to make us feel at home. Her kindness and attentiveness, especially towards our daughter Lily, warmed our hearts. She made sure Lily enjoyed every meal, and even collaborated with the chef to create a child-friendly pasta dish that delighted her.

The food at Ponchos is outstanding—fresh, flavorful, and crafted with care. We were initially wary of falling into a tourist trap, but Ponchos is anything but that. They take genuine pride in the quality of their ingredients and service, delivering an authentic and honest dining experience.

The ambiance added to the charm, with a talented local artist providing live music that set the perfect tone for our evenings. Dining at Ponchos felt like being welcomed into a family—one that truly cares about making every guest’s experience special.

To Inés and the entire team at Ponchos, thank you for making our stay so memorable. Your warmth and dedication are unmatched. We will treasure these memories and highly recommend Ponchos to anyone visiting Machu Picchu. It’s more than a restaurant; it’s...

I tried 3 or 4 restaurants here in Aguas Calientes, and this was the only one that truly impressed me. To be honest, most restaurants in this town have similar pricing, but only this place made me feel that the food and service genuinely matched the cost. Other places charged the same, yet fell far short in both quality and care.

The service here was excellent and the food was genuinely delicious. I am not exaggerating. What surprised me the most was how fair and balanced everything felt. The dishes were flavorful, well prepared, and the pricing made sense for what we received. That is something you rarely find in a touristy town like this.

I especially want to thank our server Nadin, who was attentive and thoughtful throughout the entire experience. She not only confirmed our order carefully but also asked if we had any allergies. For me, this is a basic expectation in any restaurant, yet surprisingly, many places around here do not ask at all. Their attention to detail made me feel respected and genuinely cared for. During the meal, they also came to check on us, which added a warm and personal touch.

Highly...