Café Morena

Café Morena is located in the busy street of Plateros just off the Plaza de Armas in downtown Cuzco, Peru.  The staff is super-friendly and welcoming with a smile.  Serving fresh sandwiches, empanadas, desserts, juices and coffee to the Cuzco public and tourists from 8am to 8pm, this cafe is decorated with a modern feel.

The temperature was warmer in Cuzco, compared to where we were in the Sacred Valley earlier in the morning.  While waiting for our hotel room to be ready, we headed to the Plaza de Armas for a quick minute to orient ourselves.  Soon enough, we were hungry and decided to pop into this cafe for a late lunch.

Keith ordered a Cusqueña Negra beer, which is very sweet and malty, and pours dark with dirty foamy head. The nose is toasty with some caramel notes.  He was happy to try a different style of beer than the lighter lagers he's had while in Peru so far.

I wanted something non-alcoholic and fruity, so I ordered a smoothie made with mango, pineapple, and coconut.  It was very large and refreshing, yet only tasted of the mango. 

 

For food, nothing much was intriguing me, so I settled on the Chicken Pizza.  House roasted chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, oregano, and Andean cheese topped a soft crust that was more like naan bread.  There was no sauce, and the arugula on top was too strong and obtrusive, so I just brushed it aside.  The chicken itself tasted good, but I did not care for much else.  Most of my pizza was left on the plate, and I filled up with my smoothie.

 

Keith, on the other hand, ordered a Peruvian classic sandwich, or butifarra, called Morena La Buenaza. Fried pork, Creole salsa, and local chili mayonnaise topped an artisan bread roll.  Thick cut fries were served on the side.  Keith found his pork sandwich to be delicious - tender and juicy. Pork skin was still on the meat, creating extra crunch that gave a modern spin on a traditional dish. He would have liked to try one a little less done up or "Americanized", but such was the trend for the touristy area part of town.

Café Morena is a great stop for lunch during your visit to Cuzco.

 

Total Rating: 3.5
Food: 3, Price: 4, Service: 4.5, Ambience: 3.5, Accessibility: 5

What I ate:

Chicken Pizza

house roasted chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, oregano, and Andean cheese

Plus Keith ate:

Morena La Buenaza

sandwich with fried pork, Creole salsa, and local chili mayonnaise