$5 Lunch: Jack’s Café

Jennifer Pappas — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 19:18:10 +0000

Location, location, location. Perched right at the base of the steep hill leading up to Plaza San Blas, Jack’s Café is a hip oasis of creative comfort food, English-language magazines and ambient music. It’s also a prime spot to mingle, relax and re-fuel before ascending any more of Cusco’s famous cobblestoned hills.

The main draw here is simple: fresh, innovative food, easy-going service and a welcoming atmosphere. On weekend mornings and most evenings the line of people waiting to be seated is often wrapped outside the door. Jack’s has a well-earned reputation for generous portions, fluffy pancakes with caramelized bananas and perfect coffee drinks. If you want to skip the crowd, lunchtime is much tamer and offers a good opportunity to try the ginger-lime tea in peace.

photo courtesy of TripAdvisor

Don’t be surprised if you find yourself wanting to order five or six different things the first time you visit Jack’s. The sheer variety of delicious-sounding items on the menu provokes many a return visit and seldom disappoints. Mains run from $3-7.50 and arrive looking too pretty to eat. On my first visit, it was a toss-up between the bean and cheese tortillas or the veggie burger. I decided to go with the tortilla dish and immediately patted myself on the back when it arrived- pinto beans and gooey cheese pressed between a crisp tortilla and served with a spicy pico de gallo salsa and creamy guacamole, yum! The second time around, I contemplated the grilled chicken and avocado sandwich before ultimately going with the pumpkin soup and hummus with ciabatta bread. Another score and full stomach all for around $5.

photo courtesy of TripAdvisor

On a side note, the ridiculously generous English breakfast is served all day and the fresh fruit smoothies are dangerously good. Be sure to arrive with a healthy appetite, you’re going to need it.

Location: Choquechaka 509, Cusco, Peru

$5 Lunch: Cappuccino Café

Jennifer Pappas — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:10:40 +0000

Known best as the jumping off point for Machu Picchu, the colonial-era city of Cusco stands alone in terms of beauty, stellar monuments and bygone charm. And let it be known: Cusco is full of superlative dining experiences and culinary wizards. The city’s famous cobblestoned streets, steep inclines and covert entrances hide some of the country’s best eateries, all for shockingly low prices. Forget that fabled lost city and the Inca Trail, one could literally spend 14 days eating their way through the city.

While many of Cusco’s hidden gems are indeed that-hidden, some of the best spots to go for a cheap, delicious lunch are right smack dab in the middle of the city, overlooking the Plaza de Armas. My personal favorite and a popular hangout for expats writing bi-lingual letters home is the Cappuccino Café on the upper floor of the Portal Comercio. The cozy dining room oozes Americana with red and white gingham tablecloths and random kitsch decorating the walls. The best tables are those butted up against the balconies, overlooking the plaza and La Cathedral.

View from Cappuccino Cafe, Cusco

And while the café boasts 22 varieties of coffee and puts together a mean breakfast spread, the real reason to keep coming back is the world’s best $2 egg, avocado, cheese and tomato sandwich. The double-decker, vegetarian-friendly sandwich is served on toast, with ample chunks of ripe avocado and melted Swiss. It can easily be shared between two people but trust me when I say, you will immediately be ordering round two if you go that route. Order a pisco sour to wash it all down and you’ve got yourself the most satisfying $5 lunch in Peru.

Photo courtesy of Viva Travel Guides

The Cappuccino Café also has a computer room with internet access available for about .50 cents per hour.

Location: Portal Comercio 141, Cusco, Peru