Chinese Food in Cusco: Where to Find the Best Chifa
Craving Chinese food in Cusco? You are in the right country for it: Peru's chifa tradition is one of the world's great Chinese fusion cuisines, and Cusco's historic center has options from quick woks to gourmet dining. Here is how to choose well.
Chifa: Peru's own Chinese food
Chinese food in Peru means chifa — Cantonese technique fused with Peruvian ingredients over more than a century. Expect wok-fried chaufas, wantán soups, sweet-glazed chicken like tipakay, and dim sum. If the word is new to you, start with our guide What is chifa?
What to look for in a good chifa
- House-made dim sum — a kitchen that folds its own siu mai and ja kao is a kitchen that cares.
- Wok hei — chaufa should taste lightly smoky, never greasy; that requires a real wok at high heat.
- A duck program — Peking duck done properly is the sign of a serious Cantonese kitchen.
- Fresh sauces — tipakay glazes made from real fruit (peach, aguaymanto, pineapple) rather than syrup.
Where to eat chifa in Cusco's center
For gourmet chifa, KION Peruvian Chinese is the reference in the historic center: one block from the Plaza de Armas at Calle Triunfo 370 (second floor), open every day from 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm. The kitchen is Cantonese-Peruvian — wantán especial, chaufa aeropuerto, chijaukay, Peking duck carved for the table — and the dining room seats 88, with banquet menus for groups. Service is in Spanish and English, and you can book online 24/7.
What it costs
Neighborhood chifas in Cusco are inexpensive; gourmet chifa sits in the mid-to-upper range for the city — still typically below Plaza de Armas fine dining for a comparable experience. At KION, sharing several dishes family-style is the best-value way to explore the menu.
Good to know
- High season (June–August) fills dining rooms — reserve ahead.
- Dim sum is a natural light lunch; see our dim sum guide.
- Cusco sits at 3,400 m — soups like wantán or fuchifu are a gentle first-day choice.