A handsome and friendly little upstairs restaurant — entered through the colonial courtyard — on an overlooked little square 1 block from Plaza Nazarenas, this is one of the most relaxed spots in town. It serves excellent, creative Andean dishes with plenty of vegetarian options. Traditionalists should check out the rocoto relleno (stuffed peppers with meat, peanuts, and raisins), adobo (chicken made with chichi and yuca), or the orgía de papas (an “orgy” of spicy and cheesy potatoes).
The house specialty is the traditional oven-baked cuy (guinea pig) with stuffed pepper and potatoes (which requires a reservation 3 hr. in advance). There are also homemade pastas, including several with twists, such as the Andean quinoa gnocchi. The wine list is pretty good, but for Andean dishes, the best accompaniment is chicha morada, the chilled nonalcoholic beverage brewed from purple corn. Breakfast is also served.