Cafés in Centro Histórico

Getting around the Centro

The Centro is easiest on foot. The monastery's entrance, at Santa Catalina 301, is two blocks from the Plaza de Armas,³ and Yanahuara's monumental zone is about 2 km from the plaza.¹

Calle Mercaderes, closed to traffic since 2001, has Munanqui at No. 407, open daily 07:00–22:00, and Sarcletti at No. 107. The tourist information center is on the Portal de la Municipalidad, at No. 112 on the Plaza de Armas; the municipality's first Coffee Tour set out from there in June 2023.²

The Monastery of Santa Catalina

The Dominican order founded Santa Catalina in 1579, and cloistered nuns still live in a reserved part of it.¹ The complex covers about 20,000 m² and stayed closed to the outside world for almost four centuries.³

It opens daily 09:00–17:00, and until 20:00 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. In October 2026 its website listed tickets from S/ 6 to S/ 50 depending on the category, with a lower price for Peruvians.³ The monastery lists a cafetería among its services, and La Cafetería del Monasterio, with outdoor tables, opens daily 09:00–17:00.

Calle Santa Catalina and Calle Jerusalén

Crepísimo, at Santa Catalina 208, works out of the Alianza Francesa's casona (old mansion), a few steps from the monastery and has more than 100 sweet and savory crêpes on its menu.⁴ Banawa Juice Bar, at No. 211, opens at 08:00. La Despensa is at No. 302, La Petite Française at No. 413 opens at 07:00 on weekdays, and Haykuy love at No. 500 opens at 07:00 from Monday to Saturday and serves until 22:00.

On Calle Jerusalén, Lienzo Café at No. 203 opens 08:00–20:00 from Monday to Saturday, Novoandino at No. 306-c opens daily 08:00–20:00, and Entre Libros y Café (Between Books and Coffee) at No. 307 opens daily 09:30–21:00.

Roasters near the plaza

Kafi Wasi, at Francisco Bolognesi 216, was ranked the second-best coffee shop in South America in 2025, and OSO Café, at Calle San Francisco 217, came 28th.⁵ In 2023 OSO's baristas said they bought from six families in Cajamarca, Puno and Junín.² Both open 08:30–21:30 from Monday to Saturday, and OSO also opens on Sunday, 09:00–16:00.

The El Búho newspaper notes that many of the Centro's traditional and specialty cafés are run by young entrepreneurs.⁶ Valenzuela goes back further: the roaster, in business for more than 70 years, started at the Portal de Flores on the Plaza de Armas,⁷ and Cafe Vino Valenzuela, at General Morán 114, opens daily 08:00–21:00.

Queso helado at San Camilo market

For dessert, walk to the Mercado San Camilo, in the Centro Histórico. Silvia Vargas runs a queso helado stall there; her family has made the dessert since 1948, and her day starts at 04:30, when the milk arrives.⁸ The recipe uses milk, cinnamon, clove, anise, grated coconut, sugar and vanilla: the spiced milk is boiled, strained and sweetened, then turned in wooden or steel tubs over ice until it sets.⁸