The Best Cafés in Cusco for Digital Nomads
With cheap living costs, a happening culinary and nightlife scene, and beautiful hiking opportunities nearby, it’s no wonder more and more digital nomads are choosing to base themselves in Peru’s southern gem. Here are the best cafés offering everything a nomad needs while in Cusco: fast Wi-Fi, plenty of outlets, and — most importantly — potent Peruvian coffee.
Laggart Cafe
Cafe, Peruvian, Pastries
Acting as both a make-shift local gallery and coffee shop, Laggart Cafe is one of the funkiest places (even by San Blas standards) to do your work. The walls are cluttered with colorful paintings, tables and chairs are made from recycled materials, and the odd knick-knack — such as an old rusty bike and a leather drum — lay randomly around the room. Wi-Fi here is fast and reliable, and their dirt-cheap homemade pastries, chicken empanadas, and farm-to-table sandwiches make for the perfect lunchtime break.
Cafe Panam
Cafe, Peruvian, Pastries
Cuscoffee
Cafe, Pastries, Peruvian
Minimalist décor, an open space with lots of light, and potent Peruvian cups of caffeine: Cuscoffee keeps it nice and simple. It may not have the fancy or pretty interior design of other cafés in San Blas, but it does have two very important things: consistently fast Wi-Fi and outlets next to every table. For those wanting to recreate the no-distraction environment of an office, this is probably the closest you’ll get in Cusco without renting a co-working space.
The Meeting Place Cafe
Bistro, Cafe, Peruvian
Run entirely by volunteers, The Meeting Place Cafe helps the local community by giving much of its profits away to charities across the city. A lovely little courtyard dotted with blooming flowers allows nomads to work al fresco, and a friendly (and usually digital nomad) crowd make this a great place to network. As the menu focuses mainly on breakfast (which is American-style with delicious waffles, smoothies, and sausage and egg breakfasts), the café closes at 4pm, so be sure to factor that in before you set out.
Green Point
Restaurant, Vegan, Vegetarian, South American
Located in the trendy neighborhood of San Blas, Green Point is like a rite of passage for all travelers visiting Cusco: you must pass through their doors at least once. There’s an upstairs and downstairs, both of which are cozy and brightly decorated. The excellent service is only surpassed by their great menu, which requires patrons to make tough decisions between delicious options — which means you’ll probably come back more than once.
Siete y Siete Cafeteria
Bistro, Cafe, Swiss, Peruvian, Pastries
Located high on a hill in San Blas, you’ll have to work for your space here — but it’s well worth the climb. With floor-to-ceiling windows, Siete y Siete Cafeteria offers stunning views over Cusco’s orange tiled roofs all the way to the cathedral spires of the Plaza de Armas. Named after the mysterious number that appears in exactly seven street names in Cusco, the menu offers seven of everything: seven coffees, seven beers, seven pastries… the list goes on. The biggest selling point? The Wi-Fi here is fantastic, and the friendly staff are more than happy to have you all day (just make sure you buy more than one drink!).
Cappuccino Cafe
Cafe, Peruvian
Sitting bang-smack in the middle of Plaza de Armas, Cappuccino Cafe offers a working spot with a hell of a view. They have three tables on inside-outside balconies looking out onto the cathedral — but you may have to fight other people for it. The Wi-Fi is decent, and the food and coffee are even better (although a little more expensive than the other cafés listed here, you’re paying for that stellar view). This place easily makes a working day feel like a holiday.