Café d’Wasi
If you want to see something truly unique and if you want your coffee to be more of a science experiment, order a siphon coffee, pictured above.
The Chemex (pictured above) makes the best coffee, in my humble opinion. The flavors are clearer and the coffee itself just tastes more pure.
Andres Silva Palomino
One of the star growers that d’Wasi buys from, Andres grows in the Santa Teresa district of the Cusco region.
Celestino Carrasco Dueñas
Celestino and his wife are the parents of Café d’Wasi owner John Carrasco Cardenas. Their coffee farm was where John first discovered a passion for coffee.
And now the actual café review:
I have been to both Café d’Wasi locations dozens of times over the past couple years. The coffee is always good and I often buy a bag of their coffee blend to brew at home. I particularly appreciate the variety of ways that you can request your coffee brewed. It was quite a surprise for me to see the Aeropress so prominently displayed here in Cusco and I think it shows that the Café d’Wasi owners really appreciate coffee brewing options. I usually just order a latte, though the cappuccino, Chemex, and Aeropress are all fantastic also.
It was the variety of coffee brewing methods that first made me curious about the owners of Café d’Wasi. What kind of people advertise coffee brewing methods more prominently than the food they sell? Happily, the owner John Carrasco Cardenas made time to speak with me about that. (Full write up of our interview coming soon!)
For food, I’ve had everything from the set breakfast menu (as pictured below) to waffles and brownies. I’m a very big fan of the waffles. I’ve found the cookies quite dry but the rest of the food has been great. Once I bought a brownie to take home and without asking me if I wanted it warmed (which I didn’t) the server microwaved it still in the plastic wrap, which I think is a terrible idea. Not only did I not want the brownie microwaved but I’m suspicious about what kind of chemicals a microwave can release from plastic wrap.
Sandwich d’Wasi
This is the d’Wasi signature take on Peruvian “lomo saltado.” The onions are perfectly caramelized, the beef is tender, the house sauce is just spicy enough and the homemade bread is delicious. Obviously, my camera knew I was really there for the coffee and just focused on the cup. (This was a major focus failure and normally I wouldn’t put such a terrible photo on my website, but the sandwich was really good).
There are two locations!
The original location is on Calle Heladeros, only two blocks from the Plaza de Armas and it was my favorite café near the center of Cusco until the second location opened up much closer to where I live. The newer location is only one block from the Plaza de Armas, in the opposite direction. Both locations offer indoor and outdoor seating, though the outdoor seating is quite limited. The newer location feels more spacious and would be best for anybody who is nervous about eating and drinking in public during a pandemic.
How to get there: Calle Santa Catalina
If you’re visiting San Blas or just want to stay closer to the Plaza de Armas, go to the new location on Santa Catalina Angosta, at the east corner of the plaza.
How to get there: Calle Heladeros
This is the original location. If you are exploring the area near the San Pedro Market, go to the location on Heladeros.
