Arequipa’s Tasty Treats: Top 5 Food & Drink You Need to Try

Arequipa, like, that “Ciudad Blanca” or “White City,” is not only a stunner with its volcanic stone architecture but, to be honest, it’s also a total jackpot for food lovers. You know, it offers a truly unique spin on Peruvian cuisine. It’s pretty special because of the region’s distinctive ingredients and tried-and-true cooking techniques, so too every dish tells a story. It is, in fact, steeped in tradition, so get ready for an expedition of the taste buds through Arequipa’s culinary triumphs.

1. Rocoto Relleno: A Spicy Start

Rocoto Relleno is kinda iconic, is that not right? Anyway, if you come to Arequipa and skip this, like, you have made a mistake, I’m telling you. Very similar to a stuffed pepper but wait…it’s prepared with rocoto peppers. I should let you know that it has 10 times the kick of a jalapeño. What happens is they take these things and they ease some ground beef, onions, garlic, olives, raisins, and just a touch of spice inside, so too bringing all the tastes to get in line. Following this process, they’re baked with a slab of fresh cheese. A bite delivers a warm burst of flavor that starts spicy then balances really very well with that slight sweetness, that’s really the magic. Typically, expect this amazing dish to come to you with a potato cake on the side. Most inhabitants consume this dish in family restaurants. One good choice that will allow you to be more familiar is “La Nueva Palomino” restaurant, that seemingly has quite a name because of dishes such as this, just saying.

2. Ocopa Arequipeña: The Creamy Dream

Think about that Ocopa Arequipeña is a scrumptious appetizer and if it isn’t a source of pride for the region, then tell me what is it? Picture this sauce, right, based on “aji amarillo” or yellow peppers (not as hot as the rocoto, apparently) and mixed with things like “huacatay,” or black mint, onions, garlic, plus ground peanuts and maybe a splash of evaporated milk to achieve ultimate silkiness. So, this yellow nectar goes on top of slices of boiled potatoes, fresh lettuce, and olives. It makes what I feel could only be one awesome foodgasm that can be enjoyed at just about any restaurant, very, very commonly, even in a casual setting. People dig the slight spice. What also sets the dish apart, I find, is this unique freshness it gives, due to huacatay, for example.

3. Chupe de Camarones: Seafood Indulgence

Chupe de Camarones, basically, is like this huge, creamy shrimp soup that you find folks just completely love in Arequipa, Peru. First of all, this very nourishing dish has things like shrimp, rice, veggies, and a bunch of milk and cheese, basically creating such a luxuriant combination that everyone desires to partake in and no one is left behind. It tastes especially outstanding given the city is landlocked, arguably making it pretty impressive to taste some great shrimp. As for flavor, people appreciate every creamy slurp. Do you have a taste? Expect this soup served hot at dinner because, arguably, it just fills that “warm me” spot. This is one of those must-try meals found on most of the eatery menus and local joints. If you go to a spot called “Restaurant Zig Zag,” located close to the plaza, they usually have a seafood option that makes customers come back, just saying.

4. Adobo Arequipeño: Pork Perfection

Hey, the Adobo Arequipeño… Basically, you could refer to that as “pork heaven”, if you’d prefer. People marinate hunks of pork overnight, or arguably for as long as is necessary to let all those delightful sensations penetrate. Speaking of flavor, the blend normally involves vinegar, “aji panca” pepper, garlic, and a few other seasonings. After this 10 to 12 hour process, it’s then slow-cooked inside a clay pot on a wood-burning oven, actually building a unique savory taste profile. The resulting pork literally could almost disintegrate the minute you place it in your mouth, what a delight to the mouth! What they love most is that each bite leaves a powerful tang. People mostly ingest this type of food with fresh bread. Anyway, folks are likely to say that no exploration of Arequipa dishes will be full minus that indulgence, you know. Should you want to eat at a restaurant I, you know, that has a long tradition to back that dish then find ‘Tradicion Arequipeña”, yet check opening days beforehand.

5. Queso Helado: Sweet Ending

At the end, there will always be a space available for dessert, isn’t that always so? Have you any idea? This dessert might not exactly taste of the things it’s labeled as but that shouldn’t stop a hungry person to sample Arequipa’s Queso Helado, literally labeled as “ice cream cheese,” yet you won’t believe it unless you have experienced how refreshing this food can be, basically as fresh as something out of the freezer. How they create the product involves spinning a metallic pot inside of the ice until something amazing pops out: coconut, three kinds of milk, cinnamon, just maybe touches from vanilla to make this the real deal. You should grab that one anywhere for only, for example, a couple of Sols around the plaza during summer. If anyone would question you that this isn’t the best, make sure that they also experience it before having something negative to state.