What to drink in Peru

Creamy, sweet and tart, Peru’s national drink combines Pisco (distilled grape-based brandy), lime juice, egg whites and sugar. In fact, Peruvians love it so much, there’s even a national holiday – National Pisco Sour Day – on the first Saturday in February every year.

Another must-try cocktail, chilcano is a milder, more refreshing take on the Pisco sour. Instead of egg whites and sugar, Pisco, ginger ale and a few drops of Angostura bitters are poured over ice. For a fruity twist, try chilcano with passion fruit, strawberry or pineapple.

This tea of coca leaves steeped in hot water tastes a bit like green tea and has a mild stimulating effect. It's especially popular in the Andean highlands where it’s hailed as a cure for altitude sickness. If you're feeling queasy on the Inca Trail, there's a good chance you’ll be offered a cup of mate de coca.

This blend of lucuma, milk and ice cream is a local favourite in markets and juice bars in Lima and Cusco. Nicknamed ‘gold of the Incas’ for its nutritional benefits, lucuma is one of the many fruits native to the high-altitude Andean valleys. Its rich, butterscotch-tasting flesh is ideal for desserts.

If you’re craving a fizzy sugar hit, you can’t go wrong with Inca Kola. Traditionally flavoured with lemon verbena, it has a bright yellow colour and tastes like a cross between cream soda and bubblegum. A cultural icon, Peruvians often choose it over Coca-Cola.

Don’t have time for breakfast? Grab a jugo especial. This hearty blend of papaya, banana or apple with algarrobina (a rich syrup made from the carob tree), raw egg and dark malt beer is bound to keep you going.

This bold-coloured brew of purple corn, pineapple peels, cinnamon, cloves, lime juice and sugar served over ice is a summer go-to. Purple corn is packed with antioxidants and has been consumed in Peru for thousands of years.

This ancient yellow-corn beer is made by germinating corn, removing the sugars, boiling the wort and leaving it to ferment in barrels. It has a low alcohol content with a slightly sour flavour a bit like apple cider vinegar. 

It's not your usual hangover cure, but Peruvians swear by leche de tigre, meaning ‘tiger’s milk’, after one too many Pisco sours. It’s essentially the leftover liquid from ceviche – Peru’s national dish of fish marinated in lime juice, garlic, coriander, onion and chilli – served in a shot glass.

If you’re feeling under the weather, order a cup of this soothing tea made with plantain leaf, alfalfa sprouts, barley, flaxseed and medicinal herbs. It’s a staple of Peruvian culture and you’ll find it at street stalls and cafes all over the country.

One of the best ways to experience Peru and connect with the locals is by eating! Here are some classic dishes to sink your teeth into.

Want to party Peru-style? Consider timing your trip around one of these events to experience Peru at its most colourful.

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