Restaurants around the historic centre serve the full range of Cuencano specialities. The dish that surprises most visitors is cuy — roasted whole guinea pig, served with potatoes and salsa; it has been a highland staple for centuries and is worth trying at least once. Other local dishes worth seeking out: caldo de res (beef broth with vegetables), mote pillo (hominy cooked with egg and herbs), and llapingachos (fried potato cakes with peanut sauce). El Maíz on Calle Larga is a long-standing classic for traditional cooking in a colonial house setting.