MIL Centro

MIL Centro is the Sacred Valley outpost of Virgilio Martínez, the chef behind Central in Lima, and it is as much a journey as a meal. The restaurant stands at Moray, near Maras, on the edge of the Inca circular terraces, and describes itself as a timeless journey at 3,568 metres above sea level. It belongs to the same family of restaurants as Central and Kjolle in Lima, and the restaurant gives its location as 53 kilometres from Cusco, so a meal here is a full outing from the city.

The building, designed by the Lima practice Estudio Rafael Freyre, is part of the experience. Its roof is covered in woven ichu grass, laid in a way modelled on Inca construction, and the structure rests on round wooden beams joined with leather straps. The earthen walls were developed to match the colour of the valley soil, and the exterior is weatherproofed with a mix of earth and cactus resin. The square plan wraps around a courtyard planted with a queñua, an endangered Andean tree, and the stone entrance stair, built by local artisans, is flanked by terraces of growing produce.

Only one of the four wings is the restaurant. The others hold research projects: Mater Iniciativa, which studies the natural food resources of the Andes; a cacao laboratory working with cacao chuncho; and a small lab that ferments, distils and macerates drinks from local species. That research feeds the tasting menu, which is built on indigenous Peruvian ingredients, many grown on site.

Lunch is served from Tuesday to Sunday between 12:00 and 14:30, and the restaurant also runs morning immersions starting at 09:30 on the same days. It is closed on Mondays. Booking ahead through the restaurant's own reservation page is essential, and you can contact the reservations team by phone or by email. Allow plenty of time for the journey from Cusco and for the meal itself.

MIL suits travellers who are serious about food and curious about Andean farming, and it pairs naturally with a visit to the Moray terraces next door. The altitude is higher than Cusco, so dress in layers and drink plenty of water, especially if you have only just arrived in the region. If you cannot get a table at Central in Lima, this is the most direct way to understand Martínez's approach to Peru's ecosystems, served in the landscape that inspired it.