Kafi Wasi: Cafe, Bar, Restaurant & Workshop in Arequipa

Coffee-based drinks are at the heart of our business. We also serve sandwiches, desserts, small bites and salads made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Some of our dishes, such as our criollo breakfast, are a true reflection of Peruvian cuisine.

We are proud to be the only coffee shop in Arequipa that belongs to AGAR (the Arequipa Gastronomic Association). We have also received the Arequipa brand seal from the regional government, as well as an award from the Provincial Municipality of Arequipa recognising us as a healthy restaurant.

We offer a complete experience centred on coffee. We explain the production process, where the beans come from and how they can be traced, and we demonstrate how to prepare filter coffee at the table. We also organise workshops and training courses for baristas.

Yes. All our products come from local, traceable suppliers, allowing us to support agriculture in our region.

We work in partnership with PLANTUM AQP to compost and sort all our organic waste, helping us reduce our carbon footprint. In addition, all our packaging is eco-friendly and biodegradable.

Reservations are not necessary. We recommend visiting outside peak hours.

The average spend per person is between 20 and 45 Peruvian soles.

You can follow us on social media: Instagram and Facebook. You can also visit our website or contact us on WhatsApp at 973 619 428.

This recognition brings us enormous joy and, above all, a great sense of responsibility. It is the result of many years of work, learning, perseverance and passion for coffee. For us, it is not just an achievement for Kafi Wasi; it is also an opportunity to show the world the quality of Peruvian coffee and the talent that exists in our country. We are proud to represent Arequipa and Peru on the international stage, and this motivates us to keep growing without losing our identity.

We experienced it with great emotion, gratitude and also surprise. Our focus has always been on giving our customers a great experience, paying attention to every detail, from selecting the coffee to preparing it and serving it. I believe it is precisely this care for the little things that makes the difference. Rather than chasing awards, we have concentrated on doing our work well every day. Seeing those efforts reach beyond our borders has been very special for the whole team.

Yes, we have noticed greater curiosity about Kafi Wasi and what we do. We are delighted to welcome people who come because of the recognition, as well as travellers who want to learn more about Peruvian coffee. However, our essence remains the same: welcoming everyone warmly, sharing our passion for coffee and making every visit special. The visibility has opened new doors for us, but it also reminds us to maintain our quality, humility and consistency with who we are.

We chose the name Kafi Wasi because we wanted to express a simple but meaningful idea: a house of coffee. The word wasi means “house” in Quechua, while kafi refers to coffee. For us, the name represents a place where people can meet, share time together and feel welcome over a good cup of coffee. We wanted to create more than a coffee shop; we wanted to build a place with its own identity, warmth and a connection to our culture.

Kafi Wasi has been a journey of continuous learning and evolution. Since opening in 2017, we have grown, refined our processes and deepened our knowledge of coffee. Over time, we have come to appreciate every stage of the supply chain even more, from the work of producers to the experience of the person enjoying the cup. The most rewarding part is that we have evolved without losing our essence: we still have the same desire to share good coffee, build connections and offer a welcoming space. Today, international recognition allows us to look back with gratitude and forward to new challenges.

Our philosophy is based on quality, authenticity and hospitality. We believe a good cup of coffee begins long before it reaches the counter: it starts with the producer's work, continues with careful handling of the beans and is completed through preparation and service. That is why we pay attention to every stage and aim to offer an experience that encourages people to discover and enjoy coffee. We also believe coffee should be approachable and accessible; you do not need to be an expert to appreciate it, just curious and willing to enjoy it.

Peruvian coffee is fundamental to us because every cup represents the work of people, families and communities who dedicate great effort to producing it. We want to understand the origins of the coffees we serve, learn about their characteristics and appreciate the work behind each harvest. We aim to give Peruvian coffees centre stage and share the diversity of aromas and flavours our country offers. We believe that drinking quality coffee also means recognising and valuing the people who make it possible.

Peru has extraordinary coffee diversity. Regions such as Cajamarca, Amazonas, San Martín, Junín and Cusco stand out for their growing conditions and the variety of profiles their coffees can offer. Each origin has its own characteristics, influenced by factors such as altitude, climate, cultivated varieties and processing methods. We find it fascinating to showcase this diversity because it reveals that Peruvian coffee does not have just one profile: it can offer floral, fruity, sweet or chocolatey notes, among many others. For us, each origin is an opportunity to tell a different story.

We do this mainly through the experience itself. When someone tastes a coffee and learns about its origin, characteristics and the work behind it, they begin to understand it differently. We enjoy talking with our customers, explaining what makes each coffee distinctive and encouraging them to try different profiles. We do not expect everyone to become a specialist; we simply want people to enjoy, ask questions and discover. We believe a cup of coffee can be a simple and beautiful way to connect with the producer, the land and Peru's coffee culture.

Our main challenge is to keep growing without losing our identity. We want to continue improving the experience we offer, deepen our knowledge of coffee and keep sharing the richness of Peru's coffee-growing origins. We are also interested in creating more opportunities for people to discover specialty coffee and understand everything behind each cup. This international recognition encourages us to consider new projects and collaborations, but we want to move forward with purpose, taking care of quality, our team and our relationships with customers and producers.

We would like them to remember how they felt: welcomed, comfortable and connected to something authentic. Of course, we hope they enjoy the coffee, but we also want them to leave with a little story about Peru, its producers and the culture surrounding a cup. If they leave feeling that they discovered something new and experienced a special moment in Arequipa, then we will have achieved our purpose.

We would encourage them to discover Peruvian coffee with curiosity and an open mind. Arequipa has a very special identity, history and energy, and we would love their visit to include discovering the flavours of our country through coffee. At Kafi Wasi, they will find a place to enjoy, talk and learn a little more about what makes Peruvian coffee so special. Whether they are experts or simply enjoy a good cup, they will always be welcome. We would love to share a little piece of Peru with them, one cup at a time.