Pucacaca Airport

Pucacaca Airport is a small regional airstrip serving the San Martín region, and like many compact Peruvian airports of its kind, the dining options inside are modest but genuinely charming. Don't expect a sprawling food court — instead, you'll find a handful of casual counters and a small café near the single terminal entrance where locals and travelers alike grab a quick bite before boarding. The atmosphere is unhurried and friendly, and the staff are happy to chat while they prepare your order.

What the airport lacks in variety it more than makes up for in authenticity. The snack counter typically offers juane — the beloved Amazonian rice and chicken dish wrapped in bijao leaves — alongside warm tamales and cecina, the region's signature smoked pork that you'll find everywhere in San Martín. Fresh tropical fruit juices made with cocona, camu camu, and aguaje are absolutely worth ordering; they're a vivid, tart reminder that you're deep in Amazonian Peru. These are not watered-down airport versions — they taste exactly as they would at a market stall in town.

If you have a bit of time before your flight, ask whether the café has tacacho con cecina on offer — it's a dish of mashed plantain balls paired with smoked pork, and it's deeply satisfying. Portions are generous and prices are refreshingly local, so you won't feel the usual airport price sting. Given how quickly boarding can happen at small regional airports, it's wise to grab your food early and settle into one of the plastic chairs by the window, where you can watch small aircraft idle on the tarmac while you eat.