Quito is a vibrant city with lots of variety when talking about cuisine. No matter if you are looking to emerge in the local cuisine of Ecuador, have an exquisite dinner experience or are craving international food, you will find it in this amazing city!
Below you will find a list of some of the best and our favourite places to eat in Quito!
EN DULCE
For the sweet teeth under us, EN DULCE is going to be your favourite spot! It is a tiny bakery located in the historic city center rated the #1 out of 12 bakeries in Quito on TripAdvisor. They sell all kinds of chocolates, chocolate breads, cinnamon rolls etc. They als sell sandwiches that you will love! This all for a reasonable price.
Address: Calle Guayaquil N 6-56 | Corner with Olmedo, Oldtown Quito, Quito 170150, Ecuador
Phone: +593 2-228-8000
LA CASA LOS GERANIOS
This place is located in district La Ronda in the historic city center of Quito. They are known for serving traditional Ecuadorian dishes with flair. Typical dishes like: Locro de papa, Fritada and Llapingachos can be found here! Their fresh juices are also very tasty, as they are freshly prepared on site!
Address: Morales OE1-134 y Guayaquil, Barrio La Ronda. Quito – Ecuador
Phone: +593 02 2956 035
HONEY COFFEE
This is honestly my favourite coffee place so far in Quito. It is located on Plaza Foch and a great place to catch up with your friends in the afternoon, or any time of the day really. The place is super cute with a great vibe and friendly staff. They sell great mochachino’s, lates with flavors etc. Also, they sell a great variety of pastries.
Address: Reina Victoria y Mariscal Foch
Phone: +593 099 860 9450
FRIED BANANAS
This restaurant is a bit harder to find as it is located behind the plaza Mariscal Foch. However, it is definitely worth the search! The restaurant offers all traditional dishes of the Ecuadorian cuisine, like: ceviche, soups, friend bananas, fresh fish etc. This all for very reasonable prices!
Address: Mariscal Foch E4, Av. Amazonas 150 y, Quito
Phone: (02) 223-5208
MERCADO CENTRAL (LA MARIN)
This is a very local market where all kinds of products like fruits, vegetables, herbs and even flowers are sold. On the second floor, you will find countless small kitchens where local food like the traditional Ecuadorian ‘encebollada’ is served, for a very cheap price! Also, while you are there, try the fresh fruit smoothies! It is located behind the bus station La Marin in the historic center.
Address: Foch E4-150 y Amazonas (3,51 km)
phone: 170517 Quito (02) 223-5208
CAFÉ DIOS NO MUERE
This restaurant located in the 400-year old monastery of Santa Catalina is a place you cannot miss if you are curious about trying local Ecuadorian cuisine combined with Louisiana’s flavours in a beautiful building with a great environment. Here you can try dishes like: Cajun-style yucca fries, coffee with tamales, and Jambalaya. However, they also offer a wide selection of traditional Ecuadorian dishes.
Address: Cafe Dios No Muere, La Esquina de Flores y Junin, Quito, Ecuador
Phone: +593 2257 1995
LAS EMPANADAS DEL NEGRO
This place serves (according to many Venezuelans) the famous best Venezuelan empanadas of La Mariscal! It is a small place, but their empanadas have soon become my favourite in the area. For only $1 you can try empanadas stuffed with: chicken and cheese, meat and other ingredients. Their fruit smoothies are also very good! They are located on the street Av 6 de Diciembre entering the Mariscal Foch area.
For an Italian treat, one of my favourite places for Italian food is definitely Cosa Nostra!
COSA NOSTRA TRATTORIA PIZZERIA
Cosa Nostra is a pizzeria in the center of Quito. It is famous for its Italian delicacies, like pasta’s, oven baked pizzas, olive ascolane, caprese salad, fried calamari and tiramisus for example! The perfect place for some Italian savories.
Address: Cosa Nostra Trattoria Pizzeria, Baquerizo Moreno E7-86 y Almagro, Quito, Ecuador
Phone: +593 2224 4767
EL BALCON
This is an Ecuadorian restaurant located in the historic city center. For $3,25 you get a three-course menu that consists of; soup, the main dish and a small dessert. It is one of my favourite places to come during lunch! Ask for ‘almuerzo’ to get this 3-course menu. The staff will give you the choices of soup, main dish and dessert. You can also order from the menu if you do not like the options they have for lunch. They serve this lunch from 12-4 pm +-.
Address: Eugenio Espejo Oe2-67 y, Guayaquil 170401
Phone: (02) 295-9353
LUA
Lua is the perfect place to try some of the best Peruvian fusion specialties in Quito. It is located in the Mariscal Foch. Dishes like Tiradito parmesan (which is a raw grouper fish served with a light Italian cheese sauce) or the soy-glazed tuna steak with ginger and Pisco are the chef Lau’s specialties. All the dishes are an expression of Lau’s Italian-Chinese heritage. A perfect place to try new things with style!
Address: Lua, Pontevedra N24-422 y Francisco Salazar , La Floresta, Quito, Ecuador
Phone: +593 2511 2570
Lastly, if you want to get fancy, this place is worth a visit!
CASA GANGOTENA
Casa Gangotena is a luxurious hotel in a beautifully renovated colonial building in the center of Quito. Ranking among the top hotels in the world, Casa Gangotena is an example of elegance and class, and the hotel’s restaurant mirrors these qualities perfectly.
What is so special about this place, is that the furniture is art deco and their ceiling has a gorgeous mural painting by the contemporary artist Lucia Falconi. The menu of Casa Gangotena has a great variety of dishes from the Andes to the Coast to choose from, where the chef puts traditional flavours from his childhood that he re-invents with a contemporary flair.
Address: Casa Gangotena, Simon Bolivar, Quito, Ecuador
Phone: +593 2400 8000
Are you hungry yet?
Written by: Kyra Boogert
