Quito Restaurants
Quito is a great place to eat
out. Whether you are looking for a coffee shop or a 3 course
meal with all the trimmings, the city has some great choices
(provided you stay away from the over-priced and poor quality
international burger and pizza chains).
Possibly one of the best meals
we ever had (and quite expensive by Quito standards) was at the
extraordinarily elegant restaurant at Teatrum
in the National Theatre. At the other end of the scale, for the
best in simple local food, try the Ceviches at Ceviches de Ruminahui
(below). Whatever you do in Ecuador, you should try a Ceviche
de Camarones (prawns) -a cold soup served with Banana Chifles
and popcorn. Go to cebiche.com
for some recipes.
Our other favourites include
'Spaghetti' and 'Crepes
y Waffles' both very reasonable and located side by side
on on Portugal and Eloy Alfaro. Sadly the very fine 'El Nispero'
appears to have closed. There are numerous places where you can
get a very good steak -our favourite is the Chalet Suise, although
we haven't been there for a while.
The best views in town are to
be had at Café
Mosaico, overlooking the old town, and , Techo
del Mundo at Hotel Quito overlooking the historic village
of Guapulo and the new town (best breakfast in town too).
For a good plato tipico of Fritadas
and Llapingachos we recommend La
Choza. And for the best pizza, our choice would be L'Arcate,
just off Juan Leon Mera. In fact there are a huge range of very
good restaurants around the Mariscal area serving food from all
over the world.
- Restaurants
Adobes
-fast food Ecuadorian style in Quicentro and Centro Comercial
Iñaquito -empanadas, humitas, totillas and carnes.
Arcate
-quality wood fired pizzas -one of our favourites. Order online
for nome delivery . Baquedano 358 y Juan León Mera, Quito,
Ecuador · 593-2-223-7659.
Barlovento -menu specialising in cebiche and sea food, opposite
the Hotel Quito. Av. 12 de Octubre N27-09 y Orellana. Teléfono:
222 3751 / 222 4683.
Cafecito -a warm and inviting" café
bar with hostel in Quito and Cuenca.
Canoa
-restaurant in the Hotel Rio Amazonas serviving typical Ecuadorean
food 24 hours a day.
Carmine
-italian restaurant. Address Calle Baquerizo Moreno E7-70 y Diego
de Almagro, Quito, Ecuador. Tel 02 2 225531 / 02 2 234785.
Casa
San Lucas -cafe bar and
art gallery in a restored 17th century courtyard house in the
old town.
Il Casale
-
Chalet Suise
-some very fine steaks and Swiss specialities.
Chez Jerome
-specialise in Ecuadorian and French cuisine -Whymper N3096 and
Coruña (Quito, Ecuador) Tel :2234-067 / 098-39-8888
La
Choza -much loved by
Quiteños, La Choza has been serving traditional food since
1965. 12 de Octubre N24-551 y Cordero. Tel. 2230 839 / 2507901.
Churrin
Churron -fast food Ecuadorian
style -churrines to take away. Centro Comercial Mall del Sol,
Centro Comercial Malecón 2000, Centro Comercial Riocentro
Ceibos and Centro Comercial San Marino. Teléfonos: (593-4)
2140-234
Hotel
Colon -swanky and expensive,
but a good place to meet. Large buffet, large price. Indifferent
service. Avenida Amazonas 110 Y Patria. Tel: 2560666.
Hotel Plaza Grande -even more swanky and expensive, the café
is worth a visit for their spectacular ice cream served with
clouds of dry ice. García Moreno y Chile. Tel.: 593 +
2 2510 777.
Crater -restaurant and art gallery to the north
of Quito with panoramic view of the Pululahua crater. Telephone
Restaurant: (593 2) 2398132.
Crepes
y Waffles -one of our
favourites -savoury and sweet crepes at a very reasonable price.
Quicentro, Av Orellana or St Luis. Ràbida 461 y Avenida
Francisco de Orellana. Teléfono: 2500658; Quicentro Shopping
Nivel 2 Local 041 Av. Naciones Unidas Sin Nùmero y Avenida
6 de diciembre. Teléfono: 2436058; Centro Comercial San
Luis. Teléfono: 2090063.
Crossroads Café hostal and cafe in Juan Leon Mera, Quito. Foch
678 (E5-23) y Juan Leon Mera. Telefax: (593-2)223-4735.
Este
Cafe -good coffee shop,
but don't bother with the meals. Juan Leon Mera y Wilson.
Huauki -Japanes restaurant and hostel in the
Mariscal. Direction: Joaquin Pinto E7-82 y Diego de Almagro,
Quito, Ecuador. Telephone: (593-2) 290-4286 / 252-9402 or09551-1957
(Spanish & English).
Kallari
-wireless coffee shop and chocolate lounge in the Mariscal area
staffed and owned by Kichwa communities from the Napo province.
E4-266 Wilson & Juan Leon Mera. Tel: 223 - 6009.
Magic
Bean -restaurant and
coffee house popular with tourists staying in the Mariscal -tends
to be a bit pricey, but do substantial breakfasts and wi-fi hotspot.
Foch 681 y Juan Leon Mera. Tel: 593-2-256-6181.
Meson Cultural Swing -typical picadas and meals with live entertainments.
Mariano Aguilera 326 y Pasaje Martin Carrion. Tel 2562042 / 2548416.
Restaurante
Panoramico-Hotel Real Audiencia
-first class hotel & reasonably priced restaurant serving
typical Ecuadorean food in the old City near Plaza de Santo Domingo.
Bolivar 3-18 y Guayaquil. Tel 295 2711 / 2950590
Pims -cocktail
bar and restaurant chain with branches in La Floresta, Itchimbia,
Cumbaya and Panecilla. See the website for locations.
Al
Portico -country-style
Italian Trattoria on the outskirts of Quito with its own vegetable
gardens, farmyard animals and children's play area. Orellana
1130 and Eloy Alfaro, Tumbaco, Quito Ecuador. Tel: 2373-659.
Rincon de Francia
-long established upmarket French restaurant in La Floresta with
a reputation for good food. Roca 779 y 9 de Octubre. Tel 222
5053 / 255 4668.
Rincon de Catuña -the restaurant in the courtyard of Hotel Patio
Andaluz in the old town. García Moreno N6-52 between Mejía
and Olmedo Telephone: (593-2) 2280830
Rincon
La Ronda -traditional
Ecuadorean food in a classy, if somewhat stuffy atmosphere. Belo
Horizonte no 400 y Almagro. Tel 2540459
Sake Restaurant
-minimalist Japanes restaurant. Paúl Rivet N30-166 y Whymper
Quito - Ecuador. Tel: +593 252 - 4818 / 254 - 5874
San Telmo
-bar/restaurant specialising in meats. Portugal 440 y Francisco
Casanova. Tel 3331944/3331943/2256946
Sushito -Japanese Sushi in Quicentro shopping
Centre.
Swissotel -luxury hotel with 5 restaurants -Prime
Rib, Le Point, Cafe Quito, Tanoshii Restaurant, Les Alpes, Sports
Bar & Grill. Av.12 de Octubre, 1820 y Luis - Cordero. Tel:
+593 22 567 600
Teatrum -extremely elegant restaurant and wine
bar in the National Theatre. Calle Manabi entre Guayaquil y Flores,
Centro Histórico de Quito, Teatro Nacional Sucre, segundo
piso. Telefaxs: 593-2-2571011 / 2-2289669
Techo del Mundo, Hotel Quito -stunning roof top situation, with special
events in the evenings or fantastic buffet breakfast. Gonzales
Suarez. Tel: (5932) 254 4600
Trattoria Sol y Luna -quality Italian restaurant in La Colina area
-Whimper N 31-29 y Coruña. Telf: 223-5865
La Tuka
-restaurant in Hotel Finlandia. Finlandia 227 y Suecia * Telf.
[593 2] 224 4287 / 224 4288 / 224 4289
La
Viña -contemporary
international dishes, located in the Mariscal on Isabel La Católica
and Cordero. Tel. 256 60 33 / 255 63 36
- Food
and Drink
- You can definitely eat supremely
well in Quito.
-
- Most meals are served with rice,
and possibly accompanied with various forms of corn, as well
as avocado, tomato and aji sauce.
-
- Be cautious about buying food
from street vendors, especially 'prepared' food. Bottled water
is widely available and should be used in more rural areas, and
remember that ice will be made from tapwater.
-
- Drinks: Alcoholic drinks are readily available including
good South American wines and Pilsner or Club beers. There are
the most amazing fruit juices to be found -try the naranjilla,
tomate de arbol, mora, guanabana, maracuya and papaya in place
of the usual orange or pineapple. If you are feeling adventurous,
you might like to try Chicha a drink of fermented maize or yucca,
that relies on human saliva as part of the process of making
it.
-
- Glossary:
- Aji -hot pepper sauce, served with many meals -use
with care.
- Bolas de Verde -a filling soup with balls of plantain.
- Cachos -croissants.
- Caldo de Patas -cows foot soup -a local delicacy believed
to increase virility.
- Ceviche de Camarones (o Pescado) -a cold soup of
prawns (or fish) marinated in lime and onion and served cold
with popcorn and peanuts.
- Choclo -grilled sweetcorn.
- Chupe de pescado, -fish and vegetable soup from the coast.
- Corvina -sea bass.
- Cuy -guinea pig
- Empanadas -meat or cheese turnovers served as
a snack or starter.
- Encocados -seafood cooked in coconut milk
- Fanesca -a festive soup made with dry fish and fresh grains
such as corn, peas, etc.
- Fritada -fried pork.
- Jugo -Juice.
- Llapingachos -fried mashed potato and cheese patties.
- Locro -cheese and potato soup.
- Lomo salteado -thinly cut beef steak.
- Lomo Fino -fillet beef steak
- Mote pillo -boiled corn mixed with onions and eggs.
- Plato Tipico -typical plate -made with fried pork,
llapingachos, rice, avocado, mote pillo, avocado and tostado
with aji.
- Seco -stewed meat, eg Seco de Pollo -Chicken
Stew.
- Tortillas de Maiz -corn pancakes.
-
- Cooking terms:
- A la brasa -grilled
Al vapor -steamed
Apanado -batter-fried/breaded
Brosterizado -deep-fried
Frito -pan fried
Hornado -roasted
Reventado: skillet-fried
-
- Recipes:
- Barcillo's Food Zone -gives a number of Ecuadorian recipes
along with suggested places to eat in Guayquil.
- Fanesca
-from Topics Mag, a description of the festive soup made of grains,
legumes, cereals, and fish.
- Recipes for Ecuador -about twenty recipes from RecipeHound.
-
-
- Search this site with Google:
|