Small, neighborhood restaurants dot the capital city of Quito, Ecuador. The best are lovingly called huecas, which literally translates as hollow. But don’t think empty – instead consider a bird’s nest hollowed into a tree: small and cozy. These establishments are usually family-run and lack any kind of marketing beyond word-of-mouth, which is why we asked a few Quiteños to share their favorites.
La Yapa Manabita
Restaurant, Seafood
La Yapa Manabita is a seafood restaurant found near the Atahualpa Stadium. La yapa is slang for ‘a little extra’ and this restaurant goes out of its way to put a little extra on every seafood platter. Each dish is made with love from the Manabí province.
Restaurant, South American, European, Mediterranean
Recommended for their excellent fritada – chunks of delicious pork fried in their own fat with all the fixings – Restaurante Doña Blanquita serves other local specialties too.
For the best breakfast bolón in town, try Párame Bolón a few blocks from the bus terminal on Río Coca. They also make an excellent tigrillo – a dish of mashed, pan-fried green plantain mixed with eggs and fresh cheese.
Las Corvinas de Don Jimmy has been open since 1953, consistently serving excellent fried fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner to appreciative locals. With a permanent location near the Mercado Central, Don Jimmy takes their delicious product to other locations via their food truck.
For delicious fritada cooked over a wood-burning fire, stop by Fritadas La Hora Sabrosa in South Quito. Be warned, this popular hueca is only open late-afternoon and evenings.
While most huecas make local Ecuadorian foods, Papaman is famous for Venezuelan arepas, a tortilla-like bread stuffed with tasty meat and cheese fillings. Find them just below the Rumipamba Archeology Park.
Located on the Plaza San Francisco in the Quito Historic District, La Hueca de Cantuña is owned and operated by a couple from Otavalo, Ecuador. Stop by for a scoop of delicious ice cream, a fresh fruit juice, a cafe con humita, or the lunch special of the day. We guarantee locals will eating by your side.
A hueca can be all about the dessert like the Heladería Dulce Placer found in the historic neighborhood La Ronda. They specialize in making ice cream that Ecuadorians absolutely love!
