The Best Traditional Restaurants In Quito

Quito has a long tradition of serving great local food, called comida típica. The phrase poorly translates in English to “typical food,” although it is anything but average. The best traditional dishes are often found at lunchtime, when Ecuadorians eat their largest meal of the day. To help you find the best fit for your budget, this list of great traditional restaurants runs the gamut from fine dining to casual fast-food. Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

La Casa Los Geranios

La Casa Los Geranios, located in the cobblestoned historic district of La Ronda, serves traditional Ecuadorian dishes with flair. Executive chef Juan Carlos Córdova uses only the freshest ingredients to prepare typical dishes like locro de papa, fritada, and llapingachos. Fresh fruit juices, like babaco and naranjilla, are prepared on site. The beautifully apportioned, modern dining room is warm and welcoming.

Restaurante Leña Quiteña

Palacio de la Fritada

Deliciously soaked figs the Ecuadorian way

If you truly want to feel local, head over to Palacio de la Fritada in Cumbaya. This restaurant is consistently packed with Ecuadorians ordering some of the best fritada in town, complete with choclo, mote, sweet plantain, and fried potato pancakes. Grandmas who long for a great caldo de patas but don’t have time to make it at home, order it here. Just remember, this is a lunch only establishment.

Vaco y Vaca

Vaco y Vaca, located in just about every shopping mall in Ecuador, is a go-to favorite for families celebrating birthdays. This very popular restaurant serves the most basic of Ecuadorian food—chicken, pork, or beef, sliced thin and pan fried, served with french fries and a side of beans called a menestra. If you want to order criollo-style, your meat will come topped with fried onions and a fried egg.

Mercado Iñaquito

If you want to try traditional Ecuadorian food, one of the best places to head to is the market at Iñaquitos. The food court inside the market is comfort food heaven. Vendors selling sliced pork from an entire roasted pig are lined up along one wall; next come the fritada vendors selling chunks of fried pork with all the fixings; a few vendors sell secos—stewed meat served with a side of rice and fried, sweet plantains. The staff works hard to keep the communal dining area neat and clean. This is fast-food at its finest.

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