The best restaurants Sierra

A very small place nestled at the corner of a street. The setting is cosy, the atmosphere rather trendy and friendly, the Argentinean cuisine original and tasty. Try the beautiful cake on the counter, it's the house specialty! The prices are a little higher than at the neighbouring restaurants, but the quality of the food justifies the prices. If you like seafood, let yourself be tempted by the prawns and if not, we recommend the Lomo (beef fillet) al roquefort which is a real delight. Perfect for a small dinner for two.

The Bonny restaurant has been run by the same family for about twenty years. The setting is elegant and refined, the service is of high quality. Several atmospheres within the restaurant, so the customer will choose his place according to his mood and his desires. On the menu, traditional and family cuisine(yahuarlocro, caldo de gallina, ceviche, etc.), as well as international dishes (pasta, salads, etc.). All at reasonable prices. Among our suggestions: menestra con carne (adish with meat and a side dish), churrasco or lomo a la plancha.

More than 50 years already that this restaurant officiates in Latacunga. (Opened in 1969). Here, the specialty is chicken a la brasa (grilled)! The individual combo menu includes half a chicken, rice, chips, soup and a soda. Jimmy, the owner, manages his restaurant with a master's hand and the room is often full at noon and evening. The atmosphere is local, the clientele is mostly Ecuadorian and the setting is simple (a large room lit by neon lights, open to the street). Possibility of delivery to your hotel or menus to take with you.

If there is a small local restaurant to discover in Loja, it is this one. Opened in 1996 by the Poma Medina family and located in the street of 18 de noviembre, the calle de la comida, it has become a local institution. It is here that you can taste good specialities difficult to find elsewhere in the city: humitas, tamales, quimbolitos and empanadas de verde... The place is clean and the service is attentive, it's a safe bet and the bill is never difficult to digest. Very good batidos too (fresh fruit juice with milk).

Literally a muddy earth oven, the Forno di Fango is a good restaurant-pizzeria where many of the dishes are cooked over a wood fire in the earthen oven that gives it its name. This is the place to come for lunch or dinner with friends or family. The setting is perfect and you can mix with other local families. Good and wide selection of pizzas cooked in the wood fire, but also of pasta. Lasagne, cannelloni and wood-fired ravioli are absolutely delicious. The wine list is not to be outdone, there is a good selection.

Below, this cosy restaurant serves delicious food. The owner concocts good dishes, and we recommend the pizzas or the lasagne (also vegetarian), accompanied by garlic bread. The service is a bit slow, but there is time... Take the opportunity to order a good natural fruit juice, made on demand. The decoration could use some freshening up, but the dishes served make up for it! If you prefer to stay at your hotel, don't hesitate to have it delivered, Blue Rose has been offering this service since 2020.

In a simple yet authentic setting, you'll eat a good almuerzo of traditional dishes for a modest sum. The food is unsurprising (we tried the chicken with coke and the trout on a plank), but quite decent. The fruit and vegetables are local and often organic, like the excellent arbol tomatoes we tried in syrup - a real treat! The menu is different every day, and the day's menu is published on the restaurant's Facebook page. Smiling, attentive welcome.

The culinary influences of this establishment are diverse (German, Mexican, Italian, etc.), just like the clientele. A nicely decorated café paying tribute to all the countries of the world, where you can enjoy good burgers, nachos, onion fritters, nuggets, as well as pancakes and eggs for breakfast... Cocktails and a good selection of beers. Many expats from Vilcabamba meet here at the end of the day for a drink and to catch up on the latest gossip. On match days, the TV is always on!

This restaurant offers a traditional cuisine, including cuy, the famous roasted guinea pig that Ecuadorians love. The clientele is mostly composed of tourist groups passing through the area, so avoid it if you are looking for authenticity, although since the pandemic the restaurant has turned towards the local market by expanding its menu with more common dishes. A daily menu completes the offer and allows you to have lunch at a lower cost in a pleasant atmosphere that is conducive to meetings. Folk music on weekends.

A restful place where you can read a book, sit and sip a drink accompanied by a pastry (carrot cake or muffin, for example), and this for hours. To test: the good organic Intag coffee produced in the region, speciality of this association of artisanal producers of fair trade organic coffee from the Intag valley. Cocktails and wines are also available. Book exchange on site. A very nice stop where you can also buy an excellent roasted coffee and even green coffee if you feel like roasting it yourself.

Rayuela is without a doubt THE trendy restaurant of the city where local families meet. It was the first to call itself a restobar, a kind of bistro restaurant of today. Music, modern decor, and varied and quality dishes. The meat is tasty. We like, among other things, the lomo a la pimienta, the pechuga de pollo and the (large) organic salads. If you like pork, the chuleta en salsa maracuya (pork chop with passion fruit sauce) should make you happy. The staff is friendly. A safe bet!

This Italian restaurant-pizzeria moved into this new location in 2019 and offers excellent Italian food, mostly prepared over a wood fire. The pizza is hands down the best in all of Ecuador! The meat is also very good, and the icing on the cake is a delicious homemade tiramisu waiting for you to end this beautiful culinary experience that we highly recommend. The wine list is not to be outdone and you can accompany your meal with a good quality Italian or Chilean red wine. A must in Baños.

Perfect place to enjoy very good pizzas in a typical Italian setting: wood-fired pizzas, red and white checkered tables, warm welcome, everything is there. On match nights, the TV is on and you come with your family or friends to watch it. The pizzas are as good and almost as big as in Italy! Don't hesitate to have it delivered if you want to stay at your hotel, it has become common since the pandemic and the deliveries are very fast, no need to reheat your pizza when you arrive!

Welcome to Fabiano's, opened since 2011 and highly recommended by locals, it is a great place to eat delicious Italian pizza at low prices and in a relaxed and family atmosphere. Fabiano has opened two other locations in Cuenca. One in the Zona Rosa and the other in the Challuabamba neighborhood, a residential area of the city. All three places have a good atmosphere and above all, produce very good pizzas and pasta dishes. If you prefer to dine at your hotel, ask for a delivery, it is fast and free.

In the heart of Riobamba, César Oña, a native of the country who studied abroad and stayed with a chef, has opened an apparently unpretentious bar-cafeteria on the main avenue, Daniel Leon Borja. The food here is Ecuadorian, even "Riobambenian" quality, prepared with fresh local products. Ask for an empanada de morocho and you will be taken for a local! They also serve good chicken wings with chips. The service is friendly, the dishes are of good quality. Perfect place for a quick break and not very expensive.

Looking for Mexican food in the middle of volcanoes? Guadalajara Grill is without doubt the best Mexican restaurant in town. It's often very quiet, as it's set back from the busy streets of Latacunga. The owners of Guadalajara grill (they're Mexican) are charming and serve delicious home-cooked food. On the menu: Tacos, Burritos, Enchiladas, Chimichangas, Fajitas, Sopas, Tostadas, Huevos Rancheros, Nachos and many other delights. All for a very reasonable price. If you want to stay at your hotel, delivery is fast.

Located on the first floor of a pretty colonial house, we recommend this restaurant mainly for the view it offers of the Plaza de los Ponchos from the balcony. It serves hearty breakfasts and decent local cuisine at low prices. You can also enjoy a very good canelazo, the traditional hot drink made with spices and often with added alcohol. As its name suggests, this restaurant has a lovely little terrace from which you can watch the artisans setting up or getting busy on market days.

Sergio Guevara, the chef of this small, unpretentious Italian restaurant with a cosy atmosphere, opened in 1996, prepares delicious food with fresh, local products. He welcomes you in a pleasant house, a little away from the town centre, at the beginning of the road that leads to Puyo. You will be able to taste his dishes on the terrace as well as inside and you will not be disappointed. Pizzas, pasta, lasagne, meat and fish, everything is excellent and prepared with good quality products. We highly recommend this establishment.

Salinerito is a small and charming fast-food restaurant where they serve very good sandwiches and pizzas cooked on the spot, in front of your eyes. Ideal for the small munchies. Salinerito Otavalo is a cafeteria with comfortable and warm facilities where you can spend pleasant moments with family or friends. You will find a wide variety of pizzas, delicious sandwiches and snacks, as well as cappuccinos, mocacchinos, chocolates, coffees, etc. In the morning you can enjoy a delicious breakfast. Interesting address.

Restaurant looking like a fast food, La Vaca Loca is more than that. The first thing to notice is the neat, lively and cheerful decoration with cows all over the walls. Dishes are relatively copious and well prepared. We melt for their succulent desserts. Nothing very original, but the address is very popular with the locals and the few tourists passing through. And the staff is friendly! On the evenings of football matches, this is the place where people gather to support their favourite team, with friends and neighbours. Worth a visit if you are in the area.

Those who like their breakfasts local and hearty will find themselves here. Prices are very affordable and the dishes are hearty. The coffee, made from local produce, is very good and goes perfectly with the famous Tigrillos and Bolons for those with a sweet tooth. Don't miss the maduro de la casa, a plantain dish seasoned with cheese sauce, grated cheese and chicharrones ! It can't get any more local than this. What's more, the welcome is very warm and you'll enjoy staying a while just to chat with the regulars.

National and international cuisine of simple invoices in a colonial setting. Rich and economical Almuerzos.

Served in a well-restored house, respectable Mexican cuisine prepared in the pure tradition by a Mexican team. Enchiladas, tacos and mole, tequila and margaritas at the bar. Warm wooded decor and local music. Not cheap though, but the portions are very hearty. Many musical evenings are scheduled, and announced on the restaurant's Facebook page. The choice of cocktails is impressive, the food is very good and the music is very eclectic, although often Mexican. A good address to try!

Unpretentious cuisine serving turkey specialties(pavón) in a clean setting. Very reasonable prices. Breakfasts are also copious: toast, eggs, ham or bacon, potatoes, hot drink and fruit juice, but also bolon de verde and mote. The almuerzo, consisting of a starter (often a soup), a main course, a dessert and a drink costs only 3 US$. One will come here to feel local among the locals, the restaurant is always full for lunch, so don't arrive too late or you will have to wait.

This nice Tex-mex restaurant is an economic alternative to the famous Pedregal Azteca. In addition to taco and burrito (not to miss the jerk sauce chicken sauce), tamales are prepared on weekends. Copious and delicious portions served in beautiful terracotta plates.

Lovers of Latino cuisine, this is your place. Traditional Colombian cuisine is served in this old-fashioned room. Arepas (kind of corn cakes), antojitos and empanadas are served here without fuss - and with coffee, of course! We recommend the guacamole tortilla! Be careful though, Colombian cuisine is not the lightest. Pleasant atmosphere and very professional service. This is the place to go on football match nights, especially if Colombia is on the pitch, the atmosphere is exceptional!

The room does not pay a mine and the decor is even very kitsch it must admit, but this Indian restaurant (not confusing Indian and Indigenous!) suggests all the classics: curry, samossa, biryani, naan, lassi… at unbeatable prices and very good quality. The young people of Cuenca appreciate it, and the clientele is also exclusively local.

Snack, salads, cake, coffee, juice… on one of the only terraces in the city. Possibility to drink a drink in the evening.

Same style as the previous one. Do not dine twice in the same place.

This is a good gastronomic restaurant in an absolutely delightful location, on the banks of the river, with a breathtaking view. At the helm is a passionate Cuencano chef who will cook up his specialities, original and tasty, traditional dishes modernised in his own way: beef bourguignon with mushrooms, garlic shrimps, veal medallion with Bordeaux sauce... The modern and intimate decor promises a pleasant candlelit dinner. The service is very attentive. A little expensive, but the quality of the food and service are there.

An elegant restaurant in a charming setting. Fine cuisine. Ideal for a romantic dinner.

A good address, also for breakfast. A few steps from the cathedral.

This good restaurant serves an astonishing mix of Mexican, Thai and Italian cuisine. To vary the pleasures.

The café is named after its Ecuadorian owner. Shanta, an interesting character, with a look between cowboy and rock-star, who invites you in his picturesque wooden hut to enjoy a variety of dishes in the open air: pizzas, pastas, trout filet, burgers, and even frog legs! All this with a background of retro rock music. You come for the food, but also for the relaxed atmosphere, the well-chosen music and the very personal attention. Watch out for the truculent digestif that the place is famous for.

This former bakery run by a Belgian-Peruvian couple has been a phenomenal success with its sweet treats: pancakes, waffles, cookies, granola, carrot cakes, orange and banana cakes (among others) areprepared on site with organic products. Today, the owners have converted their bakery into a pizzeria-cafeteria and the conversion works! Don't hesitate to stop by and try the tasty lasagna. A gringo's den, but a good address all the same, where it is good to spend a relaxing moment.

The Libertador Hotel restaurant is one of the best tables of Loja. Local and international cuisine, a classic setting.

A traditional restaurant, breakfast and Ecuadorian cuisine.

The framework is impersonal and devoid of charm, but you can eat the right international dishes.

Before or after visiting the gallery where exhibitions of local artists are held, you can take a break in its cafeteria. On the menu: A few dishes and snacks.

Behind a large bay window, a welcoming and colourful cafeteria ideal for breakfast. Homemade ice cream, milkshakes, cakes and other snacks. For more than 30 years, the Topoli café has been a meeting place for the locals and has also become a place where many foreign tourists pass through. If you like desserts, don't hesitate to try the excellent queso de coco con caramel, a kind of flan with caramel and coconut that is absolutely delicious. The waffles, specialties of the house, are also very good.

A cultural bar-bar with small concerts; theatre, dance. This coffee is also an art and crafts gallery.

Small corner of Mexico in the heart of Loja; simple but delicious food. In particular, we recommend taco and or, and those who love spicy cuisine will be able to taste the pungent salsa walnut. Economic almuerzos.

Simply the best option if you're vegetarian or want to eat healthy vegetables in Baños. The food is super tasty and affordable. The Almuerzo comes with a delicious soup, fresh fruit juice, main course (huge portion) and fruit. The owner is very friendly and prepares all dishes to order - nothing is reheated here. Don't miss the traditional Burrito, which attracts locals and tourists alike thanks to its well-deserved reputation. The vegetable lasagne is also a must.

After fifteen years in France, Paco, the owner of this pizzeria, has returned with our southern accent! Latin American music groups perform some evenings. A very popular address frequented by a loyal clientele. All the dishes are prepared over a wood fire and the dough is truly perfect, fine and crispy as we like it. Succulent lasagne and various meat dishes are also on the menu. If you like meat, don't hesitate and order a T-bone, the meat comes from Santo Domingo, it is just perfect.

A large restaurant without great charm but serves good local cuisine.

Excellent homemade ice cream, cornet or cutting, and sandwiches in a relaxed atmosphere.

Facing the square of the Cloaks, this vegetarian restaurant offers you a cosy atmosphere. Very frequented by tourists.

This restaurant is located in a family house that has been carrying on the tradition for generations. Around the garden, the gallery shelters some tables where typical dishes are served in a friendly atmosphere, especially during the Yamor festival, celebrated at the beginning of September and during which the natives thank Mother Earth for all that she gives them. A typical drink, made of 7 types of corn, is prepared and you can taste it here if you are in Otavalo between the first and the eighth of September.

A must-see in this pie shop that sells the best fresh fruit pies in town (blueberry, strawberry, passion fruit, mango, etc.), and maybe even in the country! For over 25 years, the owner has been a self-taught pastry expert. Juices, breakfasts and snacks too. If you can, we suggest you try all the pies! These can also be accompanied by a scoop of homemade ice cream on request. This small coffee shop is really worth the detour for the gourmets passing through Otavalo.

Traditional local cuisine.