The best restaurants Ecuador

Located in the heart of the tropical garden of the eponymous hotel, this charming restaurant is renowned for serving quality Ecuadorian cuisine, tinged with Amazonian specialties. A warm setting and a great terrace for a variety of shrimps, trout and meats, pastas and salads, accompanied by Chilean wine. Do not miss the trout with ginger. The meat is also excellent and cooked as requested, which is quite rare. It is a very nice place to relax after lunch while enjoying the rainforest that surrounds you.

A parrilladas cafe-restaurant, in the Amazon fashion. A large area with terraces allowing to enjoy a little freshness at night.

The best table in Tena is sheltered under a picturesque straw hut. Grilled meats are the speciality of the house: you can enjoy steak, filet mignon or trout, all deliciously accompanied. Locals can even bring in their own cuts of turkey, chicken, pig, etc., to be roasted on the premises. Good selection of alcoholic beverages as well, especially Chilean and Argentinean wines that go perfectly with the grilled food. Since the pandemic, you can even have it delivered!

This café, the first in Tena, opened in 2005, run by Swiss people, has a very pleasant location on the river. It is ideal for breakfast and a good coffee, juice or snack during the day. It is a place open most of the time where locals like to meet with friends, if only to prepare for their day of water activities or discovering the region. To test: the chicken empanadas and especially the flagship drink of the café, the Charapata, delicious lemonade of Guayusa seasoned with Amazonian condiments.

Attablé in the garden, you will taste a delicious, classic wood-fired pizza, or pasta, in an intimate atmosphere.

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.

A popular restaurant among many others. We eat fresh and well prepared products in a typical setting.

A small restaurant that does not pay a mine at first sight and yet it is here that you eat the best local specialities, especially with seafood. The chef, Patricio, watches the grain and will be happy to make you taste his culinary preparations. Very popular.

Central, this is a good table for those who want local, economic and popular cuisine. Among the inescapable: gallina caldo, legumbres locro, and pollo al horn. And for dessert, a good chocolate pie…

To contest a game of billiards by listening to Bob Marley.

They serve the same type of international cuisine for tourists.

Enjoy typical Italian cuisine in a friendly atmosphere. Pasta and pizza specialities.

A classic pizzeria, but it's the best of Montañita. The few tables are being stormed.

Specialities of parilladas, langostinos or meat. Also serves as a bar with a good cocktail card.

Dinner is served in the sound of traditional music, on the seafront.

A beautiful terrace facing the ocean, a tasteful snack-bar decoration, a kitchen without surprise, local and international. The map is varied and offers all kinds of dishes: The incontournable ceviche of camarones (shrimp, counting $ 7) to langoustines has plancha (or garlic…, counting $ 20) through the marinero marinero (rice with seafood, kind of local paella, counting $ 13), not forgetting pasta and meat dishes (carbonara à la exemple, for example, $ 8).

This restaurant doesn't look like much and yet you can eat really well here. The menu offers an eclectic selection of classic dishes, but also Thai ones. Pasta, homemade empanadas, risotto, fish and seafood dishes... There is something for everyone. On the Thai side, the Piña Thaï Bowl caught our attention. A beautiful Thai salad served in a pineapple half, a particularly successful mix of sweet and sour flavours. Also worth mentioning are the excellent ceviches, prepared on the spot and very well seasoned. In short, a nice little address.

Italian and Thai cuisine. One of the best tables in the village, a little more expensive than the others. Chicken sauce Maracuya is excellent. The restaurant is under a palm roof. On the first floor, the street animation is dominated. Concerts on weekends.

Without a doubt one of the best addresses in the city. In an enchanting setting on the waterfront, you are in Italy in a beautifully decorated room. You can come here for breakfast: pancakes, toasts and full breakfasts are excellent. Special mention for the house breakfast, very complete, for 5 dollars. The choice is also vast for lunch or dinner. On the menu: seafood dishes and transalpine specialities in a romantic atmosphere. There is also a wide choice of non-alcoholic house cocktails.

Open for almost 20 years, this bar-restaurant, especially lively in the evening, offers an almuerzo (lunch) and "combos" at a reasonable price. It is worth noting that the delicious crabs, the speciality of the town, are served in a particularly interesting all-you-can-eat formula. One goes there for the setting, resembling the interior of a ship floating on the river, which can be seen sailing from the portholes. In the evening, it is pleasant to have a drink. Live music and karaoke on some nights, especially on weekends.

One of the best places in town where fish and seafood are of course in the spotlight: lobster, crab, fish (garlic, coconut, grilled, in soup, etc.), and the meats are not to be outdone either (seco de chivo, beef, chicken with passion fruit, etc.). The Locro de camarones, a kind of shrimp soup with sliced avocado and corn in the form of Choclos is particularly good and we recommend it. The decor is old in a typical house; the service is professional, but a little too formal.

Distinguished clientele in this famous and elegant restaurant that serves delicious seafood and fish cuisine. The restaurant is also renowned for its meats and its fine wine list. For over 30 years (it opened in 1975), this place has been run by a charming Peruvian woman who speaks French. The address is also excellent for lunch. A divine ceviche and a fish a la plancha will make you happy. Or why not let yourself be tempted by the different formulas of lobsters. The service is impeccable.

A few tables in this small restaurant at the turn of a Spanish tavern. On the map: tapas, including tortillas, empanadas, jamon serrano, paella. Decor made of bullfighting posters. Chilean wine in the string.

Behind the mcdonalds and KFC, several stands offer local economic and roborative cuisine for a dinner or a almuerzo. The servings are huge and can be sufficient for two people (try rice for example). You can sit on the terrace under a parasol observing the go-and-come from Seawall.

The paradise of fruit in all its forms: fresh juices, milkshakes, ice creams, salads. A real pleasure to take a refreshing break here: the setting is acidic, in the colours of tropical fruits, and everything is divine. The best fruits of the country are cut as you eat: papayas, bananas, arbol tomatoes, pineapples, naranjillas and many others. Lovers will enjoy a real cure, especially since most of the fruit is organically grown, a guarantee of good health! Two other addresses in town.

Excellent local cuisine, shrimp and shellfish ceviche; humitas, guatita (guts). All at very reasonable prices. It is a pity that the restaurant is closed in the evening.

On the 4 ^th floor of this large store is one of the city's select cafeterias, managed by the descendants of an Italian family. It's not surprising that the speciality of the Casa is the coffee hit, subtle mix of vanilla espresso and ice cream blended. You can also enjoy breakfast or measure yourself at one of the rich club sandwiches in the menu.

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.