Best Restaurants in Quito: 15 Places Locals Actually Eat (2026)
Quito’s food scene has quietly become one of the best in South America — and most tourists never get past the same three spots on Plaza Foch. After eating my way through this city for years, I’ve narrowed it down to 15 restaurants that actually deliver: from $2.50 market lunches to world-class tasting menus. These are the best restaurants in Quito where locals eat, organized by neighborhood and budget.
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Best Restaurants in Quito Old Town
The historic center has the most authentic and affordable food in the city. Skip the tourist menus near Plaza Grande and look for spots where taxi drivers and office workers line up at noon.
1. Mercado Central — Best Budget Lunch
The food court at Mercado Central is where you’ll eat the best almuerzo in Quito for $2.50-3.50. Soup, main course (try the seco de chivo or hornado), juice, and dessert. Find the stalls with the longest lines — that’s your quality filter. Open Monday through Saturday, peak lunch rush 12:00-1:30 PM.
2. Cafetería Modelo — Old School Breakfast
Open since 1950 and barely changed. Humitas, bolones de verde, and the thickest hot chocolate you’ll ever drink. On Calle Sucre near San Francisco plaza. Breakfast runs $4-6. The coffee is strong, the service is no-nonsense, and the decor is pure 1970s Ecuador.
3. Hasta la Vuelta Señor — Colonial Courtyard Dining
Inside a restored colonial house on La Ronda, serving traditional Ecuadorian food with an upscale touch. The courtyard is beautiful at night. Try the locro de papa — best version I’ve had in Quito. Mains $8-15. Live music Friday evenings.
4. Theatrum — Fine Dining with Old Town Views
Located on the second floor of the historic Teatro Sucre building overlooking Plaza del Teatro. Mediterranean-Ecuadorian fusion with an extensive wine list. The lunch menu ($15-20) is the value play — dinner runs $35-50 per person. The balcony table at sunset is one of the best dining experiences in Quito.
Best Restaurants in La Mariscal & Northern Quito
The modern north is where Quito’s culinary scene is evolving fastest. From craft beer pubs to Peruvian-Ecuadorian fusion, this is where chefs experiment.
5. Zazu — Quito’s Fine Dining Standard
Chef Alexander Lau has made Zazu one of the top restaurants in Ecuador. The tasting menu ($65-85) changes seasonally and sources ingredients from every altitude zone. The ceviche is world-class. Reservations essential. On Mariano Aguilera in the González Suárez area.
6. Bandido Brewing — Best Craft Beer & Pub Food
Quito’s craft beer revolution started here. 12+ taps brewed on-site — the Cotopaxi Cream Ale and Rucu Pichincha Red are local favorites. Solid pub food ($7-12). Rooftop terrace with great views. On Olmedo street. Perfect when you need a break from Ecuadorian food. Planning the wider trip? Send us your dates and we will put the route together.
7. Chez Jérôme — French-Ecuadorian Fusion
A French chef who fell in love with Ecuador opened this gem in La Floresta. Duck confit with naranjilla sauce, trucha with Andean herbs. Lunch specials are a steal at $12-15 for three courses. The wine pairing is worth it.
8. Octava de Corpus — Modern Ecuadorian
Where young quiteño chefs redefine Ecuadorian cuisine using forgotten indigenous ingredients — chuño, ishpingo, cacao de arriba. Small restaurant in La Floresta, maybe 30 seats. Five-course tasting menu is $45. Call ahead — fills up fast.
9. La Petite Mariscal — Casual All-Day Café
The spot where digital nomads and young quiteños collide. Great coffee, avocado toast that actually impresses, and hearty bowls for $8-12. Fast wifi makes it a solid work-from-café option. On Reina Victoria street, open 8 AM to 10 PM.
Best Restaurants in La Floresta & Guápulo
These two neighborhoods have become the foodie heart of Quito. La Floresta for innovative restaurants, Guápulo for atmosphere and views of the eastern valley.
10. Anker Café — La Floresta’s Living Room
Part café, part community space. Anker has the best specialty coffee in Quito (they roast their own beans from Loja province). The brunch menu is outstanding — try the shakshuka or the grain bowl. $6-12 for a full meal. The courtyard garden is one of the most peaceful spots in the neighborhood.
11. La Briciola — Italian Done Right
Run by an Italian family who’s been in Quito for two decades. Handmade pasta, wood-fired pizzas, and a tiramisu that would survive scrutiny in Rome. La Floresta location. Mains $12-18. The truffle pasta is their signature. Casual enough for jeans, good enough for a date night.
12. Café de la Vaca — Guápulo’s Best View Restaurant
Perched on the edge of Guápulo with views down the Tumbaco valley toward the eastern cordillera. The food is solid Ecuadorian-international ($10-18), but you come here for the terrace. On a clear day, you’ll see Antisana and Cayambe from your table. Go for a late lunch when the light is golden.
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View itineraryBest Restaurants for Ecuadorian Food in Quito
If you want to understand Ecuador through its food, these restaurants specialize in traditional dishes done with care.
13. Mama Clorinda — The Fritada Queen
Fritada (braised pork) is one of Ecuador’s national dishes, and nobody does it better than Mama Clorinda. The pork is slow-cooked with orange juice and cumin, served with llapingachos (potato pancakes), mote (hominy), and fresh curtido salad. It’s in the Cotocollao neighborhood. Mains $6-10. Come hungry.
14. Lo Nuestro Ecuadorian Bistro — Elevated Tradition
Taking grandma’s recipes and giving them a modern presentation without losing the soul. The encebollado (tuna soup — Ecuador’s national hangover cure) is perfect. The ceviche de camarón uses shrimp from the coast, delivered fresh daily. On Isabel La Católica. Mains $12-18.
15. Achiote Ecuador Cuisine — Farm-to-Table Pioneer
Before farm-to-table was trendy, Achiote was sourcing directly from indigenous communities in the highlands. Every dish tells a story of origin — the menu explains which region each ingredient comes from. The degustación (tasting menu, $40) is a journey through Ecuador’s four regions on one plate. On Foch and Almagro.
Best Restaurants in Quito by Food Type
After years eating my way across this city, here are the spots locals actually trust when they’re craving something specific — not what TripAdvisor suggests to tourists.
Best Seafood Restaurant in Quito
Quito sits 2,850 m above sea level, but the fish is flown in daily from the coast. For the best seafood in Quito, head to Los Cebiches de la Rumiñahui — a legendary cevichería in northern Quito where quiteños wait in line for encebollado, ceviche de camarón and corvina frita. Budget $8–$15 per plate. For upscale seafood, Zazu’s ceviche tasting menu is unmatched. Avoid seafood spots in Plaza Foch — most of it has been sitting around too long.
Best Sushi Restaurants in Quito
Quito’s sushi scene is surprisingly solid thanks to fresh Pacific fish. Noe Sushi Bar (multiple locations) is the reliable quiteño favorite — modern rolls, $12–$20 per person. Segundo Muelle in La Carolina does Nikkei (Peruvian-Japanese) fusion and is where Quito expats gather on Fridays. Skip the cheap $5 buffets in La Mariscal.
Best Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants in Quito
La Floresta is vegan-friendly ground zero. Achiote does creative plant-based Ecuadorian — think quinoa bowls with aji amarillo, and vegan fritada made from jackfruit. Fried Bananas (La Mariscal) and Cloud Nine Farm-to-Table (La Floresta) round out the list. Vegetarians have it easier — most almuerzos include a vegetable soup and you can ask for locro de papa without the chorizo.
Best Italian Restaurant in Quito
La Briciola (covered above in La Floresta) is the classic answer — old-school Roman trattoria, handmade pastas, and tiramisú that holds up. For pizza, Il Risotto in La Carolina has real Neapolitan ovens. Avoid the chain pizzerias — there are at least three serious Italian kitchens in Quito run by actual Italian chefs.
Best Breakfast Restaurants in Quito
Traditional Ecuadorian breakfast means bolón de verde (fried green plantain ball with cheese), humitas, hot chocolate and fresh fruit. Cafetería Modelo (covered above — Old Town, since 1950) is the classic. For modern café breakfast with good coffee, Botánica Café in La Floresta and Isveglio in Cumbayá are where locals actually go — not the hostel breakfasts on Plaza Foch.
Best Restaurants in Quito with a View
Quito’s valley setting and colonial rooftops make view dining a real experience. My three favorite spots for best restaurants in Quito with a view:
- Vista Hermosa (Old Town rooftop) — 360° views of colonial domes, the Virgen del Panecillo, and Pichincha volcano. Go for sunset drinks around 5:30 p.m.
- Café de la Vaca (Guápulo) — the cliffside terrace overlooks the valley toward Tumbaco and the Ilaló volcano. Covered above at #12.
- Theatrum (inside Teatro Nacional Sucre, Old Town) — no outdoor view, but the theater balcony dining room is one of Quito’s most atmospheric rooms. Covered at #4.
For budget view dining, the restaurants at the top of the TelefériQo cable car (4,100 m) serve simple Ecuadorian food with panoramic views of the whole city — the food is just OK, but the setting is unbeatable.
Quito Old Town vs New Town: Where to Eat
A common question from first-time visitors is whether to eat in Old Town (Centro Histórico) or New Town (La Mariscal, La Floresta, Guápulo). The honest answer: both, but for different reasons.
Old Town is better for: traditional Ecuadorian food, huecas, cheap almuerzos ($2.50–$5), colonial atmosphere, and history-infused dining rooms. Best spots: Mercado Central, Hasta la Vuelta Señor, Theatrum.
New Town (La Mariscal, La Floresta) is better for: modern cuisine, international food, craft beer, nightlife dining, and fine dining tasting menus ($40–$85). Best spots: Zazu, Bandido Brewing, Chez Jérôme, Octava de Corpus, Anker Café.
If you only have two nights in Quito, I recommend one dinner in Old Town (for the colonial courtyard vibe) and one in La Floresta (for modern Ecuadorian creativity). Skip dining in La Mariscal’s Plaza Foch — it’s a tourist trap with overpriced Americanized menus.
Quito Restaurant Price Guide
FAQ: Eating in Quito
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What is the best restaurant in Quito?
For fine dining, Quitu Itendidad Culinaria and Zazu consistently rank as the best restaurants in Quito for modern Ecuadorian cuisine. For authentic local food, Mercado Central in Old Town serves the best almuerzo (lunch) for $2.50–$3.50. The “best” depends on what you want: Zazu for tasting menus ($65–$85), Theatrum for Old Town views and fine dining, Mama Clorinda for traditional fritada, or Octava de Corpus for creative modern Ecuadorian.
What is the typical food in Quito, Ecuador?
Quiteño cuisine centers on hearty highland dishes: locro de papa (potato cheese soup), fritada (braised pork), hornado (roasted pork), seco de chivo (goat stew), llapingachos (potato pancakes), and humitas (sweet corn tamales). Lunch (almuerzo) is the main meal and typically costs $2.50–$5 at local restaurants. Quito sits at 2,850 m altitude, so dishes are rich, warming and carbohydrate-heavy by design.
Which neighborhood in Quito has the best restaurants?
La Floresta is the best neighborhood for modern and international cuisine — think Anker Café, Chez Jérôme and young quiteño chefs. Old Town (Centro Histórico) is best for traditional Ecuadorian food at bargain prices, including Mercado Central and Hasta la Vuelta Señor. La Mariscal concentrates casual and fine dining like Zazu, and Guápulo offers scenic viewpoint restaurants like Café de la Vaca.
Is food expensive in Quito?
No. Quito is one of the most affordable food cities in South America. Market lunches cost $2.50–$3.50, casual restaurants $5–$12, mid-range dining $15–$25, and fine dining $40–$85 for full tasting menus. A couple can eat well for $20–$30 per day on a mid-range budget, or under $15 a day eating at mercados and local huecas.
Is street food safe to eat in Quito?
Generally yes, with common sense. Eat at busy stalls with high turnover — food that does not sit around is the safest. Markets like Mercado Central have formal health inspections. Avoid raw salads and unpeeled fruits from street carts for the first few days until your stomach adjusts to the altitude. Cooked food from hot stalls (empanadas, llapingachos, fritada) is almost always safe.
Where do locals eat in Quito?
Locals eat at mercados (markets) for lunch, neighborhood restaurants for almuerzos, and huecas — small hole-in-the-wall spots known for one signature dish. The best food in Quito is almost never in heavy tourist zones like Plaza Foch. Follow the taxi drivers and office workers at noon: if a $3 almuerzo place has a queue of quiteños out the door, the food is excellent.
What is a hueca in Quito?
A “hueca” (literally “hole”) is a tiny, often family-run restaurant in Quito known for one signature dish — fritada, hornado, seco de chivo or ceviche. Huecas are usually found by word of mouth rather than on maps. They often look humble from outside but are where quiteños take visitors when they want the most authentic Ecuadorian food experience.
Do I need reservations for restaurants in Quito?
For fine dining spots like Zazu, Nuema, Theatrum, Quitu, and Chez Jérôme you should reserve at least 2–3 days ahead, especially on weekends. Mid-range and casual restaurants rarely require reservations. Markets, huecas and $3 almuerzo spots never take reservations — just arrive between 12:30 and 2:00 p.m. for lunch service.
Where to Eat Next in Quito
Quito’s food scene keeps growing. New restaurants open every month, but the classics — Mercado Central, Mama Clorinda, Cafetería Modelo — haven’t changed in decades because they don’t need to. Eat at both ends of the spectrum and you’ll understand this city in a way that no museum or monument can teach you.
Looking for more? Check out our guide to 21 best things to do in Quito, find the perfect neighborhood in our where to stay guide, and read our safety tips for travelers. Just arrived? Here’s how to get from Quito airport to the city center.
