Quito Restaurants
Where to eat in Quito? The good news is that visitors are overwhelmed with great choices, from fine dining in the capital to mid-range restaurants and cheap eats. You’ll find flavors for all tastes, from traditional cuisine to international dishes, modern fusion, and vegan/vegetarian choices.
The biggest challenge is choosing between the many excellent Quito restaurants in the city.
Of course, one can peruse the typical listing sites, and check restaurant reviews on Trip Advisor. But, often, when traveling, it’s the advice of locals that can guide you to the best food and drink choices.
With that in mind, we’ve created our own Happy Gringo Quito Restaurant Guide. We surveyed our expert sales team for all of their top choices of food in their home city.
Keep reading to discover the top Happy Gringo picks & recommendations of the best restaurants for foodies in Quito, Ecuador.
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To keep things simple, we’ve divided this blog into the following 7 sections. Just click on each link to dive in.
Also, check out our handy map including all of our Quito restaurant top picks. So, it should be easy to find the restaurants that are closest to you.
Michelin Star Restaurant in Quito
Ikaro Restaurant
📍 North Quito
Av. Eloy Alfaro N39-125 & Manuel Guzman
Run by Ecuador’s top celebrity chef, Carolina Sanchez, and her Spanish husband Iñaki Murua, Ikaro was Ecuador’s first ever Michelin Star restaurant.
They combine the raw flavors of their homelands, Ecuador, and the Basque Region of Spain, into a delightful and unique fusion. Local ingredients are prioritized in their fabulous 15-course tasting menu, where each dish has a story to tell.
Ikaro Quito is a “pop-up” restaurant, opening only for a few months of each year. Be sure to book a table well in advance, as Ikaro Restaurant often sells out for weeks at a time.
If Ikaro is not open when you visit Quito, give Kriollo Restaurant a go instead. It’s operated by the same owners at the same address but with guest chefs in the kitchen.
Fine Dining in Quito – Our Top 5 Picks
If you’re looking for a fine dining experience, and enjoy trying local flavors with a twist, then check out these 5 highly-rated Quito restaurants.
Advanced booking is recommended at all of these Quito restaurants.
1. Somos
📍 North Quito
Av. Eloy Alfaro N34-421 & Portugal
Somos is a Quito restaurant very much on the radar of foodie tourists, and for good reason.
Their popular Ecuadorian Fusion cuisine and cocktails are available for lunch and dinner. In the words of Ecuadorian chef Alejandra Espinoza:
“We have the most incredible natural bounty and such a distinct culinary tradition here in Ecuador. I wanted to take everything I learned in Michelin Star restaurants abroad to move our own culinary expression forward”
Somos has been named one of the Discovery 50 Best restaurants.
2. Nuema
📍 La Floresta
Belo Horizonte E11-12 & Coruña
Nuema is another fine Quito restaurant putting diverse Ecuadorian cuisine on the map.
Described as a place to try 1000 new and surprising flavors, textures, and presentations, Nuema serves its take on contemporary and avant-garde Ecuadorian dining with a 7-course tasting menu which varies with the seasons.
3. Urko
📍 La Floresta
Mallorca 449 & Coruña
Urko, meaning “mountain” in the local Quechua language, specializes in Ecuadorian cuisine based on the importance of the seasons on local crops and produce.
As Daniel Maldonaldo puts it:
“The harvest, sowing, fertility, and flowering mark the essence of our cuisine in each of the Raymi celebrations with the diversity of the 4 regions of Ecuador.”
Their tasting menu changes according to the agricultural cycles of the Indigenous culture and their gods: Inti, Koya, Kapak, and Pawkar.
4. Zazu
📍 La Pradera
Mariano Aguilera 331
ZAZU, recipient of a Relais & Châteaux Trophy for 2024, is a fine dining restaurant located in the business heart of Quito, promising an extraordinary gastronomic experience inspired by traditional and local flavors.
Wilson Alpala, an Ecuadorian Chef who joined Zazu after spending the first years of his career in France, serves contemporary cuisine with Latin American influences. The wine cellar, with its spectacular 25-foot-high ceiling, is one of the finest in Ecuador.
5. Zero Lab
📍 North Quito
Paris N43-41 & Emilio Zola
Zero Lab is another excellent restaurant in Northern Quito making big waves in the country’s culinary scene.
The Gallardo father and son team emphasize sustainability, seasonality, and locally sourced ingredients. Their menu is a dynamic canvas that changes with the seasons, ensuring that each visit offers a fresh and exciting approach.
Zero Lab encourages “sensory experiences” in their tasting menus. These experiences involve temporarily removing one of the diner’s senses, such as sight, for a short time, allowing the aromas of the food to envelop them before taking a bite.
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From an Ecuador destination expert todayPopular Tourist Restaurants in Quito
Are you looking for good food without heading to a fancy restaurant? Check out these establishments that have been popular with our staff and past clients alike.
Achiote Ecuador Cuisine
📍 La Mariscal
Juan Rodriguez 282
Achiote serves traditional Ecuadorian cuisine with a modern, innovative twist, including vegetarian choices. In their own words:
“Our gastronomic inspiration comes from the warmth of home; of the love with which our ancestors fed us.”
Achiote restaurant is located close to Quito hotels in the city's New Town Mariscal district.
Quitu Identidad Culinaria
📍 La Floresta
Toledo N24-492
Quitu Culinary Identity is a small, intimate, and cozy Quito restaurant. For those who enjoy fresh, organic, and authentic Ecuadorian food, this is a great choice.
Quitu’s proposal is Haute Cuisine while at the same time evoking the memory of ancient cultures who would meet and exchange produce and flavors from each corner of the country.
The tasting menu is full of explosive and surprising flavors, using local ingredients.
ZFood
📍 La Floresta
Coruña N31-70 & Whymper
Those in the mood for quality seafood should look no further than ZFood Restaurant.
Renowned as one of the best fish and seafood dining experiences, Zfood is committed to responsible fishing and fair trade. Only the finest catch is accepted, and fishermen are duly rewarded with a fair price.
La Gloria Restaurant
📍 La Floresta
Valladolid N24-519 & Francisco Salazar
La Gloria restaurant in Quito specializes in Peruvian and Mediterranean cuisine with an Ecuadorian influence.
Choose your perfect spot from the elegant Main Salon, to the al-fresco Grand Terrace, or the intimate Bar Area. Additionally, La Alegria boasts the largest wine cellar in Ecuador, making it a paradise for wine enthusiasts.
De la Llama
📍 La Carolina
Suiza N33-133
De La Llama is a hugely popular Quito lunch spot close to La Carolina Park.
Serving contemporary cuisine with local ingredients, De La Llama has a wide menu to choose from at reasonable prices.
Miskay
📍 La Mariscal
Joaquin Pinto E6-43& Reina Victoria (top floor)
Another popular tourist restaurant choice in the La Mariscal district of Quito is Miskay.
Their name comes from two Quechua words "Mikuna" meaning food, and "Kawsay" meaning culture. Thus recognizing the importance of both elements in the dining experience.
The Miskay menu offers typical Ecuadorian dishes, and a tasting menu combining the flavors from each region of Ecuador.
La Briciola
📍 La Floresta
Isabel La Catolica 881 & Francisco Salazar
For a night of Italian dining, La Briciola is a popular choice.
Fabio and Margarita came over to Quito from Italy in 1998, and thanks to the success of La Briciola have never looked back.
So, if you are craving authentic pasta, pizza, or risotto, then you know where to come.
Segundo Muelle
📍 La Carolina
Isabel La Catolica N24-883
📍 La Floresta
Located in QuiCentro
Segundo Muelle has various restaurants located in different sectors of the city, frequented by locals and tourists alike.
They are recognized for quality Peruvian food and seafood dishes, perfect for lunch or dinner.
The Best Cheap Eats in Quito
Quito also has plenty of choices for a quick snack on the go or a cheap meal out.
Hole-in-the-wall fast food joints are known locally as “huecas”. Street food is abundant in popular districts of the city, from shawarma kebabs to hot dogs, salchipapa (sausage and chips), burgers, empanadas, tripa mishky (grilled tripe), and other dishes.
If you do venture out to try street food then be picky about where you try. A sensible rule of thumb is to eat only at stalls that are popular with the locals. While food poisoning is not common, it’s a risk that you’ll want to avoid.
La Floresta Street Food
📍La Floresta
One of the best neighborhoods to sample local street food in Quito is “La Floresta”. This is a popular place for Quiteños to gather outside socially while eating traditional street food dishes. It might not look fancy, but it is an authentic way to enjoy the local cuisine and make new friends.
Sher E Punjab
📍La Mariscal
Juan Leon Mera 2677 & La Pinta
For many, the best Quito Indian restaurant is Sher E Punjab. Their curry menu is diverse (including many vegetarian and vegan choices), and the portions are very generous. For a cheap and enjoyable night out with attentive service, Sher E Punjab ticks all the right boxes.
Bandidos del Paramo Brewery
📍La Paz
Whymper N29-02
Bandidos is known for German-style bar food and excellent Quito craft beer.
Their cozy, indoor beerhall vibe is welcoming and makes it a fun place to meet new people too. Expect the place to be busy at weekends though.
Shopping Malls (Patio de Comida)
Another tip for cheap and fast food is to head into any Quito shopping mall (Centro Comercial) and look for the Food Hall (Patio de Comidas).
Here you’ll find a wide selection of local and international fast-food joints. There are choices to satisfy all tastes, and the prices are affordable. Most Quito malls stay open until 8 or 9 pm, so can be used for lunch or dinner.
Quito Old Town Restaurants
Most tourists at some time during their visit to Quito will spend time in the historic old town. For this reason, we’ve created a separate blog chapter for Quito Old Town Restaurants.
Heladeria San Agustin
📍Quito Old Town
Guayaquil N5-59 & Chile
Incredibly, Heladeria San Agustin has been serving happy locals since 1858.
Their menu consists of cheap, traditional Ecuadorian dishes, accompanied by their famous ice cream “helado de paila”. Also, try their staple dessert, the “Chimborazo” - a delicious muffin representing the form of the famous Chimborazo Volcano.
Los Sanduches de la Plaza Grande
📍Quito Old Town
Chile Street in between Garcia Moreno & Venezuela
For a quick bite in old town head to Los Sanduches de la Plaza Grande. But, be sure to search out the correct café, because there are several copy-cat businesses right next door.
It’s a tiny little shop with just a couple of tables, so many people order to eat out and sit on the nearby benches of the Plaza Grande. It’s a proper hole-in-the-wall establishment, so take cash to pay (credit cards are not accepted here).
Jonathan from our sales team has been eating here since he was 4 years old, and swears by their tasty “Traditional” sandwich. At just USD $2,25 you can’t go too far wrong.
Café San Blas
📍Quito Old Town
Jose de Antepara E4-09
Another cheap spot for food in Quito's old town is Café San Blas. This absolutely fits the bill for “Bueno, Bonito, y Barato” (good, pretty, and cheap).
Serving hearty soups, pizza, pasta, and sandwiches, Café San Blas is a firm backpacker favorite.
Fabiolita
📍Quito Old Town
Eugenio Espejo Oe4-17
Fabiolita boasts an envied location right on Quito’s Plaza Grande, underneath the Cathedral. It’s another popular haunt with locals, renowned for their filling sandwiches, and attractive prices for a quick snack.
Hasta la Vuelta señor
📍Quito Old Town
Arch Bishop's Palace Plaza
Hasta La Vuelta Señor fits the bill for a fancier lunch or night out in Quito’s Old Town.
This gem is popular with tourists for its delightful top-floor views over a pretty indoor plaza. They offer an extensive menu of traditional Quito dishes and often play live music to set the mood.
Hasta La Vuelta Señor restaurant is a little hidden away. First, you have to find the small alleyway entrance into the Arch-Bishops Palace; it’s on the opposite side of Quito’s Plaza Grande from the Cathedral. From the small inner plaza, head up the stairs to the top-floor balconies.
Casa Los Geranios
📍Quito Old Town
Juan de Dios Morales Oe1-134
La Ronda Street in Quito's old town is famous for restaurants serving Quito staples, and traditional, hot Canelazo alcoholic drinks. It’s a popular area for a fun night out.
Our top pick here is Casa Los Geranios. It’s an oasis of calm, tucked away off the main street, in a pretty inner house patio. The food is a little pricier than the noisier restaurants on the main street, but it’s worth it for the quality and ambiance.
Casa Los Geranios is a recommended spot for intrepid travelers wishing to try Ecuador’s delicacy dish of guinea pig (Cuy).
Altamira Restaurant
📍Quito Old Town
Venezuela S1-30
Last but not least, for an alternative culinary experience in Quito Old Town, head to Altamira Restaurant for a cooking class and dinner.
Not only is the food fantastic, but the experience of food preparation with their head chef really brings the night to life. The restaurant setting is fabulous too, in a colonial building with views of the central courtyard and lush greenery.
The Altamira cooking class must be booked in advance – just ask your Happy Gringo sales expert to help you with this at the time of booking. We often include this experience in our Custom-made Ecuador tours.
Quito Restaurants With a View
In Quito, there are quite a few restaurants that combine a fun meal out with panoramic vistas. If you’re anything like me then you love a good view of the city!
Pim´s Panecillo
📍Quito Old Town
On top of the Panecillo Hill
Perched atop Quito’s Panecillo Hill, next to the Virgen statue, Pim´s Restaurant boasts a privileged view of the old town. Be sure to book ahead and request a table by the window.
Their menu includes a variety of international and traditional dishes. While prices are at a premium, Pim’s is a top choice for a special occasion or memorable last-night dinner.
Cafe Mosaico
📍Quito Old Town
Manuel Samaniego N8-95
My personal favorite panoramic view of the city is from Café Mosaico. Located close to Ichimbia Park, you can enjoy unparalleled views of the old town set against the backdrop of Pichincha Volcano.
Cafe Mosaico offers a diverse menu with a wide range of options, blending European and American snacks. They also have vegan and vegetarian dishes and even some choices for pets!
Be sure to book a balcony table ahead to appreciate the best views, and dress in warm clothing.
Panecillo Restaurant in GO QUITO Hotel
📍North Quito
Eloy Alfaro N34-137
For views of the modern city from up high, we recommend a visit to Go Quito Hotel.
Up on the top floor, the Panecillo Restaurant offers excellent al-fresco dining (dress warm at night) with stunning views of Pichincha Volcano, La Carolina Park, and north Quito neighborhoods.
Their pizza is right up there with the best in Quito City, and the signature cocktails are extremely popular with locals at night.
Quito Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurants
Most modern cities these days cater well to vegetarian and vegan diners, and Quito is no exception.
Check out our specialist Quito Vegan Restaurants blog for detailed recommendations. Meanwhile, here are our favorites:
Mile Time
📍La Mariscal
Baquerizo Moreno and Reina Victoria
If you're on the lookout for a budget-friendly spot with plenty of vegetarian and vegan choices, you've got to swing by Mile Time restaurant!
Their lunch specials include soup, rice, juice, and dessert for less than $4, making it an affordable choice for those with dietary preferences. With a menu that incorporates Asian influences, Mile Time provides a variety of dishes from this region, including their popular vegan bubble tea.
The restaurant exudes a cozy, homey atmosphere, distinguishing itself from others with its Asian-inspired seasoning. For those seeking a balanced meal without compromising taste or budget, Mile Time is certainly worth considering.
Donde Gopal
📍La Floresta
Mallorca N24-329 y Coruna, Quito, Ecuador
Located in the heart of Quito, Gopal is much more than just a vegan restaurant; it is a culinary sanctuary where Ecuadorian tradition merges with vegan innovation.
From the irresistible Fritada to the typical encebollado, every bite is a tribute to the country's gastronomic richness. But the magic doesn't stop there: Gopal also surprises with a variety of vegan fast food options such as pizzas and hamburgers, captivating all palates with its diversity and culinary creativity.
Occasionally, the restaurant Donde Gopal offers various workshops during the weekends such as yoga, meditation classes, or cooking classes. The restaurant also supports community ventures committed to environmental conservation and maintains a significant role in local economies.
Tandada
📍North Quito
Rafael León Larrea N27-492, Quito 170408
Quito’s vegan restaurant Tandana is a culinary oasis for lovers of healthy and sustainable food. With its charming eco-friendly atmosphere and a diverse and creative menu, Tandana captivates its diners from the first bite.
One of its main attractions is its vegan brunch available on Sundays from 10 am to 12 pm. Among the dishes offered at brunch, you can expect vegan-style Mote pillo (a traditional Ecuadorian dish), Oat muffins, muesli, and much more!
In addition to its commitment to conscious eating, the Tandana team also stands out for its warmth and personalized attention, making each visit a memorable experience.
Quito Food Delivery
Got a hunger on but feeling too tired to head out? No worries.
Download the Uber Eats App to your phone, and have food delivered to your doorstep from a wide variety of local restaurants.
Quito Restaurants FAQ
Should I Pre-book a Table at Quito Restaurants?
The need to pre-book very much depends on where you plan to dine out in Quito.
At high-end or popular restaurants then a reservation is recommended to avoid disappointment.
Equally, if you are part of a large group, then it’s best to book a large table beforehand, rather than descend unannounced on an unsuspecting establishment.
Otherwise, it’s usually fine to walk into most regular Quito restaurants.
Do Quito Restaurants Accept Credit Card Payments?
Yes, most restaurants in Quito will accept payment using local or international credit cards.
The only exception to this rule may be small, local cafes where cash is still king.
Is Tipping Expected at Quito Restaurants?
When it’s time to pay, take a close look at the check (bill).
Value-added tax (15%) is usually added to the check total.
Quite often (but not always) you’ll also see a 10% service charge added.
The service charge is shared between all staff, so, if you see that listed, it’s not necessary to add any additional tip. That said, the waiting staff will always appreciate a small tip left on the table for them if the service was appreciated.
If there is no service charge included in your check, then it is usual to add 10% onto the final total as a tip for staff.
What is the Dress Code for Eating out in Quito?
There is no dress code as such to enter Quito restaurants, especially for foreign tourists. Most visitors will dress according to the standard and reputation of the restaurant they dine at.
For example, when eating out at a particularly fancy restaurant it is recommended to dress smartly, even if there is no dress code rule in place.
How to Get to Quito Restaurants at Night?
We always recommend taking a taxi to and from restaurants in Quito at night. Your hotel and the restaurant staff should be able to help with the reservation of safe transport for you if requested.
Other Useful Quito Foodie Links
For more information about Ecuadorian flavors for foodies, check out some of our other blog posts:
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In conclusion, Quito is a great city for foodie travelers.
There is a huge array of popular Quito restaurants and dining options to choose from. It doesn’t matter where you stay in the city, you’ll likely find tasty food on your doorstep.
Many restaurants in Quito also make considerable effort to combine local flavors and textures into their dishes, perfect for adventurous tourists who like to try something new.
Write to let us know if you have any other Quito Restaurant recommendations that you think should be included.
By its very nature, our choice of favorite restaurants is subjective. We do our best to inform our readers and to present an unbiased local view. Happy Gringo and our staff receive no payment or favors from any of the restaurants listed in this blog post.
