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Ecuador Travel Guide

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Best Dining Bets

by Frommers Travel Guides
wiley
Content provided by Frommers
  • Cafe Mosaico (Quito; tel. 02/2542-871): With an eclectic menu, convivial ambience, and outstanding view over Old Town Quito, the Cafe Mosaico is a must-visit spot. Come a bit before sunset and hopefully you'll be able to snag a table with a view. It gets very crowded here, and for good reason.

  • El Nispero (Quito; tel. 02/2226-398): While Ecuadorian cuisine is tasty enough, this upscale place takes the traditional fare and, in the words of a famous TV chef, "kicks them up a notch." Traditional dishes and ingredients are treated to creative preparations and pairings, although the chef never strays too far from his source.

  • Zazu (Quito; tel. 02/2543-559): Brash and bold, Quito's hippest new restaurant is also one of its most satisfying. The Peruvian-born chef uses his native sensibility, fresh local ingredients, and ample imagination to create a consistently successful string of new and exciting dishes. Just about everything on the menu shines, but my favorite way to dine here is to trust the chef and sign on for his nightly tasting menu.

  • Hotel Ali Shungu (Otavalo; tel. 06/2920-750): Housed inside a popular hotel, this is my favorite restaurant in Otavalo. The healthy and creative international cuisine is served in a cozy and inviting ambience. Locally grown organic produce is used wherever possible. This is a welcome treat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

  • Cafe Hood (Ba?os de Agua Santa; tel. 03/2740-573): A popular backpacker hangout, this cozy restaurant serves everything from Mexican burritos to Pad Thai, with a wide range of international and vegetarian dishes filling out the long menu. After eating you can browse the book-swap library, play a board game, or mingle with fellow travelers.

  • Villa Rosa (Cuenca; tel. 07/2837-944): Excellent Ecuadorian cuisine is matched with an elegant setting and superb service in this Cuenca restaurant. Although traditional Ecuadorian dishes are the mainstay here, they often are given little twists and turns that set them above what you'll find at most other local joints. This place is almost always busy -- and it's closed on most weekend evenings -- so reservations are essential.

  • Lo Nuestro (Guayaquil; tel. 04/2386-398): Elegant and relaxed, this is the best place in Guayaquil to enjoy classic Ecuadorian cooking in a refined setting. The restaurant is located a little outside downtown, but it's definitely worth the ride.

  • Sea Flower Restaurant (Same; tel. 06/2733-369): It's almost worth a trip to Ecuador's Pacific coast just to dine at this delightful spot. Presentations are eye-catching, and the food served lives up to the fanfare. Be sure to have a reservation -- this place fills up fast.

  • The Marquis Restaurant (Tena; tel. 06/2886-513): You'll be as surprised as I was to find a relatively fine dining experience in such a remote and rural town. Grilled meats are the specialty here, and the restaurant does an excellent job with them. The nightly three-course prix-fix menu is an excellent deal.

  • La Garrapata Restaurante (Puerto Ayora; tel. 05/2526-264): Good food and a relaxed ambience are what you'll find at what's probably the most popular restaurant on the Galapagos. You're just steps from the ocean, and the seafood here is excellent. On weekends there's often live music.

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