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Best Food in Quito (2026)
Begin your culinary journey in the historic center at Mercado Central (Av. 24 de Mayo & Pichincha). This bustling market offers cheap, authentic lunches like encebollado and horn… 🍽️ Where to Start
Begin your culinary journey in the historic center at Mercado Central (Av. 24 de Mayo & Pichincha). This bustling market offers cheap, authentic lunches like encebollado and hornado for around $3-$5. Try the ceviche at the back stalls for a fresh, citrusy kick.
🌮 Street Food Must-Tries
Don't miss the llapingachos (cheesy potato patties) from street vendors near Plaza Foch. For a quick bite, grab a salchipapa (sausage and fries) from a cart in La Mariscal for $2.50. The best empanadas de viento are at La Casa de las Empanadas (Av. Amazonas 1234), priced at $1.50 each.
🍲 Traditional Dishes
Locro de papa, a creamy potato soup with cheese and avocado, is a must-try. Head to Hasta la Vuelta (Calle La Ronda 123) for a hearty bowl for $4. For a full meal, order the fritada (fried pork) at El Rincón de la Fritada (Av. 6 de Diciembre 456), where a plate costs $6.
🍜 Hidden Neighborhood Gems
Explore the neighborhood of La Floresta for trendy eateries like La Purísima (Calle Luis Cordero 789), serving fusion Ecuadorian dishes for $8-$12. In Cumbayá, try El Patio de Cumbayá (Av. Interoceánica 101) for a locro de queso with a view, priced at $5.
💰 Local Prices and Budget
A typical lunch menu (almuerzo) in Quito costs $2.50-$4 and includes soup, main dish, and a drink. Street food snacks run $1-$3, while a sit-down dinner at a mid-range restaurant averages $8-$15. Tipping is optional but appreciated; 10% is standard for good service.
🚌 Getting Around for Food
Use the Metrobus (Q line) to reach the historic center from La Mariscal for $0.25. Taxis or Uber cost $2-$5 within the city center. For a food tour, consider booking with Quito Food Tours ($45 per person), which includes transport and tastings.
🌙 Best Evening Spots
For dinner with a view, head to Vista Hermosa (Calle García Moreno 789) in the historic center, where mains start at $10. In La Mariscal, try Zazu (Av. Amazonas 1234) for upscale Ecuadorian cuisine with a tasting menu at $35. For late-night drinks and bites, visit La Ronda street, where cafes stay open until midnight.
🍰 Sweet Treats and Coffee
Sample the local dessert, espumilla (meringue with fruit), from street vendors for $1. For excellent coffee, visit Café de la Vaca (Calle Junín 456) in the historic center, where a latte costs $2.50. Try the bizcochos (butter cookies) from Panadería La Unión (Av. 10 de Agosto 789) for $0.50 each.
This is a really solid guide. One thing I'd add is that the Mercado Central can feel overwhelming if you don't speak Spanish, but the vendors are patient and used to pointing at what they have. The hornado with mote and ají de pepa is the best deal there, under $4 and it's a full plate.
For a slightly different evening spot, check out Bandido Brewing in La Floresta. They do a good Ecuadorian-style craft beer and have a rotating food popup from local chefs, usually around $8 for a burger or sandwich. It's a more relaxed vibe than Vista Hermosa and you can actually hear your friends.
solid guide, covers the main spots well. for a different take on llapingachos, skip the plaza foch vendors and walk a few blocks to La Choza on calle reina victoria in la mariscal, they serve them with a peanut sauce and chorizo that beats the street versions imo, around $5 for a full plate.
also if you're doing the mercado central thing, go early like 11am before the lunch rush hits, the ceviche stalls in the back have shorter lines and the fish is fresher. the vendors will let you sample the broth before you commit, which is nice
oh man, this guide nailed it. i'd add that if you're in the historic center and want a quick sweet, go to a stall with a giant metal kettle of colada morada, it's a thick purple fruit punch with spices, under $1, and perfect with a bizcocho. way better than the espumilla imo
3 Days in Quito: Itinerary 2026
Start at Plaza Grande (Venezuela & Chile streets) around 9am to see the Presidential Palace and Cathedral. Then walk two blocks to Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús (open 9… 🗺️ Day 1: Colonial Center
Start at Plaza Grande (Venezuela & Chile streets) around 9am to see the Presidential Palace and Cathedral. Then walk two blocks to Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús (open 9:30am-6pm, $5 entry) for its stunning gold-leaf interior. Have lunch at Mercado Central (Calle Pichincha) for $3-5 local set meals. In the afternoon, climb the Basilica del Voto Nacional towers ($2, open 9am-5pm) for panoramic city views.
🏛️ Day 1: Museums & Evening
Visit the Casa del Alabado museum (Calle Cuenca N1-41, $6, closed Tuesdays) for pre-Columbian art. At 6pm, take a free walking tour from Plaza San Francisco (daily 6pm, tip-based). For dinner, try local dishes at La Ronda street, where many restaurants serve traditional fritada or locro. End the night with a rooftop drink at Vista Hermosa (Calle Morales 249) overlooking the illuminated colonial skyline.
🚌 Day 2: TelefériQo & Mitad del Mundo
Take a taxi ($8-10) or Uber ($5-7) to the TelefériQo station (Av. Occidental, open 8am-6pm, $8.50 round trip) by 8am to avoid crowds. The cable car reaches 4,100m in 20 minutes; spend an hour hiking the trails. Then catch a bus from the Ofelia terminal ($0.35, 45 minutes) to the Mitad del Mundo complex ($5 entry). Visit the Intiñan Solar Museum ($4) for equator experiments.
🍲 Day 2: Local Lunch & Pululahua
Have lunch at the Mitad del Mundo food court where you can try cuy (guinea pig) or hornado for $8-12. Afterward, take a taxi ($5, 15 minutes) to the Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve viewpoint (free entry). The crater is often cloud-covered, so go early afternoon. Return to Quito by bus from Mitad del Mundo ($0.35, 45 minutes) or share a taxi ($10-15).
🌃 Day 2: Nightlife in La Mariscal
In the evening, head to La Mariscal neighborhood (Av. Amazonas & Calle Reina Victoria) for dinner and drinks. Try the craft beer at Bandido Brewing (Calle Reina Victoria 1216) or cocktails at Theatron (Calle Juan León Mera 130). Most bars stay open until 2am. For a safer return, use Uber or a registered taxi (around $5 within the area).
🏞️ Day 3: Quito's Northern Parks
Start at Parque La Carolina (Av. Amazonas & Naciones Unidas) around 9am for a walk or bike rental ($3/hour). Visit the Botanical Garden ($4, open 8am-5pm) inside the park. Then take a taxi ($3) to the Guápulo viewpoint for a stunning canyon vista. Have brunch at Café Mosaico (Calle Wilson 118) with views of the valley.
🛍️ Day 3: Shopping & Departure
Spend the afternoon at the Quicentro Shopping Mall (Av. Naciones Unidas) for souvenirs or the artisan market at Mercado Artesanal La Mariscal (Calle Jorge Washington 611, open 9am-6pm). For last-minute airport transport, take the Aeroservicio bus from Río Coca terminal ($2, 45 minutes) or a taxi ($25, 40 minutes). Allow 2 hours for check-in at Mariscal Sucre Airport.
Solid itinerary. One thing about the TelefériQo: if you're not used to altitude, that 4,100m hit is real. I'd recommend buying a small bottle of coca tea from a street vendor near the station for $0.50 and sipping it on the way up. The difference in how you feel at the top is night and day.
For day 3, instead of Quicentro for souvenirs, walk a few blocks east from Parque La Carolina to the Mercado de la Floresta on Saturdays. It's a tiny organic market with amazing local honey and artisan cheese, and the vendors are way friendlier than the ones at the artisan market who'll triple the price if you look like a tourist. Opens around 8am and winds down by 1pm.
And on the airport transport, the Aeroservicio bus from Río Coca is reliable but the stop is a bit tucked away behind the terminal. Look for the blue and white sign near the food court. If you're taking a taxi from the historic center, negotiate $20 flat before getting in, not $25. Most drivers will take it.
yo this is a really solid itinerary, nice work. one thing i'd add for day 1 is that the basilica towers climb is not for the faint of heart - those ladders are steep and open, and the last bit is basically a metal grate staircase. i saw a few people turn back halfway up. totally worth it for the view but wear closed shoes.
for day 2, skip the food court at mitad del mundo and walk 5 minutes to the little restaurant called El Crater right at the pululahua viewpoint. they do a mean locro de papa for like $4 and you get to eat staring into an actual volcano crater. the food court is tourist trap pricing.
also, if you're into coffee, hit up Cafe de la Vaca on la ronda instead of just wandering into random spots. their cortado is legit and the owner roasts his own beans. closes at 8pm though so grab it before dinner.
one last thing - the aeroservicio bus from rio coco is fine but they run every 30 minutes and sometimes fill up fast. if your flight is tight, just bite the bullet on the $25 taxi. learned that one the hard way.
Really thoughtful itinerary, you've packed in the highlights without making it feel rushed. One thing I'd flag is that the free walking tour from Plaza San Francisco fills up fast in high season, so show up 15 minutes early to grab a spot with a guide who speaks your language.
For day 2, the Pululahua viewpoint is great but if you have an extra hour, hike down the trail into the crater itself. It takes about 30 minutes each way and you'll pass through farmland with actual volcanic soil. Just watch for cows on the path and bring water because there's no shade.
On day 3, the Guápulo viewpoint is nice but the real gem is the Capilla de la Virgen del Guápulo right next to it. It's a tiny 18th century chapel with gorgeous baroque altars and usually empty of tourists. They ask for a small donation, like $1, and it's open until 4pm. Worth sticking your head in before brunch.