Best Restaurants in Quito: A Chef's Picks for 2026

Quito is having a moment. A new generation of cooks is taking Ecuadorian ingredients seriously, from Andean tubers to coastal seafood to Amazonian cacao, and the city's dining scene now gets attention from across Latin America. Most travel guides still send you to the same five places. This list is different: these are the restaurants where Ernesto, a Quito chef and the founder of Bondabu, actually eats on a night off.

Key takeaways

• For award-winning cooking in a relaxed room, book Clara in La Floresta.
• For a long tasting menu built on Ecuadorian ingredients, go to Quitu.
• For the most creative drinks in the city, including house sodas and pét-nats, go to Plural.
• Don't leave without a morning at María la Panadería, home to some of the best bread in Quito.
• La Floresta, La Mariscal and Las Casas are the neighborhoods to know.

The best restaurants in Quito right now

1. Clara: the most exciting restaurant in La Floresta

Clara opened at the end of 2023 on a corner of La Floresta, in the space that once housed El Pobre Diablo, the legendary bar where Quito's artists gathered in the nineties. Within a year, it was named Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants "One To Watch" for 2024.

Three chefs from three countries, Felipe Salas, Ángel De Sousa and Ana Lobato, cook what they call everyday food, elevated: generous, unpretentious plates built on local produce. Think a tomato salad with chochos (Andean lupini beans) and crispy pig's ear, a playful take on the street snack cevichocho, or a seco de chivo made with goat from Zuleta.

Bondabu tip: it's a restaurant and a bar. Arrive early, have a drink at the bar and let the night unfold.

2. Quitu: a tasting menu of new Ecuadorian cuisine

If you want to understand how deep Ecuador's pantry goes, book Quitu. Chef Juan Sebastián Pérez, one of the leading voices of Quito's new generation of cooks, serves tasting menus of eight or twelve courses built on native ingredients from small producers across the country. The menu changes constantly, following what arrives from the farms.

Bondabu tip: block out the whole evening. This is a long, slow meal, and that's the point.

3. Marcando el Camino: a chef's neighborhood restaurant

Chef Santiago Cueva trained as a pastry and chocolate chef before opening his own place on Calle José Tamayo, in La Mariscal. What started as a narrow dining room grew into a terrace and a back patio with a wood-fired oven. The cooking is seasonal, generous and full of common sense: sharing plates, grilled octopus with chochos, and dishes straight from the oven.

Bondabu tip: save room for dessert. The pastries and chocolates by the register are the chef's original craft, and the homemade bread lives up to the hype.

4. Plural: an almost scientific approach to food and drinks

Plural is the kind of place where the drinks menu deserves as much attention as the food. The team develops its own sodas and pét-nats (naturally sparkling wines), treating fermentation almost like a lab experiment. It's in Las Casas, a residential neighborhood that has quietly become one of the most interesting places to eat in Quito.

Bondabu tip: ask what they're fermenting right now and order whatever the answer is.

5. DOS DOS DOS: pizza and house-made sodas

Sometimes the best meal of a trip is a great pizza. DOS DOS DOS makes some of the tastiest in the city, paired with sodas they make in house.

Bondabu tip: order the pizza with jalapeño oil. It's Ernesto's favorite.

6. María la Panadería: some of the best bread in Quito

Quito takes its bread seriously, and María la Panadería is one of the reasons why. It's a bakery first, and the bread alone is worth the trip. Lately they've been running a season of Asian-inspired breakfasts that are among the best mornings you can have in the city.

Bondabu tip: seasonal menus change, so check what's on before you go. Either way, leave with a loaf.

7. Shibumi: Japanese cooking with Ecuadorian ingredients

Don't come to Shibumi expecting classic sushi. This is one of the most unique restaurants in Quito: Japanese technique applied to Ecuadorian ingredients, with results you won't find anywhere else. Like Plural, it's in Las Casas, which tells you a lot about where the city's most interesting cooking is happening.

Bondabu tip: go with an open mind and let them guide you. The dishes that surprise you most will be the ones built on local products.

The best neighborhoods for eating in Quito

• La Floresta: Quito's creative neighborhood, full of independent restaurants, bars, street art and a young crowd. Start here if you only have one night.
• La Mariscal: central and busy, with a mix of classic spots and chef-driven restaurants like Marcando el Camino.
• Las Casas: a residential area that has become home to some of the city's most interesting new kitchens, including Plural and Shibumi.
• The Historic Center: best for traditional food and markets rather than restaurants. Our guide to Ecuadorian food in Quito covers what to eat there.

Tips for eating out in Quito

• Book ahead for the top tables. Clara and Quitu fill up, especially on weekends.
• Check the bill before tipping. Many restaurants in Ecuador add a 10% service charge automatically.
• Dress is relaxed. Even the best restaurants in Quito are smart-casual at most.
• Lunch is a big deal. Many locals eat their main meal at midday, so lunch is a great time to try popular places.
• Bring a layer. Quito sits at 2,850 meters and nights get cool, even when the day was warm.

Eat Quito with a local

Restaurants tell one side of Quito's food story. The other side is on the street: in the markets, the huecas (hole-in-the-wall spots) and the corner stands where the city has been eating the same dishes for generations. Our Quito food tour takes you there in a small group, with local guides who know every stop personally. And if you're a chocolate lover, don't miss our guide to the best chocolate in Quito.

About the author

Ernesto is a chef based in Quito and the founder of Bondabu, where he designs food and culture experiences in Quito and Mexico City. This guide is built from the places he returns to, not from a list of rankings.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best restaurant in Quito?

It depends on what you're after. For award-winning cooking in a relaxed setting, Clara. For a long tasting menu of Ecuadorian ingredients, Quitu. For creative drinks, Plural.

Which neighborhood in Quito has the best restaurants?

La Floresta has the highest concentration of chef-driven restaurants and bars. La Mariscal and Las Casas are also worth exploring.

Do I need a reservation at restaurants in Quito?

For the most popular restaurants, yes, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Casual spots like pizzerias and bakeries usually don't need one.

Is tipping expected in Quito restaurants?

Many restaurants add a 10% service charge to the bill. If it's included, extra tipping is optional. If it isn't, 10% is a good guideline.

What food is Quito known for?

Quito is known for Andean dishes like hornado (slow-roasted pork), locro de papa (potato soup), empanadas de viento and a world-class cacao tradition. Contemporary restaurants reinterpret these ingredients in new ways.