Eating & Drinking In Ecuador – A Local Food Guide

We touch-down in Ecuador and hop straight into a taxi, heading to our hostel in Quito. Our taxi driver just so happens to speak English so naturally one of the first questions I ask is ‘what’s good to eat here?’. 

Needless to say I took detailed notes throughout our journey on what sort of delicious things we should be on the lookout for at mealtimes while exploring Ecuador. The very first meal we had when arriving in Quito that evening was locro de papa, a dish recommended by said taxi driver! 

Here are some of the tasty, wholesome and unique foods and beverages we got to sample during our month-long visit! 

Locro De Papa

The very first dish we tried in Ecuador and hands-down one of my absolute favourites.

‘Locro’ is the name of a very hearty and thick stew eaten in the Andean regions of South America, and ‘papa’ simply means ‘potato’ in Spanish. 

This glorious creation is best made with a starchy potato that breaks down enough when cooked to make the soup very thick and cloudy. And it absolutely HAS to be served with cheese and an avocado topping or else you can request for it to be sent back to the kitchen, apparently! 

I’ve also been informed by locals that it is very easy to make and doesn’t require many ingredients. You had best believe I will be recreating this when I’m back at home! 

Llapingachos

We had the chance to try lanpingachos from a small street vendor visiting a little village outside of Quito. 

Imagine the softest, fluffliest, creamiest potato filling you can, then add cheese and shallow fry for a crispy coating. 

YES. They were definitely as delicious as they sound, and extremely moreish. 

Canelazo

Think of it as being in the same category as our mulled wine but with a twist. 

This spiced drink from the Ecuadorian highlands is best served hot and is made from cinnamon, sugar and local sugar cane alcohol. 

It tastes a little bit ‘lighter’ and more zesty than mulled wine and comes in a gorgeous golden colour. 

Patacones

A simple yet filling accompaniment to almost any dish! Patacones are essentially slices of plantain that have been smashed and then deep-fried. I really enjoyed eating these alongside fish dishes and dunking them in aji. 

Ecuadorian Aji

You’ll see it on every table at every restaurant you eat at and it accompanies everything, be it soup or meat or whatever! So what is aji? 

Aji is essentially a spicy chili sauce, uniquely made by each restaurant. It can range from being super mild to super hot – it is entirely at the discretion of the restaurant.  

I had no idea of just how important aji was to Ecuadorians. Apparently some people choose which restaurant they will be eating at based on how good their aji is – not necessarily how good the food is! 

Maito De Pescado

This fish dish, originating from the Amazonian region of Ecuador, is hands-down the best I have ever eaten. When the fish is THAT fresh and steam cooked in banana leaves to perfection, nothing else can compare. Served with yuca and aji (ofcourse!).

Tamarillo

Tamarillo or ‘tomate de arbol’ as they are also referred to are literally translated to mean ‘tree tomatoes’. These egg-shaped tomatoes grow on small trees and are native to the Andes region. Unlike typical tomatoes you might find at your supermarket in the UK, tamarillos have a zesty/tart taste to them, are high in iron and vitamins and make for a delicious salsa or pasta sauce. 

They are also a very popular ingredient in the aforementioned aji sauce! 

Rice And Beans

I’ve heard many a backpacker moan about eating rice and beans but I have to say I am a big fan! 

I have come across a wide range of rice and bean combinations – some even made with lentils or chickpeas. All have been delicious and well seasoned which I really appreciate. 

They really bulk out a meal which is great if you’re particularly hungry. They are also inexpensive which also helps if you are on a budget. 

Bizcocho de Cayambe

Cayambe’s bizcochos are a real treat. 

These soft but somehow perfectly crispy and buttery finger-shaped biscuits are traditionally served with caramel/dulce de leche and then layered with queso de hoja (sheet cheese) to create the perfect mix of deliciousness, especially when paired with a mug of hot chocolate. 

Encebollado

On our day trip to Otavalo we got to try encebollado, a typical Ecuadorian soup originating from the coastal region. 

Encebollado is made with fresh tuna, yuca or cassava, onions, tomatoes, coriander and spices. It is apparently very versatile as it can be served at any time of the day and is also considered to be a great hangover cure. 

The best thing about this soup is that it came with a bunch of ‘toppings’ and condiments such as toasted corn nuts, lime slices, plantain chips and aji (ofcourse!). 

Hot Chocolate

Ecuadorian hot chocolate is everything the milky and powdery stuff back in the UK is not – rich and bitter and delicious! 

My absolute go-to on chilly evenings in Quito. 

Lemonade

I did not expect Ecuador to have such great lemonade, it has to be said. 

It is nothing like what you get served in the UK because here if you order a lemonade in a restaurant it is homemade, not fizzy and thankfully not very sweet either. You get exactly what you order – fresh and zesty lemonade made with fresh lemon juice. 

It’s perfect! 

Freshly Squeezed Fruit Juices

Much like the lemonade, the juices in Ecuador are phenomenal for a couple of reasons. 

They are made with whatever fruit is in season, are made fresh each day and are very thick and normally completely natural – no watering down and no unnecessary additives. 

I would HIGHLY recommend you make the most of the juices when visiting! 

Fruits Galore!

Who knew that there were so many incredible fruits out there that I had yet to taste? NOT ME.

As it turns out Ecuador (and South America as a whole) has lots of new and weird and wonderful fruits to sample. 

Some of my absolute favourites are cherimoya and naranjilla – if you ever get the chance to, try them all! You will also find these fruits made into ice-cream which is equally delicious.

KFC Kentacos

You can only imagine how excited we were to find out that Ecuadorian KFCs sold ‘kentacos’, which are an imaginative creation – it’s a taco where chicken is used in place where the tortilla bread would normally be. 

Think moist, perfectly seasoned chicken breast meat filled with a little bit of salad and cheese… it was perfection. 

I am not ashamed to say that we ate Kentacos twice in Quito. I can only hope they make their way over to the UK! 

Coconut

Nothing beats hunting down some fresh coconut from a local vendor on a hot day! It’s just the most refreshing and hydrating beverage you could ask for. Bonus points if you find someone to open the coconut up afterwards so that you can feast on the fleshy part inside!

Ceviche

Both Ecuador and Peru are ceviche connoisseurs. 

Ceviche is a dish made of raw fish/seafood that has been cured in lemon juice. After the curing process, other delicious things can be added to enhance the flavour of the dish, such as onion, garlic, coriander, tomatoes etc. and other seasonings. 

Ceviche is a fresh and light accompaniment to a main meal, as pictured below where it came as a side to a fried fish dish from a local market. It can however, also be served as a main alongside plantain in the form of chips or patacones. 

Quimbolitos

I would say that Quimbolitos are the Ecuadorian equivalent of banana bread in the UK. The quimbolito is a sweet and wholesome steam-cooked corn cake wrapped in achira or banana leaves. We have tried quimbolitos topped with raisins and also with chocolate – each delicious!

Yuca Bread

Yuca pan is a bread made with yuca flour and cheese. These tasty little rolls are a fabulous snack when they are hot and fresh out of the oven. The consistency is spongy and chewy on the inside but slightly crisp on the outside – delicious!

Cuy 

You may know by now that I very much believe that when you are visiting any country you should eat as the locals do, as it really helps you to immerse yourself into the culture.

I feel like I have to preface this next dish because while for some parts of the world cuy or ‘guinea pig’ is considered to be a cute pet, in parts of South America it is livestock and a means of sustenance. 

Guinea pig or ‘cuy’ meat was apparently one of the main sources of protein in Ecuador, prior to the introduction of cattle. It is traditionally roasted and can be found on the menu in this form as ‘cuy asado’.

I have to admit that I really did not enjoy my experience eating roasted guinea pig. I have no idea if the place I ate it at just didn’t do the dish justice or not, but I found there was more fat than meat on the guinea pig. Also the skin, rather than being crispy as I imagined it would be after being roasted, was very thick and chewy… it was just not a pleasant dining experience. 

I would give it another go, one day…maybe. With a lot of encouragement!

Quinoa Soup

We tried quinoa soap as a starter to a traditional set-menu lunch in the town of Mindo. The broth was pork based and had obviously been boiling away with onions and other vegetables as it had a wonderful depth of flavour. The quinoa addition added a lovely texture and made the soup filling and really satisfying. 

A Taste Of Ecuador

I had no idea what to expect when it came to Ecuadorian cuisine. We all know a lot about Japanese food, Italian food etc., but I feel like Ecuadorian food has gone largely undiscovered and unrecognised in the UK. 

The best way I can describe what Ecuadorian food is like, in my experience, is homely, comforting and warming. 

It’s simple yet perfectly seasoned, consisting mainly of fresh and local ingredients that have been combined to create the kind of dishes you would crave on a wintry Sunday evening. Even when we ate in warmer climate areas like Mindo or Tena, the food we were served was hot and often came with a soup starter. 

I also really appreciate how much wonderful local fresh produce there is. Ecuador’s incredible climate means they can grow and produce a lot of great fruits and veggies. Whether you try them in a juice or in aji or on their own, the fruit and veg here is amazing. The same goes for the seafood. 

I love Ecuadorian cuisine for its purity, simplicity and heartiness. 

Until next time,

Lica xoxo