La Locanda (Av. 12 de Octube 1820 y Luis Cordero, Quito) – this upscale restaurant, located within Swissotel, offers Mediterranean cuisine with a strong Peruvian influence. There’s also a fine selection of wines. This restaurant also gets points for its stylist interior. Peruvian plates such as “lomo salteado,” are found alongside some of their more […]
Fried Bananas Café (Foch E4-150 y Av. Amazonas, Quito) – located near the trendy Plaza Foch, this restaurant offers both local and Italian pasta dishes (the most recommended one being the pasta con crema de azafran y camarones). Shrimps with mushrooms in fried banana style is another recommended specialty.
El Grill (Hostería Rincón de Puembo) (Manuel Burbano #6-66 e/Francisco Ruiz, Quito) – located in the Eastern outskirts of Quito, this restaurant offers a variety of grilled dishes as well as local specialties. Diners enjoy coming here for the relaxed atmosphere away from the city, as well as poolside dining.
El Cráter (Hotel El Cráter, Mirador del Pululahua) – located an hour north of Quito (near the Pululahua volcano), visitors are attracted to the mountainside dining that this restaurant offers. This restaurant, which serves both local and international dishes, has been visited by a number of prominent guests, from singer Gloria Estefan to Chilean President […]
8-18 (2-124 Gastelbondo #8, Cartagena) – located in Cartagena’s historic district, this is one of its finer restaurants – serving its patrons local (costeña) cuisine (which means seafood is a major staple). The smart-looking tables and sophisticated artwork on its walls draw in an upscale clientele. It gets particularly busy during the Cartagena Film Festival.
Carmen (Calle de Cuartel 36-77, (Inside Hotel Anandá Boutique), Centro, Cartagena) – this is another upscale restaurant in Cartagena’s historic section. Carmen restaurant serves mainly Asian fusion cuisine. Since it’s located within the Hotel Anandá, this restaurant occupies two al fresco areas and one air conditioned salon. If you don’t have time for the […]
Crepes & Waffles (various locations within Bogota) – this is a restaurant chain in Bogotá that’s popular for its veggie, meat, and seafood crepes. The portions are large (which means that each crepe meal can be shared). Some say this eatery feels like being at a trendy restaurant in U.S. The owners of this restaurant […]
El Corral (various locations within Bogota) – this is a popular Colombian burger chain. There’s a food & drinks deal during “happy hour” (3:00 pm – 7:00 pm weekdays). El Corral reputedly serves the best burgers in Colombia, and is priced accordingly (US$5 and up for a burger). With this eatery’s interior reminiscent of trendy […]
Andrés Carnes de Res (Calle 82 – interior Centro Comercial El Retiro #12-21, Bogota) – located towards the outskirts of the capital, this restaurant, the size of a warehouse (with seating capacity at 750 plus), has a meat-centric (if pricey) menu. There’s live entertainment (ranging from actors, to bands that go from table to table), […]
La Casa de Socorro (Calle 25 #8B-112, Cartagena) — located in Cartagena’s Getsemqaní district, this open-air dining space is known for its seared seafood, freshly-squeezed lemonade, tasty chicken stew, and salsas.