Restaurants in The Southwest
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Minuteman Revolutionary Pizza
This convivial spot, inside the Toñito Hotel, run by Chris from Boston and his Bolivian wife Sussy, is a deserved travelers’ favorite with the best pizzas in town, tasty alternatives like salads, pastas and sandwiches and fantastic desserts. It’s also a cozy spot for a beer or candlelit glass of Tarija wine or a hearty breakfast (B$20 to B$30) with all you can drink coffee or tea. If you have old sunglasses, you can do a good deed – drop them off here and they’ll be donated to the salt workers in Colchani.
reviewed
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Florín
Rapidly turning into the place to be seen in Sucre, this atmospheric bar-restaurant serves a mixture of typical Bolivian food and international dishes, including a ‘Full English’ breakfast. Popular with locals and gringos alike, who line up along the enormous 13m-long bar (surely the biggest in Bolivia?) at night during the two-for-one happy hour.
reviewed
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C
Sole Mio
The best pizzas in Cochabamba are to be found here. The owners, encouragingly, are from Napoli and import the ingredients for their robust brick-oven, wood-fired pizzas – thin crust, light on the sauce. Soft opera music, rich Italian wines and excellent service make this a comfortable place to linger a while over a meal. They also serve a range of meat and pasta entrées.
reviewed
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D
Nayjama
This appealing three-floor choice serves high-quality traditional Oruro food with a dash of innovation. The servings are huge so ask for half a portion of anything you order. Lamb is the specialty, as is cabeza, the sheep’s head served with salad and dehydrated potatoes. The English menu is slightly more expensive so ask for the Spanish one.
reviewed
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El Huerto
Set in a lovely secluded garden, this is a favorite spot for Sucre’s people in the know. It’s got the atmosphere of a classy lawn party, with sunshades and grass underfoot; there’s great service and stylishly presented traditional plates (especially the chorizo) that don’t come much better anywhere in the country.
reviewed
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E
Páprika
One of the ‘in’ spots, this is a block removed from the roar of Av Ballivián, and is a quiet leafy place popular for its food – both Bolivian and international, including tasty baked potatoes and fondues. After dark it becomes a trendy spot for a late drink and is also a good place to meet up with young Bolivians.
reviewed
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Café Mirador
The café of the Museo de los Niños Tanga-Tanga overlooks a botanical garden that exhibits a range of foliage from around the country. The panoramic views are a sunset treat and worth the hike up the hill, and it's a sweet place to linger over juice, sandwiches, cocktails or the rich desserts.
reviewed
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Tunari
With the distinction of being the oldest restaurant in the city, this local favorite specializes in the sort of things you either love or hate: grilled kidneys (a patent local hangover cure), tripe and tasty chorizo. But if innards aren’t your thing, there are other typical Cochabamba plates.
reviewed
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H
Bibliocafé
With two adjacent locations, this has something for everyone; one side is dark and cozy, the other a little smarter. There’s good service, a menu of pasta and Mexican-Bolivian food, and also drinks until late in a cheerful and unpretentious atmosphere, plus regular live music.
reviewed
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La Taverne
With a quiet sophisticated atmosphere, the restaurant of the Alliance Française is a delight to visit. The short, select menu has a French touch and there are excellent daily specials. There’s live music every Friday night and film screenings several times a week.
reviewed
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Bravo’s Pizza
Bright, with big windows overlooking the square and a light ambience, this 2nd-floor eatery has 20 pizza varieties, including a spicy one with dried llama meat, plus hamburgers, sandwiches, burritos and breakfasts (B$20).
reviewed
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K
Cherry’s Salon de Té
Open all afternoon, this cafe makes a nice but very slow pit stop while you’re out exploring the town. The apple strudel, chocolate cake and lemon meringue pie are superb. They also serve light meals and breakfasts.
reviewed
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Para Ti Chocolates
Thanks to Sucre’s status as Bolivia’s chocolate capital, there are plenty of stores that cater to sweet tooths. The best is Para Ti Chocolates, where tasty bonbons are only the tip of the iceberg.
reviewed
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Café Mokka
A stylish place with a pavement terrace overlooking the square, they serve not-amazing coffee, decent cocktails and good, light grub. Tables are decorated with weird arrangements of peanuts and coffee beans.
reviewed
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N
Chifa New Hong Kong
Great value authentic Chinese food with huge portions. Watch your head on the ceiling upstairs though!
reviewed
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Cochalita
There's tasty street food and snacks all over Cochabamba, with the papas rellenas (potatoes filled with meat or cheese) at the corner of Achá and Villazón particularly delicious. Great salteñas and empanadas are ubiquitous; for the latter, try Cochalita, which has a range of delicious fillings and also does ice creams. Locals swear by the anticuchos (beef-heart shish kebabs) that sizzle all night at the corner of Av Villaroel and Av América.
reviewed
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Imma Sumac
Most Bolivians acknowledge, when pushed, that Potosí does the best salteñas - juicy, spicy, and oh-so-tasty. Go no further than Imma Sumac, where one of these delicious items goes for around US$1; there's a courtyard space to eat in. Cheese or meat empanadas are sold around the market until early afternoon, and in the evening, street vendors sell cornmeal and cheese humitas.
reviewed
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Alamos
A green light outside marks this popular saloon-style spot where locals and tourists mingle in the funky two-floor space with a Mexican vibe and lots of knick-knacks. The menu features mainly meat dishes, like pique macho (beef chunks and sausages over french fries with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and spicy locoto peppers), and comes in huge tasty portions.
reviewed
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Q
Mercado Central
At the northeast corner of the market, street vendors sell snacks and pastries unavailable in other parts of Bolivia, including delicious crêpe-like panqueques. Breakfast is served out the back, other cheap meals are upstairs, and you’ll find fresh juices are in the produce section. Don’t miss the huge bakery and sweets section off Bolívar.
reviewed
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Locot’s
Relaxed and attractive, this bar-restaurant is in an interesting old building, with candlelit tables and original art on the walls. It offers a limited choice of Bolivian, Mexican and international food, including vegetarian, and a gringo-friendly vibe. Based here is Locot’s Aventura (www.locotsadventure.com) that offers hiking, biking, horse-riding and paragliding.
reviewed
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La Floresta
A great place for pitchers of fresh lemonade and all-you-can-eat buffets of pork, chicken and salads, served in a lovely, leafy garden with a large swimming pool. Local families stream in on weekends when the atmosphere is particularly lively. It’s a bit out of town, so get a taxi here – the staff will call one for the return journey.
reviewed
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S
Place of Colors
This friendly café wins points for its charming name and keeps visitors happy with various breakfasts, sandwiches and baguettes, a great pique (hearty Bolivian favorite of chopped beef, sausages, chips and a spicy sauce) in the evening, and hot wine for that cold you caught on the salar tour. Small, simple and pleasing.
reviewed
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La Estancia
One of a knot of spacious restaurants just across the river in Recoleta, this Argentine-style grill is a fine place. There are thick, juicy steaks (it’s worth upgrading to the Argentine meat), ribs and kidneys, as well as fish and chicken, all sizzled on the blazing grill in the middle. There’s also a decent salad bar and very good service.
reviewed
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La Loco
This friendly French-run restaurant and pub is a barn-like space that’s lit low and furnished with comfortingly chunky wooden furniture around a log fire. There are plenty of drinks and a short but classy menu that offers croques monsieur (grilled ham and cheese sandwiches), crepes and llama steaks with a gourmet touch.
reviewed
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V
Las Bajos
One of the oldest and most typical of the choricerías (restaurant specializing in chorizo) in Sucre, though it’s not just sausage on the menu. The owner is a Beatles fanatic and downstairs is a miniature recreation of Liverpool’s Cavern Club, the walls adorned with posters, album covers and other Fab Four memorabilia.
reviewed
