Ecuadorian food is diverse and underrated. Each of the country's three geographic regions, the Amazon, the Sierra, and the Pacific Coast features its own array of local delicacies.
Like Colombia to the east, soups are a specialty across the country, and like Peru to the south, ceviche is a typical dish on the coast.
Leave your preconceived notions at the border, and make it a point to step outside your comfort zone while traveling through the country.
Ecuadorian Food – Typical Dishes
Arroz con Pollo (or Camarones)
Arroz con pollo (rice with chicken) and arroz con camarones (rice with shrimp) are both traditional dishes found throughout Latin America.
There's nothing special about the versions you'll get in Ecuador. Both are tasty staple dishes you can always fall back on if nothing else on the menu catches your eye.
Where to Eat It: Anywhere
Ceviche
Ceviche is a mix of raw seafood and shellfish “cooked” in citric juices, especially lime juice.
Typical ingredients include white fish, shrimp, crab, clams, squid (calamari), and onions.
Where to Eat It: Ceviche is often enjoyed at the beach. The surf town of Montanita is filled with ceviche carts where you can order a custom-made bowl for as little as $5. For higher quality ceviche, visit one of the many restaurants in Guayaquil.
Choclo
Dry roasted Andean corn is sold as a snack food on the streets.
Where to Eat It: Street vendors
Cuy (Guinea Pig)
Thanks to TV, and word of mouth, cuy is perhaps the best-known dish in Ecuador. Sampling this small rodent (and pet in Western countries) is a rite of passage for most backpackers, if not all travelers.
Due to the cost, cuy is often eaten by Ecuadorians to celebrate special occasions.
A whole cuy costs about $20. However, this is typically too much for a single person, especially one who is simply interested in sampling it. Instead, order a single piece, or quarter cuy to find out if you like it.
Cuy is very greasy, and there's not a lot of meat. It's mostly skin, bones, and gristle. Expect to use your hands, and get messy.
Locals love to eat everything, with the small and crunchy paws, and creamy brains being especially popular.
Where to Eat It: Cuenca is the best-known city in Ecuador for cuy. To sample this traditional dish in an excellent restaurant environment, head to Guajibamba Cuyes (Luis Cordero 12 – 32 Y Gaspar Sangurima). Alternatively, there are several restaurants next to the Market on the main street in Banos which openly cook cuy.
Langostinos
Langostinos are one of the many fresh and delicious seafood options on offer in Ecuador.
Because the country is so small, they can easily be sourced from the coast, so don't be afraid to order them if you're in the Sierra mountains.
Where to Eat It: Tiesto's Restaurant in Cuenca.
Librillo
Librillo is the cooked and chopped stomach lining of a cow. It can be prepared and served many ways, usually with rice. It's popular in the mountain regions of Ecuador.
If you're a fan of tripe or are feeling adventurous, order this dish.
Where to Eat It: Banos
Llapingachos
Llapingachos are one of Ecuador's best known, and most beloved, dishes. They are potato patties made with cheese and cooked on a griddle until golden brown.
Llapingachos are often served as a side, along with pork, such as chorizo, a fried egg, avocado, and salad.
(Editor's Note: This is one of my favorite dishes from Ecuador.)
Where to Eat It: The (lunch) Market in Banos for $2.
Locro Soup
Locro Soup is a hearty, potato-based soup made with cheese and avocado. It's popular in the Sierra, and the perfect way to warm up on a chilly night.
(Editor's Note: This was another of my favorite dishes.)
Where to Eat It: Tiesto's Restaurant in Cuenca.
Melcocha
Wander the streets of Banos long enough, and you're sure to pass by the candy shops where Melcocheros are busy preparing the colorful local taffy, known as Melcocha.
The stretching and kneading process occurs as the taffy is slapped around wooden pegs located inside the door jambs of the shops.
The candy is very sweet but dangerous. I wouldn't recommend chewing on it if you've got loose teeth, or have had a lot of dental work done.
Where to Eat It: Any one of the many candy shops in Banos.
Pan de Yuca
Pan de Yuca is a soft bread made with flour from the yuca root, cheese, butter, and eggs. It's common throughout Latin America and often goes by different names depending on the country.
Served warm, it makes an excellent appetizer or snack.
Where to Eat It: Everywhere
Trucha
Trout is a traditional dish served throughout the Sierra and is often accompanied by potatoes or yuca, and vegetables.
Where to Eat It: Restaurants in the Sierra mountains (ex: Banos, Cuenca).
Traditional Drinks in Ecuador
Canelazo
Canelazo is an alcoholic shooter made of Aguardiente (a clear, anise-flavored liquor), cinnamon, lemon, sugar, and water.
Popular in the Sierra, it's served warm, and can often be ordered by the pitcher.
Fresh Fruit Juices
Ecuadorian food may not feature a lot of vegetables; however, like neighboring Colombia, fruits are a strong point. Especially bananas.
Most fruits are also available as fresh juices too. They're inexpensively priced, so try them all if you can.
Popular options include:
- Orange (naranja)
- Raspberry (mora)
- Banana
- Maracuya
- Guanabana
this is a great webswite
yes it wis
what is called “choclo” inthe photos above is actually tostada. Choclo is the same as corn on the cob.
Actually. Not true. Choclo is an Andean corn that’s either fried or baked
Or boiled. But the fried one is most commonly referred to as tostado. If you ask for choclo they’ll give you the boiled corn.
LDP is correct, my family is Ecuadorean and I have never heard the tostado (toasted like in the article) or canguil (popcorn) referred to as “choclo.” That’s reserved for boiled corn, I believe.
True. I’m ecuadorian, and that is tostado. Choclo is just corn, oiles or fried. Tostado is different more salty, It’s delicious specially in the Highlands.
Mora is blackberry not raspberry.
EWWWWWWw they eat gunia pigs?
Yes they do its part of culture. You wouldn’t like it if someone said that about you countries food.
“You wouldn’t like it if someone said that about you countries food.”
Sure I would. You can be amused by other people’s aversions or you can get your dander up. I’m not ready to take offense because many Chinese find cheese revolting!
Hey guys if you go to Cuenca a want to eat clean and well served traditional food this is the place:
https://www.tripadvisor.co/Restaurant_Review-g294309-d4228440-Reviews-The_Mills_of_the_Batan-Cuenca_Azuay_Province.html
I don’t think i would like to eat there because I herd that somewhere
they eat rats???
Guinea pigs are a type of rodent, but I wouldn’t call them rats. They’re eaten in Peru too. If you don’t want to try them, there are plenty of other dishes to try.
Eating guinea pigs is disgusting. I have a Guinea pig, and I told him he better be glad he’s not in ecuador. If I ever go to ecuador I’ll get as many guinea pigs I can and save them. Thats just gross to eat a cute little animal.
ummmm they are huge rat that are just mainly eaten because of somthing called” tradition”, There are places that eat way more wierd “cute little animals” becuse of traditions, And btw cuy actually taste like chicken and I also have a Guinea pig, and forgot to mention I’m ecuadorian, and I have no desire to eat my Guinea pig, because she is not a huge rat. and excuse my english,
Delishios…….
I am Ecuadorian and never liked cuy, however it is part of my country and many people do like them. The skin is a bit hard but the meat tastes great. They are not rats. Before judging anything or anyone one needs to know the full facts, be prejudice free and even then judging may not be the best thing to do.
This is mostly typical food from the Andean region of Ecuador which has the most tourist appeal for foreigners. However, most Ecuadorians would agree that the best typical food is found in the coast, specially in Manabi. The list is missing some staple Ecuadorian food as caldo de bolas, encebollado, cazuela, sango, bollos, corviches, red crabs, etc. I would suggest to change the title to: “Highland Ecuadorian food + ceviche”.
Yes my thoughts exactly! I lived in the coastal region of Ecuador for 2 years and you’re missing tons of coastal dishes! Encebollado is seriously one of the best foods I’ve ever eaten, period. It deserves a number 1 spot on this list. I’m not sure of the differences, but guatita is good too and having lived there I have never heard of librillo. Other important ones (some already mentioned) caldo de bola, bolón, carne frita con menestra, patacones, bollos, cazuela, chifles, cocolòn, encocado de pollo/camarón… the list goes on and on! And the (in)famous street food like papipollo, salchipapa, choclo (corn on the cob on a stick), and chuzos! Missed a good opportunity here dude!
actually chocho it is good but what it is in the photo it is chulpi
poor guinea pig
I love this because in tag my country is Ecuador.
Great Information. Looking forward to moving down there! Thanks!
Hi, i am working on a paper on Ecuadorain cuisine and lifestyle, regarding local food and what are the popular eating styles. i will appreciate any insight.
Nnema M.C.
As a teenager I had a friend from ecuador.and remembering eating over there alot. There was one particular meal I loved, don’t know the name of it but it had meat and carrots,peas and I think corn. It was juicy and I remember it had alot of cumin. We served it over white rice. O my gosh! It was so delicious! Does any one know what this dish is? And the real recipe?
The name is Estofado de carne (Stew) coastal dish
I’m Ecuadorian and so many dishes are missing, I will say the most popular for example:
Encebollado.
Guatita.
Empanadas.
Sango.
Viche de mariscos.
Fanesca.
Tonga.
Corviches.
Bollos.
Ayacas.
Arroz con menestra y carne.
And believe me, I’m ecuadorian from the coast and we think eating cuy is so disgusting, so no all the ecuadorians like to eat an animal that looks like a rat.
Thank you for sharing these dishes. At some point I’d like to rewrite this article to go into more depth on each.
I was just at a party with the equadoriian people that live next door to me their little boy got baptized and they sat around a fire pit and roasted guinea pigs in a spit over the charcoales in the fire pit. The guinea pig was very tasty.