Eat List: Quito, Ecuador

Tasting menus, Andean pét-nat teas & local markets.

Plural Drinks, Quito, Ecuador. Photo: Nicholas Gill.

High in the Andes near the equator, Ecuador’s capital of Quito long lagged behind neighboring cities like Lima and Bogotá in terms of restaurant development. There may have even been an entire decade where Peruvian restaurants, many of them satellite locations of Lima originals, dominated the scene there. Thankfully, this is no longer true. Quito has a growing number of creative, modern dining establishments that can finally match the quality of the city’s longstanding markets and street food vendors.

Part of what makes dining in the city so special is it’s location. The Andes are already a wonderland of native tubers, chiles and herbs, while fresh fish and shellfish from the coast are just a few hours on a highway. Unlike Bogotá and Lima, the Amazon is also just a short drive away, which is having a dramatic affect on the city’s menus. This quick descent into the jungle and a growing, reliable network of suppliers is bringing things like macambo pulp and neapia into modern kitchens where new possibilities of use are being explored. Here are my recommendations: