You don’t normally associate Bolivia with food. It’s just not what Bolivia is famous for, and it doesn’t help that the country’s got some bad food rep going on. You can imagine the state of panic I was in when I first arrived. I love food, and three months of bad food is an eternity of damnation. I jest not. I was lucky to live in Sucre, the (actual) capital city of Bolivia, where you can get a good mix of local and international fare. And though I’m not a fan of the ’10-things-you-must-do’ sort of posts, I had amassed a list of favorite food places that I found myself sharing with just about anyone who was willing to listen, or not.
So for those of you visiting Sucre, here’s Top 10 Awesome Sucre Restaurants you must try before you erm… die??
1. Restaurant With no Name
Walking around the main plaza, you must be wondering where on earth were the Bolivian restaurants, and how you didn’t come all the way to have pizza and pasta. Introducing my favorite restaurant that didn’t have a single gringo…. The Restaurant with no Name.
Si, señor, when you’re good, you don’t need a shop name.
.
Come here for Mondongo, a Sucre specialty. It’s a heavenly dish of pork drenched in spicy red Aji sauce (mild for this Asian señorita). Served with potatoes and a local variety of corn. The pork is firm and tender, the sauce very flavourful. It’s only served on Fridays and you should head here before 12.30 pm if possible because they sell out fast!
Address: 213 Calle Rene Moreno, corner of Calle Olañeta. 15 minutes walk from the main square.
2. Patitos
Another local favorite haunt, and they open for dinner too. Here, you can have good Pollo Picante (spicy chicken shown below), or Falso Conejo. Falso Conejo literally means fake rabbit, but it’s actually beef that’s smashed and flattened. Don’t ask me why they call it fake rabbit. I asked and I had no answer too.
Address: Calle Lemoine, corner of Avenue Jamie Mendoza
3. Papas Rellenas 148 Calle Junin
I’ve tried a number of papas rellenas (stuffed potatoes) because they taste really good and I like clogging my arteries. In this little stall, a lady serves the potatoes stuffed with either cheese or egg for just Bs 3.5 (USD 0.50) Served with yummy sauce on top, you can choose to have it spicy or not. She closes before the evening, so head there early!
Address: 148 Calle Junin
4. El Huerto
This is possibly Sucre’s only ‘fine dining’ place. Bolivian and International dishes served in a lovely garden setting slightly away from the town center. I had a Chuquisaca specialty called Cjocko de Pollo. It’s flavourful, tender chicken cooked in wine and chicha, a local fermented beverage made from maize. The Chorizos were also great. For dessert, have the Chirimoya (soursop) ice cream! Ice cream in Sucre usually tastes unnatural and overly sweet. But not here, you can actually find a Chirimoya seed in your cup, and the texture is smooth and divine.
Address: Ladislao Cabrera Nº 86 zona San Matías
5. Las Delicias
This tea salon is crowded and there’a good reason why. A double-story shophouse that serves a good variety of cakes and Bolivian snacks. You can have it either baked or steamed. I like the steamed version. They only open for a few hours a day in the afternoon, which is really a good and bad thing depending on which side of the fat fence you’re already on.
Address: 150 Calle Ayacucho
6. Chocolates Para Ti I fell head over heels in love with Chocolates Para Ti. Seriously. I love how they make chocolates with flavours that are so unique to Bolivia, like Chocolates de Quinua, Amaranth, Maracuya. They are goddamn delicious and not expensive! For the sake of your happiness, try the hot chocolate and chocolate cake in their cafe on Calle Audiencia.
If you’re crazy enough, like me, make an appointment to visit the factory for a short tour. It’s a short taxi ride from town. You can ask the staff at their main boutiques for more information on how to arrange the visit.
Address: Main Boutiques- Calle Arenales 7 and Calle Audiencia
7. Condor Cafe
Bolivians love their meat. And if you eat local, there’s absolutely no way that you can get enough vegetables, save for some paltry pieces in your soup. So, if you want healthy food, you have to head to Condor Cafe, a vegetarian cafe and social enterprise. Wifi, real coffee, healthy mains and a mix of gringo and Bolivian food. I like the vegetarian Tucumana and Papa Rellenas here. They serve it with salad and could pass off as a proper meal on days when you’re not that hungry. Also, try the breakfast museli!
I was volunteering for Condor Trekkers and Cafe and I absolutely loved the vibe and the people.
Address: 102 Calle Calvo, corner of Calle Bolivar
8. Abis Patio
The food here is consistent and good. Try the pork ribs and their homemade ice cream. The sister cafe, Abis Cafe, sits right by the main square and is a great place to watch people go by with a good cup of cappuccino.
Address: Juan Jose Perez 366, Sucre, Bolivia
9. Tiergarten
Now, this is a real hidden gem set in the beautiful colonial courtyard of ICBA (Bolivian German Institude) Alejandra, the owner and chef, has some serious talent. For 25 Bs (less than 4 USD), you get soup, main course, and dessert. She makes the most delightful European-Bolivian fusion cuisine, and happens to be a great baker as well (did I mention she was talented). So sometimes, the breads that she serves with the soup are simply amazing, and it’s not easy to get amazing bread in Bolivia.
I remember having had moist, warm, soft, tomato cheese bread. Delicious pumpkin soup. Meat rolls with sweet potatoes and vegetables. Quinua panacotta for dessert.
Mmmm.
Only open for lunch Mondays- Saturdays. Each day has a different menu.
Address: Calle Bolivar 609
10. Cafe Monterosso
Now now, I know you didn’t come to Bolivia to eat pasta. But who cares, if the pasta is that good? Nestled in a residential area, Cafe Monterosso is actually the home of Roberto, an Italian who had settled in Sucre. Knock on the door to get in, and ideally, make a reservation (+591 7576 9731) before you head there because they’re popular.
And you have to try their tiramsu. Have to.
Address: Calle Padilla 70
For an even greater list of wonderful things to discover about Sucre, you can visit my travel stream, A Sojourn in Sucre, on the brand new travelblogging startup called I’ve Been There:
Buen Provecho mis amigos!
