Ecuadorian Food — 20 Dishes Every Expat Should Try

Ecuadorian food does not get the international attention of Peruvian or Mexican cuisine, but it is hearty, affordable, and deeply tied to the country's regional identity. The Sierra (highlands), the Costa (coast), and the Oriente (Amazon) each have distinct traditions. As an expat, understanding the food is one of the fastest ways to understand the culture — and to eat incredibly well for very little money.

This guide covers 20 dishes you will encounter repeatedly. Each one is worth trying at least once.

Coastal Dishes

1. Encebollado

The national hangover cure. A thick, soupy stew made with fresh albacore tuna (albacora), yuca, red onion pickled in lime juice, tomato, cilantro, and cumin. Served with chifles (thin plantain chips) or canguil (popcorn) on the side.

Where to find it: Encebollado is a coastal dish by origin, and Guayaquil serves the best versions. In Cuenca, look for restaurants advertising "encebollado costeno" — they exist but are not on every corner. In Quito, street-side encebollado shops are common near markets.

What to expect: A thick, aromatic fish soup. The lime-pickled onions cut through the richness. Ecuadorians eat it for breakfast or as a late-night recovery meal. A bowl costs $3-$5 at most places.

2. Ceviche Ecuatoriano

Ecuadorian ceviche is different from Peruvian ceviche. It uses a tomato-based broth rather than a pure citrus cure. Shrimp ceviche (ceviche de camaron) is the most popular variety, but you will also find fish (pescado), mixed seafood (mixto), black clam (concha), and octopus (pulpo).

Where to find it: Everywhere on the coast. Guayaquil and Esmeraldas province do it best. In Cuenca, cevicherias like Las Palmeras and Picanteria Austral serve solid versions. Served with canguil, chifles, or tostado (toasted corn).

What to expect: A soupy, tangy, slightly spicy bowl. The shrimp is cooked (not raw like Peruvian style). Prices run $4-$8 depending on the seafood.

3. Bolon de Verde

A ball of mashed green plantain (verde) mixed with cheese, chicharron (fried pork), or both, then fried or grilled. It is a breakfast staple on the coast.

Where to find it: Any coastal breakfast spot or market. In Quito and Cuenca, restaurants that serve "desayuno costeno" will have it. Tigrillo (see below) is its highland cousin.

What to expect: Dense, savory, filling. The outside is slightly crispy, the inside is starchy and rich. Usually served alongside coffee and eggs. $2-$4.

4. Tigrillo

A coastal breakfast dish from the El Oro province. Mashed green plantain mixed with scrambled eggs and cheese, sometimes with chicharron. It is similar to bolon but deconstructed and scrambled.

Where to find it: Common in Guayaquil and Machala. Available at some Cuenca breakfast spots. Ask for it at coastal-style restaurants.

What to expect: A rich, heavy breakfast plate. The combination of plantain, egg, and salty cheese is addictive. Often served with coffee and fresh fruit juice. $3-$5.

5. Patacones

Thick slices of green plantain, smashed flat, and fried twice until golden and crispy. Served as a side dish with almost everything on the coast — fish, chicken, rice, and beans.

Where to find it: Everywhere. Patacones are ubiquitous in Ecuador, from street food stalls to sit-down restaurants.

What to expect: Crispy, starchy, and satisfying. Think of them as Ecuador's answer to French fries. Sometimes topped with hogao (a tomato-onion salsa) or served with aji (hot sauce). Usually $1-$2 as a side.

Highland Dishes

6. Llapingachos

Potato patties stuffed with cheese, pan-fried until golden, and served with a peanut sauce (salsa de mani), chorizo, a fried egg, avocado, and a small salad. This is one of Ecuador's most iconic dishes.

Where to find it: Ambato is considered the llapingacho capital, but every city in the Sierra serves them. In Cuenca, mercados (markets) like Mercado 10 de Agosto serve them for $3-$5 as an almuerzo plate. Restaurants charge $5-$8.

What to expect: Crispy outside, gooey cheese inside, rich peanut sauce on top. The full plate is a complete meal. Some versions come with curtido (a pickled vegetable relish).

7. Hornado

Whole roasted pig, slow-cooked until the skin is crackling and the meat is tender and juicy. Served with llapingachos, mote (hominy corn), agrio (a pickled vegetable relish), and lettuce.

Where to find it: Markets are the best source. In Cuenca, Mercado 10 de Agosto has dedicated hornado stalls. In Quito, Sangolqui (a town just south) is legendary for hornado. The annual fiestas in many highland towns feature hornado as the centerpiece.

What to expect: A large plate of sliced pork with crispy skin, starchy sides, and a tangy relish that balances the richness. $4-$7 at a market. The pork skin (cuero) is the best part — ask for extra.

8. Cuy (Guinea Pig)

This is the one everyone asks about. Cuy has been raised and eaten in the Andes for thousands of years. It is a delicacy, not everyday food. It is typically roasted whole on a spit or fried.

Where to find it: Cuenca's outskirts (Gualaceo, Chordeleg, Sigsig), Otavalo, and Riobamba are known for cuy. In Cuenca city, restaurants like Guajibamba and Tres Estrellas serve it. Expect to pay $15-$25 per cuy, which feeds 1-2 people.

What to expect: The skin is crispy, the meat is dark and gamey — somewhere between rabbit and dark-meat chicken. There is not a lot of meat on the bones. It is more about the experience than the quantity. Go with an open mind.

9. Seco de Pollo (or Seco de Chivo)

A stew of chicken (pollo) or goat (chivo) cooked in a sauce of beer, naranjilla juice, cilantro, onion, garlic, and cumin. Served over rice with fried plantain (maduro) and avocado.

Where to find it: This is a standard almuerzo (set lunch) dish across the highlands and coast. Almost every comedor (casual eatery) has some version. Seco de chivo is more common on the coast and in Loja province.

What to expect: Tender meat in a fragrant, slightly citrusy sauce. The naranjilla gives it a distinctive tartness. A filling, well-balanced meal. $3-$5 at a market or comedor.

10. Locro de Papa

A thick, creamy potato soup flavored with cheese, served with avocado slices and aji on top. It is comfort food in the Sierra, especially on cold or rainy days.

Where to find it: Every market and traditional restaurant in Quito and Cuenca. It is one of the most common soups in the highlands.

What to expect: Rich, starchy, cheesy, warm. The avocado and aji add freshness and heat. A bowl costs $2-$4. Some versions include tripe (mondongo) — ask before ordering if that is not your thing.

11. Caldo de Gallina

Chicken soup, Ecuadorian style. Made with a whole hen (gallina), potatoes, yuca, corn on the cob, cilantro, and served in a deep bowl with a piece of chicken and all the fixings.

Where to find it: Markets, especially for breakfast and lunch. In Cuenca, Mercado 10 de Agosto serves it starting at 6am. It is also a classic late-night food — caldo de gallina stalls near bus terminals and taxi stands stay open past midnight.

What to expect: A large, warming bowl. The broth is golden and flavorful. The chicken is usually an old hen — tougher but more flavorful than a young broiler. $3-$5.

12. Mote Pillo

A simple Cuencan dish of mote (large-kernel hominy corn) scrambled with eggs, green onion, and sometimes milk or cheese. It is a breakfast and side dish staple in Azuay province.

Where to find it: Cuenca and surrounding towns. Markets, breakfast spots, and traditional restaurants. It is Cuenca-specific — you will not find it easily in Quito or Guayaquil.

What to expect: A starchy, savory scramble. The mote has a chewy, almost nutty texture. Paired with coffee and fresh juice, it is a solid, cheap breakfast ($2-$3).

13. Humitas

Sweet corn tamales steamed in corn husks. Made from fresh ground corn (choclo), butter, eggs, cheese, and sometimes anise. They are eaten as a snack or light meal, often with coffee.

Where to find it: Street vendors, markets, and bakeries across the Sierra. In Cuenca, women sell them from baskets on street corners, especially in the morning. Also available at Supermaxi in the prepared foods section.

What to expect: Soft, moist, slightly sweet, with melted cheese in the center. They are different from Mexican tamales — lighter and more corn-forward. $0.50-$1.00 each.

14. Tamales Ecuatorianos

Not to be confused with humitas. Ecuadorian tamales are made from a corn-based masa filled with chicken or pork, wrapped in achira or banana leaves, and steamed. They are savory, not sweet.

Where to find it: Markets and street vendors, especially during holidays and celebrations. Loja tamales and tamales de maiz are the most common varieties.

What to expect: Larger and denser than humitas. The banana leaf imparts a subtle, earthy flavor. Often eaten for breakfast or as a late afternoon snack. $0.75-$1.50.

15. Churrasco Ecuatoriano

A thin grilled steak served over rice with a fried egg on top, french fries, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and fried plantain. It is not a dish from Argentina or Brazil — Ecuador put its own spin on it.

Where to find it: Restaurants and parrilladas (grillhouses) everywhere. This is one of the most common dinner plates across the country.

What to expect: A complete meal with protein, carbs, and a fried egg that ties it all together. The steak quality varies — at a market comedor ($4-$6) it will be thin and well-done. At a proper steakhouse ($10-$18), you can get better cuts cooked to your preference.

16. Guatita

Tripe (cow stomach) cooked in a thick peanut sauce with potatoes. It is polarizing. Many Ecuadorians love it. Some expats find the texture challenging.

Where to find it: Markets and traditional restaurants. It is more common in Quito than Cuenca. Some comedores include it as the almuerzo special on certain days.

What to expect: The peanut sauce is rich and good. The tripe is soft and chewy. If you like organ meats, you will enjoy this. If you do not, the sauce alone over rice is still worth eating. $3-$5.

Seasonal and Special Dishes

17. Fanesca

A rich, heavy soup served only during Semana Santa (Holy Week, usually March or April). It contains 12 types of grains and beans (representing the 12 apostles), dried cod (bacalao), milk, cream, cheese, and is topped with mini empanadas, fried plantain, and hard-boiled egg.

Where to find it: Restaurants and homes during the week before Easter. Many restaurants offer it as a limited special. In Cuenca, it appears on menus starting the Monday of Holy Week.

What to expect: Thick, filling, and unlike anything else in Ecuadorian cuisine. A single bowl is a full meal. Prices range from $5-$15. If you are in Ecuador during Semana Santa, do not miss it.

18. Empanadas de Viento

"Wind empanadas" — because they puff up with air when deep-fried. Made from wheat flour dough filled with cheese, fried until golden and ballooned, then dusted with sugar.

Where to find it: Everywhere. Street vendors, bakeries, markets, and fairs. They are cheap and ubiquitous.

What to expect: Crispy, airy, slightly sweet on the outside with melted cheese inside. They deflate quickly after frying, so eat them fresh. Best paired with a cup of morocho or coffee. $0.50-$1.00 each.

Drinks

19. Canelazo

A warm alcoholic drink made with cinnamon (canela), naranjilla juice, sugar, and aguardiente (sugarcane liquor). It is the drink of highland fiestas and cold evenings.

Where to find it: Bars, street vendors during festivals, and restaurants in the Sierra. During Cuenca's Pase del Nino Viajero (December) and other fiestas, canelazo vendors line the streets. Some bars in El Centro serve it year-round.

What to expect: Warm, sweet, spiced, and strong. The aguardiente has a rough edge, but the cinnamon and citrus smooth it out. $1-$3 per cup. Be careful — it goes down easy, but the alcohol hits hard.

20. Morocho

A thick, warm drink made from cracked white corn (morocho) cooked with milk, sugar, cinnamon, and sometimes raisins. It is served hot and is a common afternoon snack paired with empanadas de viento.

Where to find it: Street vendors, markets, and bakeries. In Cuenca, the combination of morocho and empanadas de viento is an afternoon ritual. Look for vendors near Parque Calderon and in the markets.

What to expect: Thick, creamy, sweet, and warming. The texture is somewhere between a smoothie and a porridge. A cup costs $0.75-$1.50.

Where to Eat

Markets (Mercados)

The best, cheapest, and most authentic food in Ecuador is at the mercado. In Cuenca, Mercado 10 de Agosto is the go-to for almuerzos and traditional dishes. A full lunch (soup, main course, juice, and dessert) costs $2.50-$3.50. Mercado 9 de Octubre and Mercado 3 de Noviembre also have food stalls.

Almuerzos (Set Lunches)

Almost every restaurant in Ecuador offers an almuerzo — a fixed-price set lunch that includes soup, a main course (usually rice, protein, and a small salad), juice, and sometimes dessert. Prices range from $2.50 at a market to $5-$8 at a restaurant. This is how Ecuadorians eat lunch, and it is the best value in the country.

Restaurants

Cuenca has a growing restaurant scene with international options — Italian, Japanese, Indian, and American-style food. Expect to pay $8-$20 per person at mid-range restaurants and $20-$40 at upscale spots like Zazu or Tiesto's.

Tips for Eating in Ecuador

• Aji is on every table. This is Ecuador's hot sauce — blended hot peppers with onion, cilantro, and lime. It ranges from mild to fiery. Always taste a tiny bit first.
• Rice comes with everything. Arroz (white rice) is served with almost every meal. If you want less rice, say "poquito arroz."
• Lunch is the main meal. Ecuadorians eat a big lunch and a lighter dinner (merienda). Restaurants are busiest and best stocked at lunchtime.
• Food hygiene at markets is generally fine. If the stall is busy, the turnover is high and the food is fresh. If the stall is empty, think twice.
• Tipping is not expected at markets or casual comedores. At restaurants, a 10% service charge is often included in the bill. If not, leaving 10% is appreciated.

Ecuadorian food is one of the great unexpected pleasures of living here. The cost is low, the portions are generous, and the flavors reward curiosity. Start at the mercado, order whatever the person next to you is having, and work your way through this list.

For a broader look at what daily life costs in Ecuador, including food, check our Cost of Living in Cuenca guide.