Chapter IV Restaurants The chapter on restaurants is organized according to the major cities and tourism regions of Bolivia: Cochabamba Oruro Sucre La Paz Potosí Tarija Lake Titicaca Santa Cruz Uyuni In the case of La Paz, restaurants are also listed by major neighborhoods in alphabetical order: Centro, Miraflores, Sopacachi, and the Zona Sur consisting primarily of Calacoto and San Miguel. In this chapter, we do not systemically include restaurants located in hotels. These restaurants are usually included in the descriptions of the hotels (Chapter III). Often, hotel restaurants, although slightly more expensive, offer excellent food and service, especially for breakfast. A few high-rise hotels in La Paz, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz offer spectacular views from their penthouse or sky room bars and restaurants. We recommend restaurants providing superior cuisine, service, and values whenever our staff is aware of their existence. The names of these selected restaurants are underlined and the entry is displayed with a blue font. [Eating Salteñas] [Hamburgers or Cordero?] 45 Cochabamba Cochabamba (CBBA) has many delightful restaurants with some of the best prices in all of Bolivia. The restaurants are scattered throughout the city with significant clusters in the center, the Prado, along Calle España, and in the Recoleta district. Cochabambinos are known for enjoying food and drink. This tradition is supported by the pleasant afternoon and evening weather that promotes long enjoyable meals in outdoor cafes and patios. [Plaza 14 de Septiembre] Cuisine a la Cochabambina Pichón: Squab or dove boiled and then grilled over a live fire and served with rice, fried potatoes and sometimes fried plantains. Silpancho: Beef, Usually ground meat from the head of a steer and then fried with onions, tomatoes, and locoto chiles. Served with a friend egg on top (montado). Jakalawa: Fresh Bolivian style corn (hominy) served with steak strips and pork rinds. Usually fresh country style cheese is laid on top. Chajchu: Freeze-dried black Andean potatoes called chuño, fried beef, red peppers, and a chorrellana sauce (fried onion with egg and cheese). Habas Pektu: A vegetarian delight with fava beans mixed with eggs and tomatoes accompanied by Bolivian style potatoes. Pique Macho: This dish is served in many finer restaurants throughout Bolivia but said to be at its best in CBBA. Pique macho is a mountain of marinated beef strips mixed with fried potatoes, onions, and peppers with a few sausage links for flavoring. A single portion is often enough for two people. 46 Bambus Salteñería Bolivian meat pies and other types of empanadas. Calle Santivañez #0-261 between Hamiraya and Junin. Tel. 458-1404. Battacuda’s Delicious fish, meat and poultry dishes. Buffet salads and vegetables. Avenida Melchor Urquida S/N, near Pasaje Portales. Tel. 448-6990. Bistro Berlin Restaurant German food. Pasaje Boulevar #700, Plazuela de la Recoleta, Tel. 448-6183. Búfalo Rodizio Brazilian style barbecued meats. Avenida Oquendo #N-0654 in the Torres Sofer. Tel. 425-1597. Burger King McDonalds competition in the USA but there are no McDonalds in Bolivia. Hamburgers are pretty much clones of the USA variety but the real draw here for tourists (unless you’re homesick) are the clean but busy restrooms. Two locations in Cochabamba: • Avenida América #620, Tel. 445-1525. • Far end of the Prado near the river. Café Doradita Good cooked breakfasts and pastries. Avenida 25 de Mayo N#329 near Calle Ecuador. Tel. 452-9125. Café Express Bolivar Typical CBBA coffee house and outdoor café. Calle Bolívar E#145, between Avenida 25 de Mayo and San Martín. Closed at lunch time and on Sundays. Café Frances Les Temps Moderns Upper class French pastry, snack, and coffee shop. Serves crepes and quiches. Open 8:00 to 21:30 daily, Closed Sunday. Now has two locations in Cochabamba: • Calle España #140, between Avenida Heroínas and Calle Colombia. • Café Paris: Calle España – Esquina Bolívar near Plaza 14 de Septiembre. Café Metrópolis A café restaurant that serves everything from German pancakes to large salads and great pastas. Said to be very popular with students and travelers, probably because of its enormous serving sizes, Calle España N #0299. Café Sulico Nice coffee shop. Pasaje Boulevar #775 in the Recoleta. Tel. 448-7721. California Burgers & Donuts Almost the real thing. Avenida 25 de Mayo near Avenida Heroínas. Canguro Popular salteñería with delicious Bolivian style meat pies. Calle Colombia-Esquina Calle España. 47 Cantonata Fine Italian cuisine. Pizzas also available. www.lacantonata.com.bo. Calle España #409 - Esquina Calle Mayor Rocha. Tel. 425-9222 or Tel. 425-9222. Casa del Campo One of the best restaurants in Cochabamba. Internation, Argentine, and Bolivian dishes. #618 Boulevar de la Recoleta and Avenida Uyuni #733 in the Recoleta complex. Tel. 424-3937. Chicken Kingdom Fried chicken Bolivian style. Two locations in Cochabamba: • Calle San Martín #150, between Heroínas and Colombia. Tel. 450-4033. • Avenida Santa Cruz #1124 between Padilla and Oblitas. Tel. 448-6905 Chifa China Chinese cuisine. Take out food available. Open daily and holidays from 11:30 to 14:30 and 18:00 to 22:30. Avenida Pando #1182, next to Channel 4. Tel. 428-5786. Chop Taquiña Large restaurant with pleasant outdoor patio located adjacent to the Taquiña Beer Plant on the top of a hill at the edge of the city. Well worth the 15 minute taxi ride for succulent roast duck and a variety of other national dishes. Excellent food. Open daily. Avenida Taquiña S/N. Tel. 428-8676. Comida Vegetariana As the name implies, a decent location for vegetarians. Avenida Heroínas E#262. Cortis Salteñas of various kinds. Avendia Ballivián #688 (El Prado), Tel. 452-1843. Cristal American style breakfasts and coffee shop. Avenida Heroínas E#552. De K’ff’e Upscale coffee house. Serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and pastries. Avenida Pando #1143, Recoleta, Tel. 440-2050. Dumbo’s Bolivia’s famous ice cream chain also has American style breakfasts, hamburgers, hot dogs, and sandwiches. Two locations in Cochabamba: • Avenida Heroínas #E-354 on the corner of Arce. Tel. 450-1300. • Avenida Ballivián, on the corner at the end beginning of the Prado. Tel. 423-4223. Edén A repostería or upscale dessert and pastry shop. Open weekdays from 8:30 to 10:00 and 14:30 to 20:00. Saturdays from 8:30 to 16:00. Closed on Sundays. Calle España #N-0239, Tel. 422-5718. El Cabrito Churrasquería Meat dishes Bolivian style. Beef and goat. Avenida Aroma #0845 between 16 de Julio and Oquendo. Tel. 423-3842. 48 El Caminante Excellent Bolivian dishes served in outdoor courtyard. Open for lunch only on weekdays. Highly recommended. Avenida Arce S#628. El Horno Bolivian Salteñas. Ladlislao Cabrera #344 between 25 de Mayo and E. Arze, Tel. 422-3011. Eli’s Pizza and Fast Food The same fast food chain as in La Paz. There are three locations in Cochabamba. • 25 de Mayo – Esquina Calle Colombia, Tel. 425-9249. • Zona Hipdromo at IC Norte Supermarket, Tel. 440-3030. • Zona Norte at Calle América #686, Tel. 448-7277. El Griego Greek food including gyros. Also Greek style pasta. Serves dinner only. Calle España #0386 – Esquina Venezuela. El Portón Churrasquería Steak house which also serves pork and fish dishes. Salad buffet. Outdoor seating available. Avenida Papa Paulo #190. Tel. 453-0805. El Prado Fancy ice cream shop with outdoor seating. Calle Ballivían – Esquina Calle México. Expresso Café Bar Coffee and other drinks. Calle Esteban Arce #340 – Esquina Plaza Principal. Tel. 425-6861. Fratelos Bar & Restaurant Good pasta and fish dishes. Located on Calle Pando #1143 near the Recoleta. Tel. 440-2050. Gopal Vegetarian and East Indian food. Open daily from 8:00 to 21:00. Breakfast buffet, lunch, and dinner. Calle España N#0250 – between Calle Ecuador and Calle Colombia in the Galería Olimpía, Tel. 423-4082. Globos Cochabamba’s other ice cream chain. Globos has two locations in Cochabamba: • Avenida Santa Cruz #1306, near Esquina Beni. Tel. 440-2222. • Calle General Acha #157. Tel. 450-2020. Habana Café Authentic Cuban food and drinks. Open late. Calle Mayor Rocha E#0348. Hwa Interesting Japanese and Korean dishes. Lunch and dinner. Calle Salamanca #868 – Esquina Calle Carrillo, Tel. 414-0213. Jacaranda Restaurant Avenida Tado Haenke #2150, near Avenida Melchor Pérez de Holguín. Tel 428-6421. 49 Kabbab – Las Mil y Una Noches Kebabs and other Iranian/Persian foods. Located in Queru Queru on Calle Potosí N#1392 near Portales. Tel. 424-9149. Kausay Pancake and waffle house with other breakfast dishes. Open 8:30 to 19:00 daily. Saturday from 8:30 to 12:00 noon. Closed on Sunday. Calle 25 de Mayo #323, Tel. 452-9125 or Cell 7272-1561. La Bambola USA style snack shop with coffees, juices, and submarine sandwiches. Calle Jordán – Esquina Lanza. La Bohemia This café serves both mainstream and vegetarian dishes as well as salads and snacks. Calle España - Esquina Calle Ecuador. La Brasa Roja Churrasquería Grilled meats. Two locations in Cochabamba: • Avenida Aroma #859, between 16 de Julio and Oquendo, Tel. 450-7926. • Avenida Oquendo #525, near Calle Calama. Tel. 450-0875. La Estancia Located just inside the Recoleta complex E#718 and Calle Uyuni #0786. La Estancia serves European, Argentine, and Bolivian dishes and is considered one of the best restaurants in all of Bolivia. Best of all, prices run only about $5 USD a dish. Tel. 424-9262. La Granja Tourist class international food with three locations in Cochabamba. Tel. 448-7316 or Cell 7220-1418. • Boulevar de la Recoleta • Avenida Padilla #680 • Avenida Uyuni #187 Lai-Lai and Lai-Lai Diamante Chifa Chinas with a nice ambiance. Located in the Recoleta complex at E#0729 and another location across the walkway. Also has take-out service.