24 Best Restaurants in Southern Bolivia, Bolivia

Hanging out in Condor Café is a little like getting a big hug from a stranger: the vibe is chilled and smiley, and the food is delicious and abundant. Order a tucumana, a hand-size meat-and-vegetable-filled pastry that comes with a fresh, crispy green salad and some punchy salsas. The breakfast options are healthful, fresh, and homemade, and the lunch menu is one of Sucre’s best bargains. If you're vegetarian, you'll find yourself returning again and again. The café is part of Condor Tours, a 100% nonprofit tour organization that is the best option for exploring the city’s surrounding areas—while helping to support the communities you pass through.

This tiny, hole-in-the-wall spot with a few mismatched blue tables promises only one thing: salteñas (Bolivian empanadas). And it delivers! Few will disagree that these are the best in town, and plenty may agree that they are among Bolivia's best. They come out in massive batches between 9 and noon, piping hot, spicy, juicy, and tomato rich. If there aren't any in sight, wait for the next batch—it's worth it. These salteñas may be the best thing to eat in Potosí. There is no name outside, so just ask around, or keep an eye out for a small wooden sign hanging by the door that simply says, "Hay Salteñas."

This nighttime spot is one of the most recommended in town, and for good reason—it's well located and popular, and the food is pretty good, though it consists mainly of burgers, pizzas, and vaguely Mexican food. Among the better options are trout and silpancho (a breaded beef cutlet served on a bed of fries, topped with tomato, onion, chili salsa, and a fried egg), a Cochabambino classic. The prices are a bit higher than they should be, considering the at-times sloppy service, but all in all, it's a solid dinner option.

A more relaxed version of Abis Café on the plaza, this is the city’s go-to gourmet burger spot, with some fine home-brewed beers to boot. The extremely social and omnipresent owner doesn’t stop there though. He blows the socks off guests with his barbecue ribs and chocolate milk shakes. There is happiness for the whole family to be had here, and the bill at the end will be a pleasant surprise, considering the high-quality ingredients used throughout. The patio out back is the best place to while away a couple of hours with high-speed Wi-Fi and one of those beers.

Set in a beautiful building right on the main plaza, this is the perfect spot to warm up after a day of visiting churches. Stop in for a glass of wine and a snack, or coffee and cake. The service is not great, but the food and drinks are above the rather low standard set in the city. Prices are in line with the very tourist central location.

More pub than restaurant, Florin is a good choice for a night out if you're looking for a fun crowd and atmosphere. The food is not the main draw, but generally delivers as long as you’re not expecting the very best. The menu is all over the place, jumping from moussaka to pad thai; be sure to try the house craft beers from Ted’s brewery. The service is sluggish at best, and as the evening goes on, you’ll find the place gets very smoky.

The best views in the city belong to this little café just below the Recoleta mirador. Stop in for a cold beer or sandwich to help you while away an hour or so while taking it all in. Surprisingly, the prices aren’t much higher than any other place in the city, but the Mirador doesn’t quite escape the curse of unfulfilled potential. The tables outside and the garden could use a little more TLC, and the service is not stellar. The menu is average, but the pastas and sandwiches are decent. Inside, there is Wi-Fi and a little counter by the window with board games, perfect for a bottle of wine and a sunset (closes at 7:30 pm).

This is Italian food exactly how you hope to find it: the hard-to-find family-home-turned-restaurant, the charming, effervescent owner, and the mother as master chef working her magic in the kitchen. Every dish is comfort-food bliss; the fresh pasta is simply perfect.

Decent Wi-Fi and breakfast are pretty much all this little coffee shop has going for it, as service has slowed to a painful crawl over the years and the decor is almost completely without personality. If you go for breakfast, order the pancake stack or a healthy bowl of muesli. Some of the sweet cakes and desserts are tasty, so you might also stop in for a mid-morning snack and a cup of refreshing mate de coca (herbal tea).

If you're craving Argentina, this is the place to go. They serve all the traditional Argentine cuts, the preparation is spot-on, it's good value for the money for high-quality beef—and the salad bar is nothing to sniff at either. The service is efficient, and the wine list covers all the best local wines. Get a bife angosto (strip loin) and a bottle of Aranjuez Tannat, and you'll go home grinning. It's a little out of the way, so it's best to take a taxi.

At this restaurant near the municipal park, adventurous eaters should try some traditional Bolivian entrées such as picante de lengua (spicy tongue) or mondongo (pork ribs in a chili sauce). For something a bit more familiar, order filet mignon or one of the many pasta dishes like lasagna Bolognese. The chef's specialty is the Paella Andina prepared with quinoa and seafood. There's plenty on the menu for vegetarians, too. Prices are higher than average, but the outdoor patio has a beautiful garden, and is a pleasant place to linger over a long meal. Bring a sweater at night, as it gets a bit chilly.

Conveniently located on the plaza, El Marqués is the classiest spot a which to grab a bite in Tarija. The food, largely standard international fare but with the odd local flavor coming through, is well made and presented, but the real reason to eat here is the magnificent building that makes for a most impressive backdrop to your meal. Built in 1867 by a local marqués, the building and its interior are opulent and regal; after your meal, ask to have a look around, particularly at the second-floor rooms.

The most popular of the restaurants on the main plaza, Gattopardo always has a lively buzz. If you can get a table on the sidewalk in between Tarija's trendy and well-to-do, it makes for a perfect place to people-watch, particularly in the evenings, with a glass of local wine. The food doesn't test the imagination much, with pretty standard international fare, but it's well done, and not overpriced for the location. Don't stray much beyond salads, pastas, or burgers.

As the name suggests, this is a young, lively bar catering mostly to a student and backpacker crowd, making it one of the best choices for a sociable night out—probably involving shots—near the plaza. They also run mountain biking and hiking trips, which can be organized in the office next door. The food won't change your life, and it is a bit pricey, but the tapas do the job and they offer a great range of beers. Grab a seat on the patio or in the upstairs lounge where films are shown every evening.

If you need a coffee break after a long day visiting museums, this is the perfect spot. Sweet crepes or cakes are finely done by the French owner, and the coffee is well made. Best of all, it's just half a block from the central plaza.

Quiet and romantic, this restaurant prepares some of the city’s most creative food yet somehow is not on the radar of many locals or visitors. The menu offers a modern fusion of local and international flavors. Think smoked trout with pickled vegetables, pork fillet with a guava-and-singani (the Bolivian white brandy) sauce, or llama with huancaina sauce (a cheesy sauce with Peruvian yellow chili). The service is excellent and most of the dishes are beautifully presented. It is a bit pricier than some options, but still far from the most expensive in town, and makes a great choice for a fine dining treat.

Head off the cobbled street and down into this warm, subterranean, French restaurant. The space is quite small, with dark wooden tables, light walls, and plenty of wine racks tucked here and there. They have the best steak in town, draped in classic French style with all sorts of heavy sauces, and a good wine menu. Although there are some issues with consistency, and if there is a big table in, it can be a bit noisy, La Taberna is your best choice in the city for a nice evening out.

This small, mostly French, restaurant inside the Alliance Francaise has become one of the city’s best-loved dinner options, now with branches in Potosí and Tarija. Whether you prefer the low-lit and intimate dining room or the exterior, stone-paved courtyard, the ambience is all set up for red wine and romance. The steak is what everyone goes for—they do an excellent chateaubriand steak (tenderloin with a reduction of white wine and shallots), and an ever popular filet mignon with roquefort. But the winner for flavor is the plain Argentine bife ancho (rib-eye steak). Pair it with a local wine, such as the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon from La Concepcion, or the Tannat from Aranjuez. The staff is good, but it gets very busy in the evenings and service can slow down a little.

Just inside the city's central market, this stall is a must for street-food lovers. Grab a fresh juice from one of the neighbors, then head over to Las 7 Lunares and order one of the legendary fried chorizo rolls (the chorizo is a thin local version of the Spanish-style spicy sausage). It's safe and tasty; just grab a little stool in front of the stall and tuck in. Open from morning until the early afternoon.

Colorful and friendly, this is easily the most inviting restaurant in town, with a varied, tasty, and mostly local menu. The staff are attentive (by Potosí standards), and there is a nice mix of locals and tourists. There are good quinoa-based options for those who want to eat light, or the pique macho (a heaping dish of beef and sausage chunks, stacked with fries, boiled eggs, and a chili-and-onion sauce) for those who want to try one of the best, although very meat-heavy, local dishes. The best deal is the daily three-course lunch menu.

A little restaurant with loads of personality—a treat in this city—Pickles feels a bit like a '90s rock-and-roll roll dive bar, complete with walls decorated with signatures and notes from a whole world of visitors. The menu is short but full of great dishes. The picante de día (usually some variation on a spicy stew) makes a great, warming lunch option, and the Milanesa (breaded beef cutlet) or pork ribs will hit the spot later at night as the bar swings into full flow. It's a little shabby, but it's fun, and well worth the visit.

For those who are hesitant to eat at the market but want to try local food, Plaza Mayor offers a full range of traditional Tarijeño dishes in a cool and comfortable environment. Just a block from the main plaza, it is a pleasant, family-style restaurant with a few nice touches in the decor. The service, although not lightning fast, is friendly, and the food is delicious. There are enough interesting dishes to warrant more than one visit. There is also a good selection of local wines and cheeses.

Hidden down a short alley off Calle Sucre, Roberts is a lunch spot that fills up daily with local businessmen who know that this is simply the best bargain in town. The bright yellow decor is a bit harsh, but the service is great—friendly and with a touch of old-school class—and the food is really good, particularly considering the price tag for the lunch menu, which consists of a salad bar, soup, a main, and dessert. The soups tend to be substantial local vegetable or fish, and the mains are standard home-style fare such as fried trout, grilled chicken, or a meat-and-potato stew. Get in early before the salad bar gets demolished.

As in every Bolivian city, there’s plenty of debate about who really makes the best salteñas in town, but many would point to El Patio—and add bonus points for its sunny interior patio. Prices are more than reasonable, so order one of each and find out which is your favorite. You’ll have to skip your hotel breakfast if you want to get the full experience and go for the typical 9 am salteña start to the day. The service can be slow during peak lunch hours. If you aren’t in the mood to wait in line, head over to their equally good neighbor, Salteñeria Flores, or, on the other side of the plaza, El Paso de Los Abuelos.