Ecuador Travel Guide

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Cuisine

Ecuador has some of the best beer in South America; the most popular brand is Pilsener, along with Club and Biela. Good, inexpensive Chilean and Argentinian wine is available, alongside pricier international drinks. Restaurants have waiter service and there are cafe-style bars.

Things to know: Alcohol cannot be sold after 0200.

National specialties:
• Cuy (roasted guinea pig).
• Llapingachos (pancakes stuffed with mashed potato and cheese).
• The best of the jungle fruits include chirimoya, with a delicious custard-like inside; mamey, which has a red, sweet, squash-like meat; and pepinos, a sweet white and purple striped cucumber-like fruit.
• Shrimp or lobster ceviche. This is traditionally accompanied by popcorn and chifles (thinly sliced and fried green bananas).
• Locro (soup of potatoes, corn and cheese).

National drinks:
• Naranjilla (fruit juice with a taste somewhere between citrus and peach).
• Canelazo (made from sugar cane, alcohol, lemon, sugar and cinnamon).
• Pisco – the local brandy.
• Chicha (fermented corn drink).
• Herbal teas made from native plants.

Legal drinking age: 18.

Tipping: 10% service charge is usually added to the bill in hotels and restaurants.

Nightlife

There is little nightlife, except in Quito and Guayaquil where there are excellent restaurants and other attractions. In smaller towns, social life takes place in the home and in private clubs. The cinema is the most popular form of entertainment. Things liven up from Thursday to Saturday evenings. Bars are generally open between 2000-0200, with clubs staying on until about 0400.