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The 10 Best Cultural Restaurants in La Paz: Spice, Swiss and Salteñas

3 Feb

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Bolivia’s La Paz is the highest capital in the world, and although, historically, it’s not a prime spot for ‘haute cuisine’, quality eateries are on the rise. We have picked out ten of the best restaurants in La Paz for top-of-the-world top-notch nosh with a cultural spin.

Gustu

When food critics found out that Claus Meyer, co-founder of the current second best restaurant in the world (Noma, in Copenhagen), was to open a new restaurant, no-one expected it to be in Bolivia – least of all the residents of La Paz. But that is exactly what this Scandinavian marvel-worker did. He brought cordon bleu to the Andes, incorporating local flavours into the colours of the cushions, as well as exotic local produce and mountain-dwelling animals into the menu. For ‘the works’, go for the taster menu (five, seven or fifteen courses). Á la carte positions have been carefully picked to reflect Bolivia’s biodiversity and tradition, and tempt the hungry visitors with options such as the silky palm marrow withcharque and egg yolk or the llama fillet with chuño glaced in apple and banana syrup. The food tastes even sweeter for the chef-training foundation which receives a cut of the profits.

Gustu, Calle 10 number 300, Calacoto, La Paz, Bolivia

Manna Ser Sano

Purporting to be unique in the city, this food delivery service boasts that it provides a wide choice of not only vegetarian, but healthy dishes, drinks and botanas (nibbles). Ser Sano is a good place to consider for a night in, if only for the names of the dishes, which inspire pun-induced awe and appetite. The highlights include Papicar bien (translating as either ‘to nibble healthily’ or ‘to make love well’), Atún romántico (‘romantic tuna’, in case there is any doubt) and the natural juice Fuera toxinas (‘get out, toxins’). At the time of writing, Manna Ser Sanowere in the process of opening up an eatery where meat-free delights can be sampled on-site.

Manna Ser Sano, +591 243 2634 From 8am to 6pm

Chalet La Suisse

Quick quiz: a mountainous country, with a unique culture, snowy caps and delicious food. Hint: it is not Bolivia. Switzerland comes to La Paz in the Chalet La Suisse and manages to transport its guests to the Alps as opposed to the Andes. Imported wines, cheeses and chocolate fondue co-exist peacefully with Bolivian trout, llama meat and hunks of beef at this upmarket, culturally diverse La Paz restaurant.

Chalet La Suisse, Avenida Muñoz Reyes Number 1710 Calacoto, La Paz, Bolivia +591 2279 1387

El Pueblito

Almost all of what Bolivia has to offer in terms of culinary experiences on a reasonable budget is served up on a plate (or more precisely, several large plates) in this restaurant just above the witches’ market. This authentic, local place is especially worth visiting at lunchtime when it is heaving with paceños getting their daily rations. Hearty fare and generous portions are the staple here at El Pueblito.

El Pueblito, Linares Number 880, 1st floor, La Paz, Bolivia

Paceña La Salteña

Here is another one to titillate the linguists or fans of rhymes, whilst also satiating those looking for an authentic street food outlet in central La Paz. A salteña is a traditional Bolivianempanada (a small pie: similar in form to a Cornish pasty, but not as overpowering), which was supposedly brought to Bolivia by an Argentinean woman from the province of Salta, hence the name for this filling little delicacy. A paceña, on the other hand, is a female resident of La Paz, showing that the salteña is an institution as Bolivian as the salt flats. Pick from a selection of meat, chicken or vegetarian salteñas sure to please any fast-food lover. This award-winning mini-chain of outlets is more than a quarter of a century old, and resides in four locations around the city.

Paceña La Salteña

Miraflores: Avenida heroes del pacifico Number 1162, La Paz, Bolivia +591 222 5931

Zona Sur: Avenida Montenegro Number 1560, La Paz, Bolivia +591 277 2937

Centre: Calle Loayza Number 233 edificio Mcal. De Ayacucho, La Paz, Bolivia +591 220 2347

Sopocachi: Avenida 20 de octubre edificio Guadalquivir, La Paz, Bolivia +591 241 9936

Café Sol y Luna

Imagine falling in love with Bolivia, moving there and opening up a café-restaurant which combines international cuisine, an atmosphere brimming with hospitality and warmth, and a well-travelled selection of clients and book-exchange opportunities. That is what Rick has done, creating Sol y Luna. Although it may not be an exemplary ‘Bolivian’ restaurant, is a perfect place to get a proper meal surrounded by a truly international clientele and sip a cocktail at one of the regular salsa or cultural nights.

Cafe Sol y Luna, Calle Murillo Number 999, 4 corners, La Paz, Bolivia +591 221 15323

Mercado Rodriguez

For guaranteed good eats in Latin America, the local market is almost always the safest bet. In La Paz, foodies are spoilt for choice with the most famed and popular food market in the country. A stroll around the outdoor food paradise will reveal fresh fruit with shapes and tastes beyond belief, or sizzling, mouth-watering dishes from one of the small restaurants within the market. The produce in the salteñas, broths or meat dishes is bound to be as fresh as they come, and the atmosphere will be alive and kicking. For the brave traveller, the bull’s penis soup at Mercado Rodriguez is reportedly the best bull’s penis available in the best market in Bolivia.

Mercado Rodriguez, Calle Rodriguez, La Paz, Bolivia

Coroico in Sur

Bolivian lunchtime comes rather late in the day – midday is the time when Bolivians finish off their mid-morning snacks, as opposed to settling down to a full meal. And so a visit to Coroico In Sur at 2 or 3pm is a genuine insight what a true Bolivian lunch consists of: spicy meat dishes, beans, rice, corn-based deliciousness and tongue, all smothered in delicately sweet and spicy sauces. Locals love this little restaurant and rightly so, with excellent value for money and value for full stomach.

Coroico in Sur, Calle Julio Patino Number 1526, La Paz, Bolivia +591 277 0575

El Vagon del Sur

This local favourite sits in a converted family house, and retains some of the family-run atmosphere that seems to keep the residents of the surrounding Zona Sur area coming back for more. With its apparent attention to ingredients and the desire to spice up most of the dishes, El Vagon del Sur cooks up traditional and hearty Bolivian fare. Beef, chicken and fish dishes are coupled with fresh and local vegetables, then stirred up with flavoursome spicy notes.

El Vagon del Sur, Avenida Julio C Patiño Number 1295, La Paz, Bolivia +591 2279 3700

Villa Serena

The name of Villa Serena is the first hint of the restaurant’s ambiance, as tranquil as serene as Bolivia’s nature. The food very much underlines this feeling, even if the cultural evenings and live music nights are not as tranquil as the name suggests. Here, visitors can encounter contemporary Bolivian cuisine in an atmosphere, which conjures up the perfect image of the ‘petite bourgeoisie’, with white tablecloths and slightly uncomfortable chairs. What makes this a truly cultural restaurant is the aptly-named centro cultural on the floor above. Sit, order, eat, peruse, and come back for pudding.

Villa Serena, Avenida Ecuador Number 2582, Sopocachi, La Paz, Bolivia +591 2241 8151

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Bebas – Bolivian Cuisine in LA!

1 Ene

Imagen actual: Three plates of traditional Peruvian meals with rice, eggs, meat, and sauce alongside a glass of water and a beer bottle

Bolivian food in LA? You must be kidding me, right? You mean, I don’t have to fly to VA anymore to get some good Bolivian food?! OMG OMG OMG OMG. I had to go and see for myself. I took my mom and two brothers and we headed out to Beba’s in North Hollywood. I’ve made many treks like this in the past only to find an empty or a burnt down restaurant, or a restaurant that never exist. When we got to Hazeltine Ave., we almost gave up driving up and down that street until finally, we spotted it. A small hole in the wall. So small you’d miss it if you blinked.

Once inside, we noticed that the owners were Bolivian. They even played traditional Bolivian music videos on their television. It’s a must see so ask for it to be played if it’s not on. Also, do not laugh out loud. It may seem funny to non-Bolivians but Bolivians take their songs and culture seriously and who cares if they filmed it on an abandoned train or if the singers are wearing gangsterlike sunglasses reminiscent of Gangsta’s Paradise. This is all part of the experience so sit back and enjoy. All the food on the menu is guaranteed authentic.

Sopa de Mani

We started off with a bowl of peanut soup (Sopa de Mani), my all-time favorite soup in Bolivia. It’s nutty, chicken-y, and full of… fries? Yup. They basically put fries in the soup and it’s actually pretty tasty. Come to think of it, Bolivians put fries in lots of things. I would have liked more chunks in the soup but the broth itself was pretty good. You have to share this because it’s on the heavier side and you don’t want to fill yourself up before you try any of their pastries and entrees.

Empanada de Queso
The Empanada de Queso (cheese empanadas) was a little different from the ones from Santa Cruz. The ones I grew up eating with light and fried, sprinkled with powdered sugar. But, in La Paz, I know they have different types of pastries. This restaurant is definitely Pacena (people from La Paz) so the regional difference exists, and I will have to get used to it. It was good, but a bit on the dry side.
Saltena

This was the highlight of the night. The Saltena is one of the hardest dishes to make. It’s not just an empanada, as most people think. It’s juicy goodness of beef, chicken, potatoes, eggs, raisins, vegetables, olives that is enclosed in a tasty sweet crust. Most people eat it vertically, sucking the juice as they bite down to the bottom. Since we were in a restaurant, we acted civilized and cut it open with our fork. It’s much more fun to eat it from your hands though. This way, you’re sure to get all the juice. They have chicken and beef saltenas. I love both but people definitely have preferences so try both to see which one you like. They taste very different from each other.

Silpancho

The Silpancho is a dish that consists of breaded steak with fried eggs on top, french fries, with a side of rice and salad. To me, this is the most boring dish because you can make this anywhere and it’s not particularly exclusive to Bolivia but if you talk to any Bolivian, this is almost always one of their favorite dishes. Perhaps because it is so easy to make at home, or because people just eat it frequently but it’s definitely a hit. It’s also really hard to mess up so it’s consistently good.

Plato Mixto

We shared the Picante Mixto, which comes with chicken with yellow sauce (picante de pollo), tongue with red sauce (Aji de Lengua), dehydrated potatoes (chuno), rice, and potatoes. My favorite two dishes – picante de pollo and aji de lengua – in one dish is awesome! Most people need some time to get used to the chuno but once you love it, you crave it. It’s just bland potatoes that I used to think were potato salad but it’s just dehydrated potatoes. Bolivia has over 200 different types of potatoes and this is one form of it. The beef tongue was tender and the chicken was amazing. I highly recommend getting this dish.

Don’t forget to order the mocochinchi, a dehydrated peach drink that is my all-time favorite. You just can’t get that anywhere else. I loved the saltenas so much I bought ten – five beef and five chicken, to take home. They have frozen ones you can take home that you can bake in the oven at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Since they do it in a clay oven you won’t get the nice burnt crust but it will still taste heavenly.

 

Bebas Restaurant
6024 Hazeltine Ave
Van Nuys, CA 91401

(818) 786-1511

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