Seafood dominates the Atacames table, and much of it is excellent value. Ceviche de camarón — shrimp marinated in citrus juice, red onion, coriander, and chilli — is the signature dish, served in plastic bowls from carts on the beach or from the open-fronted restaurants along the main strip. Look also for encebollado, a hearty fish soup with yuca and pickled onion that functions as both breakfast and hangover remedy, and seco de cangrejo, blue crab stewed slowly with tomato, onion, and beer.
The beachfront strip has the widest choice but also the highest prices. Walk half a block inland and prices drop. Meals are cheap by any standard: a full plate with a cold beer rarely exceeds five dollars.