Ecuadorian food is hearty, regional, and underrated. The highlands, the coast, and the Amazon each have distinct traditions, and the country's extraordinary biodiversity shows up on the plate in extraordinary ways.
On the coast, the star is ceviche de camarón — shrimp marinated in lime and orange juice with red onion, tomato, cilantro, and a dash of ketchup, served with toasted corn or popcorn and patacones (fried green plantains). Ecuadorian ceviche is cooked, not raw, which surprises visitors used to the Peruvian version. Fish soups, grilled catch of the day, and cazuela (a thick stew of seafood and plantain) are staples along the coast and in port cities like Guayaquil.
In the Andes, locro de papa is a defining dish: a thick, creamy potato and cheese soup garnished with avocado and served with a bowl of ají (chilli sauce) on the side. Seco de pollo (slow-cooked chicken in beer and spices) and hornado (whole roast pork, served in markets with mote corn and potatoes) are crowd-pleasers. The indigenous markets are good places to eat cheaply and well. Cuy (roasted guinea pig), often served whole and looking alarmed, is a highland delicacy — an acquired taste, but leaner and more flavourful than you might expect.
In the Amazon, grilled river fish, heart of palm, yuca (cassava), and plantain in every form appear on most menus. Some lodges serve meals foraged from the surrounding forest.
Breakfast typically means pan de yema (egg bread), fruit juice, and coffee. Jugos (fresh fruit juices) are outstanding all over the country — try naranjilla (a tart citrus-like fruit native to Ecuador), tomate de árbol (tree tomato), and maracuyá (passionfruit). Street food is generally safe to eat where turnover is high; the cevicherias in market towns are particularly reliable.
Chicha — a fermented drink made from yuca or corn — is offered in indigenous communities as a gesture of hospitality. Politely accepting is the right move.