8 Best Restaurants in Sucre, Southern 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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.