Phayawi
La Paz is firing on all cylinders. The Bolivian capital, which sits pretty at 12,000 feet above sea level, lays out a spread of street foods like rellenos de papas (meat-stuffed fried potato balls) and jawitas (cheese-stuffed pastries sprinkled with spicy ají). At the same time, it raises the bar for South American fine dining, as Claus Meyer’s stunning Gustu and grill-focused tasting menu parrilla Ancestral capture the city’s spirit with dishes like hibiscus-cured lizard and llama tataki respectively. In between are countless traditional spots turning out classic Bolivian stews or anticuchos (beef heart skewers).
Make your lunch and dinner reservations, but leave room for the many other times of day that Paceños (La Paz locals) sneak in a bite; line up for a midmorning salteña (the soupy Bolivian version of an empanada) or carve out a slice of your afternoon for some facturas (pastries like medialunas and other sweets). Look out for local ingredients that flavor menus, like cacao from the Bolivian lowlands, avocados from the surrounding valleys, and Andean staples like maize and tarwi (Andean lupine). And don’t miss the budding specialty coffee scene and the bars serving an array of Bolivian wines and craft cocktails.
The restaurant scene is concentrated in two main areas: the historic center and the Zona Sur. The center, with its government buildings, offices, museums, and historical sites, caters to the lunch crowd. There are markets and street food stands, complexes like Murillo 826 (home to Popular and Vinapho, both on this list), and the Bosque, a square block packed with restaurants. The center also includes the buzzy Sopocachi area, which is home to some of the city’s best nightlife spots. The Zona Sur does have its share of offices, but it’s more residential, serving locals with an array of dinner options. Wherever you’re eating, you’re eating well.
Valeria Dorado, aka LaLibelle, is a proud Bolivian, traveler, and food lover. She is the founder of Mujeres Viajeras Bolivia.
As the holder of three passports, Marianne Perez Fransius is constantly traveling — and having kids hasn’t slowed her down. She writes about travel (with and without kids) for Condé Nast Traveler, Afar, and Tinybeans, and she has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and more for her work with Bébé Voyage, a premier community of families traveling with small children.
