Quito Street Food Tour: Hole-in-the-wall stands & local recipes

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/8

Duration3h 30m

GroupUp to 6

LanguagesEN · ES

Mobile ticketAccepted

Walk the back streets, eat what Quito's locals have eaten for decades.

You’ll wander Quito’s real streets with a local guide who knows every shortcut and snack stall. Taste hot empanadas, exotic fruits, seafood bites, and finish with Ecuadorian chocolate and cocktails. Expect laughter, new flavors, and glimpses into everyday life most travelers miss.

3h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Quito's street food and sights

See Basilica of the National Vow exterior
Walk through main central park
Stroll folkloric street

The Experience

I’ll admit, I was nervous about eating street food in Quito. But that faded fast—our guide Andrés greeted us with this easy grin and led us straight into the kind of market where you hear vendors calling out in Spanish and smell fried corn even before you see it. First stop: a stall so tiny I almost missed it, where we tasted empanadas still hot from the oil. I burned my tongue a little (worth it), and Andrés just laughed and handed me a napkin. He seemed to know everyone—people waved or called his name as we wandered through the back streets.

The route twisted past murals I’d never have found alone—one of them was peeling, but somehow that made it better. We passed the Basilica of the National Vow, its spires poking through the city haze for just a second before we ducked down another side street. At one point, we stopped at a fruit stand where I tried naranjilla juice for the first time. Tart and sweet at once—hard to describe, but I keep thinking about it. The flea market was chaos in the best way: old radios stacked on tables, women selling woven bags, kids weaving between stalls. It felt like everyone knew each other except us, but nobody minded us being there.

Lunch was ceviche from a plastic bowl at a seafood counter—cold and bright with lime—and then came chocolate tasting in this narrow café where you could smell roasted cacao before you even sat down. The bartender made me a cocktail with some local liquor (I forgot the name; Andrés tried to teach me but my pronunciation was hopeless). By then I’d stopped worrying about anything except how full I was getting. The whole thing took maybe three hours? My feet were tired by the end but honestly, I didn’t want it to finish yet.

What’s included

Your day includes all food at four different stops—hot snacks like empanadas, fruit tastings at local stands, fresh seafood dishes served right in the market atmosphere—and ends with Ecuadorian chocolate plus one cocktail (or soft drink). A friendly local guide leads you through downtown’s flea market streets and back alleys; pickup can be arranged if needed for less walking.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

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