Having put in the groundwork and stuffed our faces for months on end, we feel more than qualified to compile this rundown of the best restaurants in Sucre Bolivia. The extra pounds we’re carrying around our waists will certainly confirm that.
The Sucre food scene is established and ever-expanding and caters to every kind of diner. From casual fast food joints to high end, top quality cooking, bargain basement prices to slightly more expensive, you’ll find it all.
The Best Restaurants in Sucre Bolivia
We’ve included seasoned stalwarts that have been the backbone of “The White City’s” restaurant scene for many years. Then there’s some young upstarts looking to change the face of dining in Sucre for good.
In addition to some awesome Bolivian cuisine restaurants, there’s also a lot of great international food on offer.
From amazing breakfasts through great value set lunches to tasting menus, it has it all. Here’s the very best restaurants Sucre has to offer.
Condor Cafe Sucre
Address: Bolivar and Calvo
Lowdown: Legendary veggie cafe with integrated tour company
When to Go: Open all day but breakfast and lunch is when it’s busiest
What to Have: Anything from the breakfast menu or the papas rellenas are great
Prices: $$
Condor Cafe is an institution in this city. Not only is it one of the best restaurants in Sucre, it’s also a top tour company whose profits go back into the local communities.
Entirely vegetarian, the menu’s a mixture of local favourites and dishes from around the globe. They’re open all day meaning you can get breakfast, lunch and dinner here, or a snack in between.
Breakfast offers stuff like eggs, french toast, and pancakes with fruit. At lunch there’s a great value daily set menu which includes a soup, main course, dessert and drink. Alternatively you can order off the main menu with Bolivian staples like papas rellenas and cheese empanadas alongside falafel sandwiches and interesting salads.
Come evening time the menu extends to include burgers and pastas. Killer desserts, which are mostly homemade, include the hugely popular slabs of vegan chocolate brownie.
There’s a large selection of drinks from teas, freshly made juices and coffees to artisanal beer, Bolivian wine and cocktails.
The building itself has a relaxed, informal cafe-style ambience with a few comfortable window booths the prime seats.
The high ceilings, brightly muralled walls and Bolivian handicrafts make it a gorgeous place to spend a few hours. The outdoor patio is great for warmer days.
Cafe Florin
Address: Calle Bolívar 567
Lowdown: Traditional pub with top notch food
When to Go: Open all day but gets going in the evenings, particularly on weekends
What to Have: The ribs and burgers are fantastic
Prices: $$$
One of Sucre’s most established restaurants, Cafe Florin is modeled on a traditional European pub. Dark wood panelling, low lighting and a large, central, feature bar set the tone.
There are a few different seating areas, all situated around the bar, plus a beautiful outdoor courtyard for warmer days.
Beloved by locals and tourists alike, the atmosphere gets pretty buzzing at peak times. It’s little wonder Cafe Florin has been one of the best restaurants in Sucre for over a decade and a half.
The drinks menu is vast featuring a decent wine selection with options from many of the country’s own producers. On tap they regularly rotate one or two beers from local brewer Brewcraft’s artisanal range. Cocktails are popular with a good selection of local and international mixes.
The eclectic menu features both local and more exotic food, from pique lo macho and llama through Pad Thai to bitterballen. Its kitchen kicks out some of the best grub in the city so anything is worth a go.
Portion sizes are huge as well so don’t be tempted to over-order.
Cardamomo
Address: Azurduy 118
Lowdown: Gorgeous outdoor patio dining with modern twists on Bolivian staples
When to Go: The set menu lunch is superb value and always exciting
What to Have: Whatever is on that day
Prices: $
Cardamomo is deceptively large and far more beautiful than what you expect from first sight. The facade is what looks like a small, street-facing cafe. But when you step out into their garden restaurant it’s like wandering through the cupboard into Narnia.
Set up under a permanent al fresco canopy complete with terracotta roof is Cadamomo’s main dining area. Next to that is an outdoor kitchen and bar where the magic happens.
These guys serve up traditional Bolivian food with their own modern interpretations. It’s well presented and, more importantly, tastes great.
The set lunch includes a starter , a main, a dessert and a refresco drink. Ordinarily your first course will be soup while your main will be some combination of meat, rice, potatoes and vegetables. Desserts include cakes, puddings and ice creams.
Bienmesabe
Address: Avaroa and Calvo
Lowdown: Venezualan street food, done right
When to Go: Great for a filling lunch but even more popular at dinner time
What to Have: Reina pepiada arepa or pabellon criollo cachapa and a side of tequenos
Prices: $$
Arepas and cachapas are the order of the day here. In fact, they’re about the only thing on the menu at Bienmesabe. But don’t let that put you off!
The considerable variety of fillings means you still get a broad choice of flavours.
If you’re unfamiliar with what an arepa or a cachapa is, they’re both basically corn based vehicles for the mouthwatering fillings they get stuffed with.
An arepa is made from maize flour and water and turns into a crispy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside patty. It’s then split open, buttered, and filled to the brim.
A cachapa is made from fresh corn and is something like a cross between a pancake and a crumpet. These are filled and then folded to make a wonderfully soft, unctuous wrapping for whatever goes in them.
Fillings range from meaty – shredded chicken, beef or pork to veggie – black beans, eggs or cheese or any combination.
If you’re feeling peckish, get a side order of tequenos to go with your arepa or cachapa. They’re deep fried, melted cheese stuffed pastries. Not great for your coronary health but a true treat for your taste buds.
Wash it all down with a Venexualan beer or a local artisanal variety if you prefer.
This is a very informal restaurant where you order at the till and take a seat. Think upmarket fast food.
Monterosso Sucre
Address: Padilla 70
Lowdown: Private restaurant serving authentic Italian pasta and pizza like nonna would have cooked it
When to Go: This is a strictly evening affair so save yourself for a large dinner
What to Have: Homemade bread bruschetta, signature anchovy pizza, virtually any pasta, finish with tiramisu
Prices: $$$
Monterosso Sucre is a local favourite that you would never find if you didn’t know about it. Why? The tiny sign means you’d wander right past without a glance if you weren’t searching for it. Then there’s the fact that you have to ring the doorbell to get in.
It’s not that it’s an uppity, exclusive place, far from it. It’s more that the dining space is basically in a family house.
Sure, this may sound a little weird at first. But the effect is that you feel like you’re visiting a friend for dinner. The divine, homestyle Italian food reaffirms this.
The pizza is thin crusted and with a delicious dough base while the pasta comes al dente with classic sauces. This is Italian cooking of the highest order.
If you’ve got a sweet tooth, the tiramisu has something of a reputation and certainly doesn’t disappoint.
Monterrosso’s decor is simple and homely with Bolivian table coverings. It really feels as though you’re at a friend’s house rather than one of the best restaurants in Sucre.
La Strada Incantanta
Address: Pasaje Santa Teresa
Lowdown: Tiny, intimate pizza restaurant with Italian-style thin crust bases
When to Go: Only open in evenings, head here for a late night blowout
What to Have:
Prices: $$
Continuing the theme of Italian food is La Strada Incantanta. It’s run by a guy who lived and worked as a chef in Italy for over a decade. And he clearly picked up a few tricks and tips along the way.
However, unlike Monterosso, this is a pizza restaurant only. They do one thing and they do it extremely well.
Delicious thin crust bases are laden with a great selection of both classic and more modern toppings. Wash it down with a national beer or a bottle of wine. Job done.
There are only a few tables in this tiny restaurant which gives it a lovely cosy feel while the decor is super simple.
While La Strada Incantanta is no frills, it’s probably the best pizza in Sucre. This alone puts it firmly in the consideration to be one of the best restaurants in Sucre.
Nacen del Fuego Xpress
Address: Bolivar 617
Lowdown: Parrilla barbecue restaurant with great burgers and steaks
When to Go: Only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, drop in for an evening weekend treat
What to Have: The best burgers in Sucre means it’s a no brainer
Prices: $$
You’ll know you’re close to Nacen del Fuego before you can even see it. The tempting smell of their bbq grill carries way down the street.
Once you get a bit closer you may even be able to see smoke gently drifting from the door. It’s an alluring introduction to the best grill restaurant in Sucre.
The restaurant is pretty small so be prepared to sit elbow to elbow with your fellow diners. But as the saying goes, good things come in small packages.
The menu is simple with just a few grill items such as various cuts of steak, ribs and chicken wings. But make no mistake, the stars of this show are their succulent, flame-grilled hamburgers.
Kaiseki Sushi
Address: Bustillos 312
Lowdown: The only place to eat Japanese food in Sucre, with genuinely good sushi
When to Go: Evenings only, head here for a satisfying sushi fix
What to Have: Any sushi platter, or perhaps try the Thursday ramen special
Prices: $$$$
Despite being relatively small in size compared to neighbours like Brazil and Peru, Bolivia’s Japanese community is well established.
In fact, it was actually the first country where Japanese people settled in Latin America in the 1960s. This followed a state sponsored push to encourage migration to help ease a chronic job shortage in their home country.
Despite this, Sushi, or rather good sushi, is notoriously difficult to find in Bolivia.
This may well have something to do with the fact that Bolivia is completely landlocked. It therefore has no ready access to the fresh sea fish ordinarily enjoyed in sushi dishes.
Or perhaps it’s more to do with the lack of widespread availability of the requisite shortgrain rice. We’ve tried other sushi restaurants in Sucre that use normal rice to disastrous effect.
Regardless, Kaiseki Sushi bucks the trend and manages to pull off something the others don’t. It churns out genuinely good sushi.
Everything about this restaurant is classy with lots of attention paid to the little details. From the sliding front doors to the attentive service, it’s a classy ride.
The menu features a wide selection of sushi varieties plus other Japanese favourites like tonkatsu, noodle soups and gyoza. Everything is good.
There’s also a decent wine menu on offer as well as some colourful cocktails. All in all, this is a great restaurant for a sophisticated Japanese feast.
Nativa
Address: La Paz 737
Lowdown: Amazing, set menu, modern Bolivian food experience
When to Go: Spend an evening celebrating modern Bolivian cuisine
What to Have: Choose between the 6 or 8 course tasting menus with paired drinks
Prices: $$
Tucked away on a back street a few minutes walk from the main action, Nativa has a real claim to be number one on the best restaurants in Sucre list.
The restaurant decor, while comfortable, is rather plain and unfancy with little in the way of frills or trimmings. But this serves to simply allow the food to do the talking.
There are only two choices here, a 6 course or an 8 course tasting menu. Both come with a drink paired to each course, and don’t worry, they’re not all alcoholic.
Nativa takes traditional dishes from all over the country and gives them a modern slant to create something truly magical.
Familiar Bolivian ingredients and flavours are presented in a way you’d never have imagined possible. Plus a chef brings each dish to your table to explain its origin and ingredients.
As mentioned, there’s also a drink for each course. These range from Bolivian wines and spirits to mocochinchi (dried peach infusion), chicha (fermented maize) and te con te (spiked tea).
The food is kind of nouvelle cuisine, as you’d expect from a multi course tasting menu. But you’ll definitely leave with a full belly.
This all might sound a bit pretentious, but it’s really not. The setting is informal and relaxed and it’s just all about celebrating great Bolivian produce and food. And it’s super cheap for what it is.
Cosmo Cafe
Address: Plaza 25 de Mayo
Lowdown: Popular restaurant with international menu
When to Go: Set menu lunch is a great deal but Cosmo is also extremely popular for dinner
What to Have: The jerk chicken is surprisingly authentic and spiced to your palette
Prices: $$$$
Located right on Sucre’s main square, Cosmo Cafe is easily one of the city’s most popular restaurants, particularly amongst tourists. At peak times, it’s often difficult to find a table.
Cosmo’s menu draws inspiration from all over the globe with dishes from Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. It also features some Bolivian staples and a good range of veggie options.
The quality of the food here is extremely consistent, undoubtedly one of the main reasons for its popularity. Everything is full flavoured and well cooked.
It’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner so is a reliable place to grab a great meal any time of day. The relatively high prices, however, do reflect the prime location.
El Patio Salteneria
Address: San Alberto 18
Lowdown: Sucre’s best saltenas in a gorgeous setting
When to Go: Only open mornings and frequently sold out before midday so pop in for breakfast or an early lunch
What to Have: Try all of the saltenas and grab a delicious milkshake to accompany
Prices: $
El Patio is probably Sucre’s best known salteneria and it’s a well deserved accolade. The saltenas are widely regarded as the city’s finest, while the outdoor patio is a stunning setting to enjoy them in.
This restaurant has a very relaxed ambience something more like a cafe than a restaurant. This is backed up by the unusual (for Bolivia) ordering system.
You make your order at the till as you enter before finding yourself a table. Next, pass your receipt to the nearest waiter who will in turn bring your order.
What will land in front of you is a finger-licking example of the traditional Bolivian saltena.
If you’ve not had the pleasure of trying one before, it’s like a pasty or empanada. Crisp pastry encases a juicy filling that’s midway between savoury and sweet.
Alongside chicken or beef, the filling also includes olive, egg, raisins, potatoes and peas.
You’ll notice many people in the know eating theirs with the spoon provided. It’s a good idea to follow suit to avoid the inevitable accidental drippage.
They serve great milkshakes and fresh fruit juices to wash your saltenas down with.
This is an essential experience during your visit to Sucre, but beware there are no veggie options.
Prem Vegan
Address: San Alberto 54
Lowdown: Best vegan restaurant in town
When to Go: Lunch is the best time to visit for their excellent set menu including complimentary salad bar
What to Have: Whatever they’re serving up on the set lunch menu
Prices: $$
Prem is Sucre’s leading (possibly only?) 100% vegan restaurant and as a result extremely well-loved by locals and gringos alike.
When you step inside it appears to be the smallest restaurant in the world with just a couple of tables. However, out back there’s another, larger dining room to cater for the crowds it attracts daily.
Seriously, get here early if you want to be in with a chance of bagging a table. It’s really that popular.
The set lunch menu includes 3 courses, a drink, plus access to the complimentary, all you can eat salad bar.
The food is colourful, tasty, and completely animal free making it suitable for virtually anyone. It’s ideal for groups with differing dietary requirements.
Cafe Capital
Address: Aniceto Arce 13
Lowdown: Great value cafe rustling up sandwiches and juices plus indulgent desserts
When to Go: Pop in for a quick, cheap and cheerful lunch or afternoon cake hit
What to Have: The chicken sandwich and lemonade deal is unbelievable value and will leave a smile on your face
Prices: $
Just off the main square you’ll find one of Sucre’s best restaurants for a cheap sandwich or yummy cake break.
Cafe Capital is unsurprisingly, thanks to its rock-bottom prices, popular with the city’s sizeable student population. But don’t for a second think that cheap means bad.
The menu consists mainly of various sandwiches and impossibly long subs that could feed an army.
Additionally they have a dizzying array of cakes, pies, donuts and various other sweet treats to sate your sugar cravings. Drinks include fresh juices, coffees and teas served in giant pots and the usual sodas.
The space is pretty cramped, with a number of booth style tables wedged into the narrow downstairs area. Up top there’s a mezzanine level with more seating and a window onto the main street.
Definitely not fine dining but perfect for an afternoon pick me up in exchange for a few coins.
El Aljibe Cafe
Address: Calvo 402
Lowdown: Instagrammable basement restaurant with beautiful decor and homemade pastas
When to Go: Brilliant for a low key romantic dinner or an afternoon cake
What to Have: All pastas and sauces are made in-house, the bolognese in particular is great
Prices: $$$
El Aljibe Cafe sits below one of Sucre’s oldest churches, the imposing Iglesia de San Lázaro, built in 1544.
It’s housed in what looks like it could be the churches’ crypt, with its low arched ceiling. However, the space was apparently actually originally a water cistern.
It’s been transformed into an impossibly cute cafe that will look perfectly at home on your Instagram feed.
Bright blue American-diner-style seating stands out against the backdrop of El Aljibe’s rustic exposed brick. Quirky touches like framed dried flowers and stylish light fittings round off the decor perfectly.
But it’s not all style and no substance, the food here is something to savour as well. Their compact menu consists mainly of a select number of pasta dishes.
All of the pasta is hand made on site, and what at first appears to be the bar is actually a tiny open kitchen where it’s lovingly prepared. And it’s really good.
As a cafe, they also have a selection of homemade Bolivian desserts, cakes and pies to choose from to accompany their gourmet Bolivian coffee.
Son Ramyun
Address: Junin 403
Lowdown: Cheap as chips Korean noodle bar and sushi joint
When to Go: Head here for a rapid, low priced lunch
What to Have: Kimbap (Korean vegetable sushi) or Jajangmyeon (noodles in black bean sauce) with a side of kimchi
Prices: $
OK, so the first thing to say is that some of the dishes on Son Ramyun’s menu are basically jazzed up packet noodles.
But in its defence, it’s actually relatively difficult to get decent noodles in Sucre. Plus, it’s super cheap meaning there’s no feeling of getting ripped off.
In addition to this, there are a few dishes that seem more homemade, which are the ones we’d recommend.
The vegetable sushi appears freshly prepared and is wholly decent, especially for the price. The jajangmyeon and chambbong are also well worth a go. Plus, if you’re a fan of kimchi, this one is deliciously spicy and sour and a great option for a side dish.
Situated above a wedding dress shop on a corner opposite the Mercado Central, Son Ramyun is in a convenient location.
It’s a super casual, in and out kind of cafe restaurant particularly well favoured by Sucre’s younger population. Perfect for a quick, casual lunch.
La Taverne
Address: Aniceto Arce 35
Lowdown: French inspired fine-ish dining
When to Go: Set lunches are where you’ll find the best value but also great for a romantic evening meal
What to Have: Steaks here are extremely well cooked to order
Prices: $$$$
One of the city’s most popular dining spots for many years, La Taverne has truly earned its place as one of the best restaurants in Sucre.
Offering a European-inspired menu, this little slice of Paris serves up classically presented plates of well cooked food with sumptuous sauces. French classics like duck and fillet mignon make appearances on the menu alongside more exotic options such as various curries.
The cooking is always on point here and it’s a relatively unique restaurant on the Sucre scene with its quaint atmosphere and leaning towards a bistro-style setup.
The wine list is also excellent showcasing the best of Bolivia and beyond.
El Solar
Address: Nicolas Ortiz 66
Lowdown: Upscale bistro with fantastic salad bar
When to Go: Menu del dia
What to Have: Steaks here are extremely well cooked to order
Prices: $$$$
While a salad bar might not be the first thing that springs to mind when you think of great restaurants, El Solar makes it work.
If yo’re anything like us they probably conjures images of limp leaves and rapidly degrading vegetables. However, here it’s packed with a huge variety of delicious and healthy staples as well as more unusual ingredients. Pile your plate high and enjoy guilt free.
Though the salad bar is an unexpectedly positive feature, the regular dishes here are the main star. Modern and unique takes on standards like lasagne or bolivian favourites such as spicy stews really stand out through fantastic presentation and unconventional ingredients.
Another bonus at El Solar is that the service is absolutely fantastic, something that’s sometimes lacking in some other restaurants. The staff are extremely attentive and super friendly which adds to a great experience.
Typica
Address: Bolivar 401
Lowdown: Stylish cafe with equally stylish food
When to Go: Morning/afternoon snack or light lunch
What to Have: Charque sandwich with cheese sauce
Prices: $$$$
This La Paz coffee chain has steadily expanded outwards to Bolivia’s other leading cities trailing top class coffee in its wake. As with any trendy coffee bar around the world you can order your cup of joe made a million and one different ways. Plus there are a variety of Bolivian beans to select from.
Coffee heads will be supremely satisfied with what is quite possibly the best coffee in Sucre.
But more than just a coffee shop, Typica also has a fantastic kitchen that kicks out brilliant, if pricey, food. The menu is more a cafe style menu than a full on restaurant but what they do have they execute well.
Sandwiches are their speciality and they incorporate some Bolivian favourites into their bread buns.
Fried Charque, a shredded dried beef, comes stuffed into a crusty french roll, drizzled with a cheese sauce is a must try. Chancho consisting of tender pieces of marinaded pork dressed in a spicy sauce with a touch of cilantro is a another delicious option.
The stylish surrounds are backed up with true substance, making this a winner for a quick snack or midday pick me up during a day of sightseeing.
El Santo Cachorro
Address: Grau 242
Lowdown: Authentic Mexican tacos with homemade corn tortillas and revolving specials
When to Go: Friday or Saturday night before a skinful of beer
What to Have: Three taco combo gives a wonderful sample of everything on offer
Prices: $
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of having real Mexican food pass your lips then you’ll understand our excitement when we discovered this place.
The beauty of homemade corn tacos wrapped around a juicy, meaty filling, sprinkled with onion and cilantro and smothered in guac and chilli sauce is unrivalled. And this is exactly what El Santo Cachorro provides. It’s the taste of Mexico.
As with many of the best taco stalls, the menu is limited with a focus on doing a few things really well. You have three classics to choose from.
They also have specials like aguachile that they roll out each Saturday night.
The restaurant is quite small with an open kitchen to one side where you can watch your food being prepared. You really won’t find much more authentic Mexican food outside of Mexico itself, wash it down with a few Corona’s and job’s a goodun.
More on Sucre
If you’re looking for a place to take a drink, check out this post on the best bars in Sucre. Or if you want the lowdown on all the best things to do in Sucre check out these posts:
- Why You Should Learn Spanish in Sucre and Where to Do It
- Parque Cretacico Sucre: Bolivia’s Dinosaur Footprints
- Complete Guide to Tarabuco Market
Don’t Forget Your Insurance
Sucre is one of the safest cities in Bolivia but accidents and unexpected incidents do happen. We never travel anywhere without travel insurance and neither should you. It’s just not worth the risk.
Our got to provider is World Nomads. They have a no bullshit approach to policy wording and offer cover even if you’ve already set off on your travels.
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Travel lover, professional writer and football (soccer) obsessive, James loves nothing more than getting outside and exploring little known corners of the globe. He’s also very partial to a drop of Guinness.
