Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
EATING
La Paz has an excellent range of restaurants, cafés and
street stalls to suit most tastes and budgets - from
traditional places that dish up local delicacies to tourist-
orientated spots with international menus. For those
whose stomachs have adjusted to local food, the cheapest
places to eat are the city's markets, where you can get full
meals for around B$12. The ubiquitous salteñas and
tucumanes (B$2-4) - delicious pastries filled with meat
or chicken and vegetables - make excellent mid-morning
snacks, especially if washed down by a freshly squeezed
orange and grapefruit juice from a street seller.
Ì TREAT YOURSELF
El Consulado C Carlos Bravo 299,
W cafeelconsulado.com; map p.167. This
place served as the Panamanian consulate
in the mid-twentieth century and it retains
a stately grandeur. Stay in one of their guest
rooms if you can stretch to it (freestanding
baths, original furniture and sky-high
ceilings; doubles US$100). Alternatively,
treat yourself to a meal or simply afternoon
coffee and cake, served in a pretty
conservatory or out in the rambling garden
- a precious haven of green in this smoky
city. Mains from the brief menu come in at
around B$50, but they're worth it, from
llama in green pepper sauce to trout
cannelloni. Tues-Sun 8am-5pm.
2
CAFÉS
100% Natural Sagárnaga 345; map p.167. Largely
vegetarian joint, big on fruit juices (from B$12), soya and
the like. Breakfasts from B$24 (sometimes on two-for-one
promotions). Daily 8am-9pm.
Alexander Coffee Shop Av 16 de Julio 1832, map p.167;
C Potosí 1091, map p.167; Av 20 de Octubre 2463,
Sopocachi, map p.171. This serves the city's best coffee in
an almost eerily westernized setting, though the C Potosí
branch has plenty of atmosphere with a vaulted brick
ceiling. Salads from B$20 - try the quinoa option, with
broccoli, courgette, and alfalfa sprouts. Daily 9am-1am.
Banaís Café Sagárnaga 161; map p.167. This tourist-hub
café has a pleasant central courtyard and good breakfasts,
with huge bowls of muesli, cereal and fruit (B$23), and
very good-value almuerzos (B$28). Strong wi-fi. Daily
7am-10pm.
Ì Café Illampu Linares; map p.167. Morning sun pours
through big colonial windows. Visit for breakfast (B$26);
there's home-made bread, good jams and rustic crockery.
A couple of tables are squeezed onto the wardrobe-width
balcony. No wi-fi.
Pepe's Jimenez 894, just off Linares between Sagárnaga
and Santa Cruz; map p.167. Friendly little place with
colourful decor and a winning range of sandwiches (the
guacamole version comes recommended), pancakes and
omelettes. Mains from B$30. The coffee is some of the
city's best, and there are old guidebooks for reference.
Often closed Sun.
are upward of B$50, and the French-influenced cooking is
generally exemplary. Mon-Fri noon-3pm & 7-11pm, Sat
& Sun from 7pm.
La Cueva C Tarija 210B; map p.167. Part of the “Four
Corners” enterprise that has something of a local monopoly,
this slip of a restaurant is all terracotta walls, wooden
benches and Day of the Dead theming. Chilli, tacos, burritos
and quesadillas start at B$34 with generous sharing plates
for B$90 (veggie) or B$100. Daily 8am until late.
Eli's Av 16 de Julio, at Bueno; map p.167. This sweetly
kitsch place was founded in 1942. The diner-style decor is
a shrine to the silver screen, with a portrait of Humphrey
Bogart in pride of place. Get into the spirit of the age with
huge, Technicolor ice-cream sundaes (all around B$20).
Hotel Gloria Potosí 909; map p.167. Excellent vegetarian
lunchtime buffets (B$30) in clean (though hardly atmos-
pheric) surroundings. It's worth coming in for the buffet
breakfast too (B$35). Mon-Sat noon-2.30pm.
Ken Chan Batallon Colorado 98; map p.167. On the second
floor of the peaceful Japanese cultural centre in a tra c-
choked corner of town, the food at Ken Chan is some of the
city's best, with gyoza and sui mei at B$19, sushi from B$48
and set meals around B$50. Tues-Fri 11.30am-3.15pm &
6-11pm, Sat & Sun 11.30am-4pm & 6-11pm.
Paceña La Salteña Loayza 233 W pacenalasaltena.com;
map p.167. It's a tough call, but this is probably the best of
the salteña joints in the city, with prices from B$2.50.
Mornings only Mon-Sat.
La Quinta C Potosí; map p.167. If you're wary of getting
sick but fancy some Bolivian cuisine, then this spotless
fast-food take on local cooking is one to try. The pique a lo
macho (when available - the menu rotates) is just B$25
and resembles something assembled by a drunk student
- fries, meat, onions, peppers, hot sauce all slopped
together with gravy, ketchup and mayo.
RESTAURANTS
La Coca Rosendo Gutierrez 482; map p.171. Located in
the Sopocachi neighbourhood, this is an opportunity to
try some Bolivian flavours without risking the real locals'
places where food hygiene can be an issue. Red quinoa
soup B$13, llama fillet with Bolivian potatoes B$50.
La Comédie Pasaje Medinacelli 2234 T 02 2423561,
W lacomedie-lapaz.com; map p.171. With expensive-
looking art on the terracotta-coloured walls and wine
glasses on tables, this Sopocachi restaurant is a notch up
in class from almost everywhere else in the city. Mains
 
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