Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sole Mio
Ameríca E-826.
This Italian-run restaurant has decent, fairly thin-crust pizzas
(Bs30-65), as well as a range of pastas, risottos and salads (Bs15-50).
Sat-Sun lunch and
dinner, Mon-Fri dinner only.
Sucremanta
Arze S-0348.
Popular restaurant specializing in traditional pork-based dishes
from the Chuquisaca department (Sucre) including delicious
chorizo
sausages and
fritanga
, a
thick, spicy stew. There's another branch on Av Ballivián. Mains Bs15-30.
Weekday lunch-
times.
DRINKING AND NIGHTLIFE
Nightlife in Cochabamba is centred on three different districts, each catering to a distinct
crowd. Wealthy Cochabambinos head to
Boulevard Recoleta
, just east of Plaza Quintanilla,
north of the Río Rocha at the top of Avenida Oquendo, about 1km from Plaza 14 de Sep-
tiembre. This pedestrianized street is lined with classy restaurants and bars. More straightfor-
ward entertainment - inexpensive steakhouses, beer palaces with football on big-screen TVs
and sound systems pumping out Latin pop music - can be found along
Avenida Ballivián
(also known as El Prado), just north of the city centre. Centred on the intersection of
España
and Ecuador
, in the city centre, meanwhile, is a laidback bohemian scene of small bars and
cafés popular with Cochabamba's large student population. Many restaurants stay open late
at weekends and double as bars, and in all three areas places go in and out of fashion very
quickly.
Casablanca
25 de Mayo and Ecuador.
Popular with Cochabamba's sizeable population of
young foreign volunteers and language school students, this Hollywood-themed bar serves
cold beer and good cocktails. The first-floor balcony is great for people-watching, and classic
films are sometimes screened.
Deep
On the circle between Recoleta and Padilla.
One of the most popular nightclubs in
town,
Deep
features dance and Latin music and a crowd of upwardly mobile locals.
Hooligans
OnalaneoffthePando,justbeyondHotelPortales.
Moresalubriousthanitsname
suggests, this friendly bar is a popular pre-club spot. Later in the night, the crowd moves on
to
Mandarina Lounge
, which is conveniently located next door.
Top Chopp
Av Ballivián and Reza.
Raucous place pumping out loud Latin dance music and
serving cheap, cold beer and straightforward Bolivian food.
DIRECTORY
Banks and exchange
There are plenty of ATMs, including at the Banco Nacional de
Bolivia, Jordán and Aguirre. eFex, on Plaza 14 de Septiembre, changes US dollars.
Bookshops and camping equipment
The Spitting Llama ( 04 4894540,
thespit-
tingllama.com
)
on España is an excellent multilingual bookstore and exchange. It also
stocks camping and travel supplies, as does Bazar Aventura on Bolívar with San Martín.
