Food – All Things Bolivia

Must-Try Bolivian Dishes by Region & Where to Eat

Bolivian cuisine is deeply regional, shaped by geography and tradition:

In the highlands, staples include potatoes, chuño (freeze-dried potatoes), quinoa, corn, and dried meat.
In the valleys, corn, chili, fruits, and vegetables dominate, with hearty stews and abundant flavors.
In the lowlands, cassava, plantain, rice, fish, and game meats bring tropical influences.

The cooking remains rustic yet rich in flavor, with centuries-old recipes preserved alongside modern touches.

Cochabamba is Bolivia’s “culinary capital,” famous for large portions and bold flavors.

Salteñas (Bolivian empanadas)
- What it is: Juicy baked pastries filled with beef, chicken, or pork, along with potatoes, peas, olives, raisins, and sometimes egg—all simmered into a succulent gelatin-like stew that melts during baking.
- Where to try: Best in La Paz at Paceña la Salteñería—a local favorite known since 1972. Cochabamba and Sucre also lay claim to excellent versions-
Silpancho
- What it is: Rice and potatoes topped with a breaded beef cutlet, fried egg, and onion-tomato salsa.
- Where to try: Casa de Campo, Doña Celia, Palacio del Silpancho (Cochabamba), or Luciérnagas in La Paz.
Pique a lo Macho
- What it is: Chunks of beef, sausage, fries, onions, peppers, boiled eggs, all drenched in spicy sauce.
- Where to try: Born in Restaurante Miraflores in Cochabamba, found across the city.
Sopa de Maní (Peanut Soup)
- What it is: Creamy peanut-based soup with potatoes, yuca, vegetables, and beef or chicken, topped with crispy fries.
- Where to try: Casa de Campo (Cochabamba), Casa del Camba (Santa Cruz).
Ají de Fideo – Pasta in spicy sauce with meat and potatoes, a Cochabamba classic.
Lagua de Choclo – Creamy corn soup, common during Todos Santos.

Here food is hearty, rustic, and deeply Andean, featuring chuño, quinoa, and meat stews.

Chairo
- What it is: Traditional soup with beef or lamb, chuño, fava beans, carrots, corn, and wheat.
- Where to try: Mercado Lanza (La Paz), family-run kitchens in Potosí.
Fricasé
- What it is: Spicy pork stew with chuño, corn, and potatoes, often eaten after celebrations.
- Where to try: Fricase Paceño Doneraki (La Paz).
Anticuchos
- What it is: Grilled beef heart skewers with potatoes and peanut sauce.
- Where to try: Street stalls near Plaza San Francisco and El Prado in La Paz.
Plato Paceño – Corn, potatoes, broad beans, cheese, and llajwa salsa.
Sándwich de Chola – Roast pork sandwich, famous in La Paz markets.
Charquekán – Fried dried meat with mote and potatoes.
Ranga Ranga – Spicy tripe stew with potatoes.

The tropical east is lighter, featuring rice, yuca, plantains, and grilled meats.

Majadito
- What it is: Rice with dried meat, onions, tomatoes, garlic, annatto, topped with fried egg and plantain.
- Where to try: Restaurant Popular (Santa Cruz), duck version at El Aljibe.
Pacumutu – Giant skewers of beef with rice and yuca.
Arroz con Queso Cruceño – Creamy rice with cheese, often a side dish.
Locro – Thick stew of corn, potatoes, and cheese.
Cuñapés – Small yuca and cheese breads, typical breakfast bites.

The southern valleys celebrate with festive dishes tied to tradition and gatherings.

Mondongo – Pork and mote stew, iconic in Sucre.
Sajta – Chicken in spicy sauce with rice or papalisa.
Ají de Papalisa – A Holy Week specialty, made with the papalisa tuber.
Chancho a la Cruz – Whole pig slowly roasted on a metal cross, Tarija’s emblem.
Chicharrones – Crispy pork bites with potatoes and llajwa.
Fritanga – Fried pork with mote and chili sauce.

Freshwater fish, plantain, and cassava dominate here.

Surubí Frito
- What it is: Amazonian catfish, fried or grilled, served with rice, yuca, or plantain.
- Where to try: Villa Tunari (Chapare).
Chupe de Camarones – Creamy shrimp chowder with cheese, milk, and corn.