6 Best Restaurants in New City, Quito

Best known for its superb Ecuadoran dishes—try the seco de chivo (lamb stewed with fruit) or the langostinos flambéed in cognac—this restaurant has excellent views of Quito from its rustic fireside dining room. You can also eat in the serene outdoor garden. Some nights the friendly waiters can be heard singing along to soft Ecuadoran music as they roam the restaurant.

Fresh roses adorn candlelighted tables, and prints of northern Italy and opera programs from Milan's La Scala decorate the walls, providing a romantic mood at this excellent Italian restaurant. Begin your meal with insalata del pescatore (shellfish salad), followed by lobster on a bed of pasta pomodoro or a chicken roll with spinach and ricotta cheese. For dessert, order crepes suzette with Grand Marnier or the tiramisu with decadent chocolate and cognac. You can listen to live music Thursday and Friday evenings.

During the day businesspeople gather here, in what looks like a Bavarian lodge, for traditional meals. Among the best dishes are cazuela de mariscos (a seafood casserole soup) and pernil (roast pork) with llapingachos (mashed cheese and potato pancakes), peanut sauce, and avocado. During the week dinners are accompanied by guitar music, and folk dancing follows dinner on Sunday.

In the heart of the New City, this longtime favorite is known for its reliable service and delicious, if simply prepared, meats. The penthouse restaurant atop the Edificio Amazonas—look up to see the sign, or you'll miss the place as you go by—is cheered by a blazing fire at night; you'll enjoy views of the brilliantly lit city below.

This trendy pizzeria attracts well-heeled patrons who come to choose from 59 types of individual thin-crust pizzas. The emerald-color dining room, with inlaid wood floors, Romanesque columns, and an arched foyer, buzzes with conversations in a dozen languages. Crowds reach their peak around 10 pm. The menu also offers a variety of pasta, fish, and meat dishes.

High-quality food and a relaxed vibe draw travelers, expatriates, and locals to "the Bean" to socialize over crisp salads and do business over cappuccinos. Blackberry pancakes and bagels are served for breakfast, while the lunch and dinner menu emphasizes soups, sandwiches, pastas, and shish kebab. The atmosphere is casual and the service friendly; if you're solo, you'll feel very comfortable here. Check out the back wall with a selection of giant Far Side cartoons. The Magic Bean also has live music some nights.