Cuenca & Culinary Capitals | 3 dishes and food to try here

Everyone enjoys a good meal. And eating is an experience nobody can avoid; it is essential for our survival, quite literally. And even if you are a picky eater, you must experiment with your meals at least once when travelling. And if you are the kind of traveller who likes to explore local dishes, you know the best way to learn from a place.

In either case, Culinary Capitals can help you with a list of the best places to travel to and eat, and… we think we can also help.

What is Culinary Capitals?

Well, thinking of travellers, Culinary Capitals was an initiative to enlist the best places to get a bite around the world. So, it is perfect for travellers who like to enjoy the food of the places where they’re going, those who like to travel in order to taste new flavours, or even for those who want to try something that is actually delicious (we don’t judge).

The selection process is quite rigorous, and it takes time, so getting this recognition is not something to be swept under the rug. The judges and evaluators promise objectivity and fairness when selecting and voting for the destinations. Once the selection process is over and the votes are counted, the places that were selected are granted the certification and are uploaded to their page as part of their culinary capitals list.

Why go to Cuenca in the first place?

Also known as the Athens of the Andes, Cuenca is one of those places that inspire an air full of comfort, and its cosy air and beautiful surroundings make it a cultural delight. This city is a place that even local tourists enjoy visiting for many reasons.

The first to jump to mind is the air it brings: it transpires history and culture. The Spaniards designed this city in colonial times, so it still preserves its characteristic colonial architecture. And the locals are lively and friendly, so you feel easily welcomed by the town.

Thus, when you explore the city, you can find plenty of options. You can find an active cultural scene if you are into arts; stepping into a local concert or artistic display is easy. But if you prefer peace and quiet, you can stroll around the city and its rivers. You can also try the surrounding towns, which have plenty of relaxing spots to chill.

But definitely, one of the best things about this beautiful city is trying the food around town. You can find many places to enjoy the local dishes on the streets.

Cuenca, the first Culinary Capital!

During the FITUR (form International Tourism Fair in Spanish), Cuenca was granted the honour of being the first Culinary Capital recognized by the certification program.

The traditional cuisine of the region and the typical dishes unique to the city made it stand out among other destinations that also applied for the certification.

What dishes should you try?

Talking about food, there are plenty of dishes you can try when in Cuenca, but we know you might be in a hurry when travelling. So here is our selection of dishes to try when you visit it.

Mote Pillo

If you want a taste of this place’s culture, the best option for you is to try one of their many arrays of mote. Mote is a special preparation of dehydrated and peeled corn. While you can find mote in other places, here you will find many variations with their own identity. Their most famous variation is the mote pillo, prepared with eggs, onions, annatto and garlic.

Cascaritas

Pork is a very common dish in Ecuador. Because of this, you can find dishes with pork all throughout the Ecuadorian Highlands. This one is special since it is made on the spot with a blowtorch. It is put near the pork skin, roasting it and making it hard. Cascarita is Spanish for “little shell” since pulling off the hard pork skin resembles peeling an egg or a hard fruit.

Mote Pata

Yes, we already mentioned mote, but this variation is the most common here and almost only here. Whereas other variations of mote, such as the aforementioned Mote Pillo and the curious Mote Sucio, are spread to other parts of Ecuador, Mote Pata is almost exclusive to Cuenca and its surroundings. So, if you don’t try it here, you will have a hard time finding it anywhere else.

Other food and delights

Cuenca is part of Ecuador, so if you want to taste some other dishes in town, there are plenty of other dishes typical in the region that you can taste and savour. So don't worry about a lack of options.

Mote sucio: we mentioned it briefly before; another variation of mote. It is put on traditional “Mapahuira” and is served with chicharrones and spices to give it more flavor.

Fritada: an Andean dish by default, fried and served in cubes, so its texture and taste slightly differ.

Cuy: this delicious dish is very common in the Andes, and it is accompanied by potatoes, sauce and avocado.

Hornado: another pork-based dish that is pretty common in the highlands. This roasted pork is equally delicious everywhere.

Humitas: little corn buns tied up with corn leaves; humitas can be sweet or salty and are usually eaten while drinking coffee.

Tamales: since Cuenca borders with Loja, and the latest is famous for its tamales, you can find them here with ease.

Rosero: if eating makes you thirsty and you want a drink more on the spirituous side, Rosero is perfect, and it will always surprise you since it is made differently depending on who did it.

Hence, you can see that Cuenca is not short of things to do, and it certainly isn’t short of dishes. If you are willing to meet it, we encourage you to try our Ecuador Highlights tour so that you can visit the Athens of the Andes without missing other parts of Ecuador. With this said, it is your call to come and see this wonderful city and try its food. We will be waiting for you.

Written by Juan Fernando Acosta