Best Burgers in Quito: La Mariscal and Beyond

The best burgers in Quito are concentrated in the north of the city: around Plaza Foch in La Mariscal, in the cafés of La Floresta and in the business district around Parque La Carolina. Outside the city proper, Cumbayá, in the valley to the east, is the other area to search.

Quito’s tables carry a bowl of ají, a fresh chilli sauce often made with tomate de árbol, the tart tamarillo. Locals spoon it onto soups, empanadas and burgers alike, so a kitchen’s ají says a lot about it. Street stalls sell salchipapas, chips topped with sliced sausage and sauces, next to burgers, and that sets the price benchmark for a quick bite. Ecuador has used the US dollar since 2000, so menus are priced in dollars.

Burgers in Quito: key facts

• Neighbourhoods to explore: La Mariscal (Plaza Foch), La Floresta, the area around Parque La Carolina, the Centro Histórico and Cumbayá.
• Local condiment: ají de tomate de árbol, a chilli and tamarillo sauce served on the table.
• Street-food companion: salchipapas, the fries-and-sausage plate sold by the same stalls that grill burgers.
• Currency: US dollar (USD), Ecuador’s official currency since 2000.
• Getting around: the Quito Metro, open since December 2023, runs north to south under the city.
• Altitude: about 2,850 metres, which keeps evenings cool all year.

Every guide we publish on Quito is dated and lists only venues, addresses, prices and ratings we could verify. See how other cities compare in our burger restaurant guides.