Eating Out

Markets and Street Vendors

With its bustling, colorful markets and hordes of street vendors, you'll never go hungry in Cochabamaba, no matter how tight your budget. Delicious glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice can be picked up from the street sellers for next to nothing, as can bags of hot cashew nuts and peanuts, popcorn and hand-made potato chips. You’ll also see vendors selling homemade, wholemeal bread rolls – many of these are stuffed with cheese and are a good option for filling up on the move. Budget travelers can head to the city’s large indoor market, Mercado 25 de Mayo, to pick up steaming cups of coffee and hot chocolate, sandwiches made with slabs of locally-produced cheese, hunks of cake and other such filling yet cheap options. The markets are also good places for self-caterers to pick up supplies, and the range of fruits and vegetables is quite staggering.

Budget options

Be wary of buying burgers or hotdogs from street sellers, as sanitary standards in Bolivia are not the highest and a nasty stomach bug can easily come along and spoil your trip. Vegetarians, even those on the tightest budgets, are surprisingly well catered for in Cochabamba. As in many South American towns and cities, the Hare Krishnas have set up a handful of restaurants here, serving up healthy, hearty and tasty set lunches for a pittance. Try Gopal, at Calle Espana 250, Galeria Olimpia. Even the most basic of restaurants will be able to rustle up something meat-free – rice, yucca and fried egg being an inexpensive, filling and surprisingly yummy option.

International Dishes

Wherever you choose to dine, eating out in Cochabamba is extremely cheap by Western standards. If you’re budget is more holiday maker than backpacker, you’ll find no end of smart restaurants offering international dishes, from Italian pizza and pasta to Brazilian grilled meats. Chinese restaurants abound and vary in both quality and price – many offer lunchtime all-you-can-eat buffets.

Sweet Treats

Bolivians love their cakes and ice cream, and there are ice creams shops across Cochabamba. Many of these are open well into the night, and serve as gathering points for young people socializing and lingering over their bowls of ice cream.