3 Best Restaurants in La Paz, Bolivia

This is exactly the kind of bar any wine lover would hope to find during their travels—friendly, cool, and with knowledgeable staff to get you into the best of Bolivian wine and craft beers. With daily two-for-one specials on select wines by the glass (weekdays from 5:30 to 7), great locally produced French- and Swiss-style cheeses, occasional live jazz, and even the odd quiz night, there really is no excuse not to stop by. The expanded tapas menu features modern Spanish/Bolivian flavors carefully chosen to pair with the local wines, which, if you’ve never tried any, are guaranteed to surprise you with their quality.

This small, trendy café is at the forefront of a budding coffee revolution in Bolivia. Baristas trained to high international standards are roasting, grinding, and brewing some of the country’s best beans and serving up cuppa after cuppa that would please even the most serious of coffee lovers. Go for the perfect espresso—no easy matter at 10,000 feet—but don't be surprised to find yourself lingering over the carrot cake or one of the simple but spectacular sourdough sandwiches. The bread is baked at the little in-house bakery, and a few loaves are always for sale—you just have to get there early enough to grab one.

The one thing you cannot leave without trying—and quite possibly falling in love with—is a hot, juicy salteña (the Bolivian version of an empanada). You will get at least a little on your shirt; everyone does the first time. Both Sucre and Potosí claim to have the best, but many will point to this little shop, which has four locations around the city. The decor really doesn't matter, and the service is efficient and friendly. The pastry shell is just the right amount of sweet, and the filling is satisfyingly juicy. Don't hesitate to try all the options: meat, poultrey, and vegetarian. Repeat daily.