Going to Santa Cruz and wondering where you should eat in Puerto Ayora, Galapagos? Well, luckily, I spent a few days in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, which gave me plenty of time to taste the best of the island.
The Galapagos islands tend to be more expensive than mainland Ecuador. The prices for food and drinks will be comparable to what you might pay back home in American or European cities. That being said, the food was delicious almost everywhere. Plus, there are still plenty of deals if you search for them. Like $1 soft serve, $2 empanadas and everyone’s favorite – happy hour!
Most tourists agree that this is the best place to get a buzz on the island. I opted for an iced matcha latte. Sadly it was disappointingly watery and bland. Stick with coffee, and if you like something sweet to cool you down, a frappuccino hits the spot.
Make sure to try breakfast too. The outdoor seating, friendly service and good local and international breakfast favorites are delicious. I had a smoothie bowl and Mike had his favorite of all the breakfast he ate in Ecuador, a version of Tigrillo. Tigrillo is an Ecuadorian specialty of mashed green plantains scrambled with cheese, eggs and other mix-ins.
1835 Coffee Lab is open all day and also serves cocktails in the evening. They also have the best gifts for coffee lovers, including their coffee beans with the cutest branding.
Bowl Acai Bar is another welcoming breakfast or snack spot. They are of course known for their acai bowls – served in large wooden pineapple shaped balls. But they also have savory breakfasts like Bolón, large green plantain balls stuffed with fillings like cheese or chicharon and Tigrillo.
The dining area is small and they tend to be busy. Tip! If you’re going to the Darwin foundation this is a good spot for breakfast.
We tried the Galapagos Deli for lunch before catching the ferry. Mike had the chicken sandwich and I enjoyed the fish and chips. The sandwich was well seasoned and the white bread was light and fluffy. The fish was fresh and flaky, the batter was airy and the fries were just how I like them, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.
Although the ice cream at the Galapagos Deli is a steep 5x more expensive than that of my usual $1 soft serve, I had to give it a try. I went for coffee and the caramel with nuts in a waffle cone. This is more of a classic heavy American style ice cream and the homemade waffle cones are indeed tasty.
The Galapagos Deli seems to be one of the few spots with decent WiFi and good food, open for all meals all day. They allow laptops but ask that you use your headphones and don’t have outlets, except at the stools by the window.
I was skeptical when we met a Finnish girl who told us there was great sushi in Puerto Ayora. I wanted to stick with traditional Ecuadorian food, but in fact, we were finding that challenging to find, so we thought why not give it a try.
Midori is a sustainable eco-restaurant with modern decor and an upscale atmosphere. They have a lengthy cocktail menu and serve many dishes aflame or blanketed in smoke. Despite the gimmicks, the food was some of the best we had in Puerto Ayora. The prices were steeper than most restaurants, but the portions, atmosphere and service made it worth it. Midori could compete with any sushi restaurants in New York or Miami.
There was a good mix of locals celebrating special events and tourists. We didn’t have a reservation, but I’d recommend making one. It filled up quickly after we were seated. When ordering, I’d stick with anything tuna. The Galapagos tuna is sourced ethically and very tasty. The tuna ceviche was my favorite dish.
Good to note, there’s a second location on San Cristóbal. We did end up going there as well, but the overall atmosphere and experience in Santa Cruz is better. Definitely go to Midori in Santa Cruz if you have the chance.
I was initially attracted to The Rock because they had live music and a Happy Hour special on mojitos. I was hungry, but skeptical of the Asian inspired menu. Turns out, The Rock was one of the better meals we had in the Galapagos. The local Galapagos tuna was cooked perfectly and my dish, a surprise white fish that I still have yet to know the identity of, was also cooked to perfection with a tasty spicy sauce. I just have one complaint. The restaurant was busy so it took a long time to receive our food. Don’t go here for dinner if you’re in a rush.
If you ask someone where to go to dinner, they’ll explain that you can go to the two main streets (where most of the other restaurants I listed are) or to Los Kioskos. Los Kioskos is located at the corner of Charles Binford and Avenida Baltra. Here you’ll find a more laid back Ecuadorian dining experience.
If you have no reservation and you’re wondering where to eat in Puerto Ayora, Los Kioskos is a good choice. The street can be a bit overwhelming at first. There are people begging you to eat at their restaurant. Most have similar items, quality, and decor. But there was one in particular that we preferred.
It seemed to be only open on the weekends, which after the fact made us believe that the food really is better there than the other spots. It’s called El Kiosko de Renato.
Most people come to eat fish that’s locally caught that morning and prepared to order. If fish is not your thing, you can also get the dinner deal for $5. We also saw some people eating burgers and pizzas. All seemed to come from the same restaurant at the far end. It looked like one man would drop them off to whichever person ordered it no matter the restaurant.
We ordered the scorpion fish in garlic and shrimp encocado. Shrimp encocado is shrimp in a coconut curry sauce influenced by African cuisine. You’ll find this all over Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal. Unfortunately when we visited Galapagos lobster was not in season, but we really enjoyed our two dishes. My favorite was the scorpion fish, it’s a meaty and flaky fish, and the garlic sauce was definitely the correct choice.
We even tried to go back here on our last night but it was closed.
For nearly 20 years, this empanada stand has been serving Puerto Ayora’s favorite fried snacks. This empanada stand is located in the City Market. Here you can also find fresh produce and other good snacks and eats, great if you have a kitchen. There was also a stand serving intestines with rice that looked and smelled surprisingly appetizing, but I wasn’t ready to risk it.
There are two empanada stands facing each other – a friendly and welcome rivalry. Both have women frying up Ecuadorian style empanadas every single afternoon from 3:30 – 9:30 pm. The empanadas cost about $2-3 each, depending on the filling. Try the basil and passionfruit sauces too. Grab a seat with the locals and enjoy.
Note: While these empanadas were very good, the empanadas we ate in Baños still top the chart as the best in Ecuador.
Santa Cruz Brewery was the first craft brewery in the Galapagos. They’ve got a nice multi floor pub overlooking Pelican Bay, with a pool table on the lowest level. Pick out a beer on tap, order some snacks and enjoy. You can also schedule a visit to their production center if you fancy.
I didn’t have a chance to try these spots but they were all highly recommended.
Recommended to me for breakfast, but open for all meals and even just a drink. This café has a laid back demeanor and a great view overlooking Pelican Bay.
Ceviche is everywhere in Ecuador! At La Cevicheria, you can choose the ingredients you like and build your own ceviche in a classic or not so classic way.
This restaurant is part of the Angermeyer Hotel. You’ll need to take the $1 water taxi to reach it. It’s relatively casual, waterfront and a nice escape from Puerto Ayora.
Brewed in the Czech style with ingredients from the Czech Republic, Golden Prague is an Ecuadorian craft beer brewery with a pub right in Puerto Ayora.
The place to be and be seen in Puerto Ayora. They have great cocktails, live music and some nights, salsa dancing.
Hope you enjoyed this list of where to eat in Puerto Ayora, Galapagos. Looking for other things to do in Puerto Ayora or Santa Cruz? Start here.
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