2 Best Restaurants in Cuenca and the Southern Highlands, Ecuador

Quite possibly Ecuador's liveliest restaurant is this downtown, two-floor, all-tapas place. Mix and match to assemble your meal from an astounding selection of appetizers. (Sushi and sashimi are on the menu too.) Eucalyptus also claims to have the country's largest selection of wines and liquors, and we've never seen any evidence to the contrary. Cuenca's U.S. expat community, a 40-, 50-, 60-something crowd, moves the tables together and holds court here Friday evenings. Stop by and say hello.

One of the city's best restaurants and a favorite with locals is in a colonial house near the central plaza. Soft music floats through several tastefully decorated salons to the upper balcony, where an open fireplace chases out the evening chill. Try the grilled trout with almonds, then finish with the fruit-and-chocolate fondue. The same family owns the Hotel Santa Lucía.