¡Cuenca Eats!
A Culinary Guide to the Flavors of Cuenca
Guía gastronómica bilingüe de los sabores de Cuenca
Released January 1, 2026
Local beautiful full color print editions NOW being sold at the Carolina Bookstore for only $22!
Hermano Miguel y Presidente Córdova in El Centro (Google Map)
Digital versions are available through Amazon at the following link (or click the yellow button):
amazon.com/dp/B0G4JGCNHB
Las ediciones impresas se venderán en la librería Carolina Bookstore, ubicada en la calle Hermano Miguel y Presidente Córdova, en el centro de la ciudad (Google Map).
Las versiones digitales se venderán a través de Amazon.
Local Flavor, Global Curiosity | Sabor local, curiosidad global
This book was born from walking Cuenca’s streets, talking with vendors, and tasting what the city offers—not from rankings or ratings.
Este libro nació de caminar por las calles de Cuenca, hablar con vendedores y probar lo que ofrece la ciudad—no de clasificaciones ni puntuaciones.
We trust crowds. If the police, work crews, or grandparents are eating there—it’s probably great.
Confiamos en las multitudes. Si policías, obreros o abuelitas están comiendo allí—probablemente sea buenísimo.
A Book for Locals and Wanderers | Un libro para locales y exploradores
Explore 100+ traditional Ecuadorian foods, drinks, fruits, snacks, and desserts—plus over a hundred handpicked restaurant reviews.
Explora más de 100 comidas, bebidas, frutas, bocadillos y postres ecuatorianos—además de más de cien reseñas seleccionadas de restaurantes.
Learn what Cuencanos eat, where they go, and how you can join in.
Descubre qué comen los cuencanos, a dónde van y cómo puedes unirte a la experiencia.
Eat Well. Wander Far. | Come bien. Deambula lejos.
This is our love letter to Cuenca—written through the tastes, textures, and shared tables of this extraordinary city.
Esta es nuestra carta de amor a Cuenca—escrita a través de los sabores, texturas y mesas compartidas de esta ciudad extraordinaria.
Use this book to start your own journey.
Usa este libro para iniciar tu propio recorrido.
EXCELLENT
Based on 18 reviews at
(Click on the logos to read the reviews on these sites.)
"Cuenca Eats" is a streetwalkers guide to eating your way through Cuenca, Ecuador
“Cuenca Eats” is a foodie delight. This past January, 2026, I accepted an opportunity to visit Cuenca Ecuador. Knowing little about the local food products, and wanting to take full advantage of the eating opportunities, I searched for source material on the subject.
“Cuenca Eats” was the best investment I could have made!. It is a street walkers guide to street food, and it’s absolutely necessary for anyone wanting to maximise their Ecuadorean food adventure!
Dr. Li provides references to great eateries ( Tres Estrellas for example) but he dives deeper into the Cuencan street food scene as wel, leading you through the markets where the full spectrum of local foods are sourced. It’s this insight into the markets and the “stree eats” surrounding the markets, that make this reference an invaluable guide. “Cuenca Eats” will remain in my food library serving as reference for food purchases at the greater Boston cultural marketplaces.
Note: “Cuenca Eats” text appears in both English and Spanish on the same pages. It is important to note how very helpful this is and how much it informed my food related Spanish language skills. And yes, it made opering these delicious foodstuffs much easier.
Excellent on-the ground intel
¡Cuenca Eats¡ is packed with excellent on-the ground intel. From how to identify that odd-looking fruit in the market, to how to pronounce the lunch menu, to what to buy for an afternoon snack, this book has it all. Helpfully written in both English and Spanish, this full-color guide will help you, as it helps me, navigate the wide array of tasty foods available in Cuenca and other cities in Ecuador and South America. For those in Cuenca, the second half of the book includes reviews of various restaurants throughout town, from local dives to fine dining restaurants. This is the only book of its type that I have seen here.
Cuencan cuisine
As a pescatarian, I’ve found this book very helpful in planning my return trip to Ecuador. Despite Cuenca’s Andean location, I’m happy to hear that seafood is well supplied by the coastal villages. While I’ll always look for more ceviche, I’m also eager to follow your encebollado and cazuela recommendations. Corviches and bollos sound great as well. Your review of local fruit is nicely done—beautiful photos! Happy to hear you are so enjoying Cuenca!
If you love food
If you are (going to be) in Cuenca and you love food, then this is the book for you! Full of background about the food itself and actual recommendations of where to eat!
Great Intro to all Cuenca has to offer to eat
Great information. I have lived in Cuenca part time for several years and learned many new things about the cuisine. I especially liked the fish explanations and names. This will help very much in the future when deciding what to order!
Sobre el autor: James Li
Dr. Li es médico de emergencias y profesor asistente jubilado de medicina en la Facultad de Medicina de Harvard.
Pasó gran parte de su vida viajando y trabajando en el mundo en desarrollo y en las regiones silvestres de América del Norte. Después de años de escribir para revistas médicas, ahora escribe y produce música por diversión y cuenta entre sus pasatiempos favoritos algo que su esposa llama “puttering sin presión”.
Su música se lanza bajo el nombre del artista, Cipherdash, y se puede encontrar en los principales servicios de transmisión. Escuchar su música en streaming es gratis. Quienes deseen apoyar su trabajo pueden comprar sus álbumes en echointhewires.com.
Aquí disfruta de una taza de leche de cabra recién exprimida en la Feria Libre.
What’s Inside | Lo que encontrarás
Part 1: The Big Food Picture – cultural insights, markets, food types, and customs
Primera parte: El Gran Panorama Gastronómico – cultura, mercados, comidas y costumbres
Part 2: Restaurant Reviews – street food, almuerzos, breakfasts, seafood, vegetarian spots, and special occasions
Segunda parte: Reseñas de Restaurantes – comida callejera, almuerzos, desayunos, mariscos, lugares vegetarianos y ocasiones especiales
Chapters dedicated to drinks, desserts, fruits, and vegetarian options
Capítulos dedicados a bebidas, postres, frutas y opciones vegetarianas
Two Languages, One Shared Table | Dos idiomas, una misma mesa
Every page is bilingual—English in black, Spanish in green italics.
Cada página es bilingüe—inglés en negro, español en cursiva verde.
Perfect for expats, locals, travelers, and Spanish learners alike.
Perfecto para extranjeros, locales, viajeros y estudiantes de español por igual.
Discover the Real Taste of Cuenca | Descubre el verdadero sabor de Cuenca
Cuenca became South America’s first World Food Capital in 2024—but locals have known the truth for generations.
Cuenca fue nombrada la primera “Capital Culinaria del Mundo” en América del Sur en 2024, pero los cuencanos lo sabían desde hace generaciones.
This is not just a restaurant guide. It’s an invitation to wander, taste, and understand the city one meal at a time.
Este no es solo un libro de reseñas. Es una invitación a deambular, saborear y conocer la ciudad, una comida a la vez.
Send a message | Enviar un mensaje
