De La Llama — Restaurant in Iñaquito

Some meals feed the body. This one nourished the soul while it delighted the body.

From the moment we stepped into La Llama in Quito, I felt that subtle electricity in the air—the kind that tells you you’re in a space of creativity, intention, and joy. The lighting was soft but playful, the design modern but with handmade touches that made it feel human and alive.

We were greeted with warmth, and not the performative kind—real friendliness, like we were being welcomed into someone’s artist loft for dinner. Nearby, a table of artsy queer folks laughed and toasted and shared bites, and I found myself wishing I could just pull up a chair and join them. It felt like we were all part of something shared, something more than just dinner.

And then the food arrived.

My husband ordered the duck, and I don't use this word lightly—it was exquisite. Tender, rich, perfectly cooked. I had their famous vegetarian soup, which was nothing short of divine. The flavors were layered, nuanced, and so fresh it felt like the vegetables had just been picked that morning. Every dish and drink was beautifully presented and clearly handmade with care—artisanal, creative, and bursting with originality.

Ah, the cocktails! Original combinations, surprising ingredients, and gorgeous presentation. Mine had wild herbs and citrus in a balance that left me a little speechless. It wasn’t just a drink—it was a creative act.

That night, I fell asleep and dreamed I was in a queer artist commune—music, sculpture, and dance unfolding all around me. It felt like the meal had planted that dream. La Llama wasn’t just a restaurant; it was a portal.

Here’s to the makers of meals that inspire dreams. Go here. Savor everything. And let it work its...

The target audience of this restaurant is obvious: gringos who only eat fake Italian and Mexican food. I had the ceviche and octopus and both were somewhat okay but definitely frozen and not that fresh. The flavors were good but the restaurant feels like a hippie Michelin wanna be style, too much effort was put in presentation rather than the flavor profile, flavors were bland and one dimensional. For example, for the octopus dish, there were about 3 to 4 different colors of salsa on my plate but all of them tasted bland, and the octopus literally has no flavor even though it looked like it was grilled? The flavors were all separate and acting on its own rather than working together in some real 4 star restaurants.

It is light portion, good presentation, and probably a good place to wow the date, but culinary wise I think the reviews are bluffing and I'm not surprised. Gringos have a tendency of overrating just slightly above...

Amazing. I simply was looking for an Ecuadorian restaurant that looked to have a more upscale atmosphere and I was happily surprised with what I got I feel the prices are well matched and the food was of high-quality the service was also amazing. We ordered the Corviches for an appetizer which is a cheese or vegetable empanada made from green plantain. For entrées, we ordered the Koji Ceviche which is a Japanese influenced ceviche with ginger soy and chili paste and shrimp this was very good the table favorite for sure. We also ordered the Shrimp Chupe which comes with Indian cheese Rattín over a bed of rice with a creamy white wine sauce, very good. To finish, we ended with a Chocopaxi volcano which is a chocolate cake volcano style, served with golden berries and llama shaped cookies it served with a scoop of ice cream and you can pick which flavor, we picked cardamom which was an excellent choice. I highly...