What are the customs in Ecuador regarding food?

• In Ecuador, people mainly eat a lot of rice, potatoes, pasta, chicken and cabbage. Often spicy but not spicy. The atmosphere in restaurants is often excellent because of the large number of musical groups that come in to perform their skills on the pan flute. If you are vegetarian or vegan, it can be difficult to find meals in Ecuador. A tip, be sure to specify what you do eat (i.e. ask for a plate of rice, beans and salad), that works better than specifying what you don't eat.

What are the best recipes in Ecuador?

• Arroz con Pollo is a dish of rice with chicken.
• Lomo saltado is beef sautéed in onion and tomato with rice.
• Churrasco is beef with fried egg.
• Aji is the tangy sauce that you get with everything separately.
• Cuy Chactado is a traditional Inca dish and should be tried by every traveler. While doing so, get over the fact that it involves grilled guinea pig!
• Arepas are corn pancakes with cheese.
• Fanesca is a dish of different grains, corn, potatoes and stockfish.
• Llapingachos: Small fried cookies made of mashed potatoes and cheese.
• Locro: Soup with potatoes, onions and cheese. Often served with avocado.
• Tropical fruits: maracuya (passion fruit), bananas of all shapes and sizes, guava, pineapple, mango, chirimoya, naranjilla (sour orange).

What are the best drinks in Ecuador?

• Beer is available everywhere. Club and Pilsener are the Ecuadorian brands.
• Soft drinks can also be found everywhere both well known and unknown brands.
• The fresh fruit juices are delicious.
• Enjoy a delicious fresh milkshake with tropical fruits.
• An excellent thirst quencher is the Piaco, a drink made from lemon.

What are notable holidays and festivals in ...?

• New Year is lots of fire, papier-mâché cars and figures: one big party!
• Carnival: nice and colorful with water fights and fruit and flower festivals.
• Dia de los Inocentes: festival in Cuenca, Nov. 6, a hilarious parade of dressed-up men and boys that the whole city comes to see.
• All Souls' Day: Nov. 2, in celebration people lay flower bouquets in cemeteries.

What are the remarkable habits in Ecuador?

• Ecuador is known for its strong family ties and sense of community. Family plays a central role in daily life, with extended family gatherings and a deep sense of respect and care for the elderly. Cultural festivals, such as Inti Raymi (the Sun Festival) and Carnival, are of great significance and are celebrated lavishly throughout the country.
• Social norms and mutual communication: A little courtesy will get you a long way! A greeting is a must when you start a conversation. Whether it is short or long - say hello, shake hands and between men and women, a single kiss on the cheek is sometimes exchanged. Expect to use the same greeting when saying goodbye. 
• Etiquettes & traditions: Ecuador is a long of traditions and is still fairly old-fashioned. Apart from greetings, respect for personal space is very important. So be sure to keep an appropriate distance during interactions unless you have developed a strong bond. People also value appropriate dress, especially at religious or business gatherings. Hospitality also plays an important role in Ecuador. 
• Eating and drinking habits: meals are huge social occasions and can be long. As crazy as it sounds, don't arrive on time when you are invited somewhere. Always arrive a little later and make sure you are neatly dressed out of respect to the hoste. What does agree with us is that Ecuadorians say bon appetit (buen provecho) before a meal when dining out with friends. If you are invited home, the host says buen provecho to invite you to start eating. Food is always eaten with cutlery.