Clara

Clara, Quito: The Verdict

If you're already familiar with Quito's dining scene and want to know where to push further, Clara in La Floresta is the answer. This restaurant and bar earned the One To Watch Award in 2024, which in practical terms means: it's producing some of the most considered Ecuadorian cooking in the city right now, at what is likely a more accessible price point than the fine-dining establishments further up the hill. Book it before the reservations get harder to secure.

What Clara Actually Is

Clara operates out of Quito's La Floresta neighbourhood, a district that tends to attract creative, independent venues rather than hotel dining rooms or tourist-circuit staples. The restaurant is co-led by three chefs: Ana Lobato, Ángel De Sousa, and Felipe Salas. That three-way creative partnership shapes the restaurant's character: the culinary proposal is described as simple and eclectic, which in practice suggests a menu that draws on Ecuadorian ingredients and technique without locking itself into a single rigid format.

The room itself reads as the kind of space where the focus is on what's on the plate and in the glass rather than on interior spectacle. La Floresta venues typically skew towards an artistically minded, neighbourhood-rooted crowd, and Clara fits that profile. Visually, expect a setting that feels considered rather than designed to impress on first glance.

Clara as a Late-Night Option

The bar dimension of Clara matters here. Most of Quito's serious dining options are restaurants first and foremost, with bar programming that winds down early or exists primarily to support dinner. Clara's dual identity as a restaurant and bar positions it differently. If you've already eaten elsewhere and want to continue the night in a space that takes its drinks as seriously as its food, La Floresta is the right neighbourhood, and Clara is worth checking against your timing. Specific hours are not confirmed in our data, so verify directly before planning a late arrival.

Booking and Practical Details

Booking difficulty is rated Easy, which makes Clara a realistic option even for same-week planning. Given the 2024 One To Watch recognition, that could change as the restaurant gains wider attention internationally, so don't assume easy access is permanent. No booking platform or direct website is confirmed in our data — your leading approach is to contact the venue directly or check current availability through a local concierge or restaurant reservation service in Quito.

How Clara Fits into Your Quito Trip

Clara sits in a specific gap in Quito's dining options: it has award-level credibility without the formality or booking friction of the city's more established fine-dining rooms. If you've already visited Nuema or Tributo on a previous trip, Clara is the logical next step. For a first Quito visit, it competes seriously with both. Pair it with a broader look at what the city offers via our full Quito restaurants guide.

For context on where Ecuador sits in a wider regional picture, the cooking coming out of Quito's independent restaurant scene is drawing comparisons with what Lima's neighbourhood restaurants were doing in the years before that city's dining scene reached international prominence. Clara is part of that trajectory. If you're also travelling to Guayaquil, Casa Julián is worth adding to your list. Galapagos travellers should look at Evolution Restaurant for options beyond the main islands.

For the rest of your Quito planning, see our Quito hotels guide, our Quito bars guide, and our Quito experiences guide.