La Choza, Quito Restaurant

Four decades ago, the 12th of October Avenue was a residential area, without hotels, high-rise buildings and office blocks. Quito was not as it is known today. La Choza first opened its doors to the public on the 26 th November 1965 and over time has converted itself into a national reference point for Ecuadorian cuisine.

That very morning ex-President Carlos Julio Arosemena and Colonel Rafael Armijos were the first to be tempted to sample the culinary delights on offer. They were the first on a list consisting of several famous personalities such as Princess Margarita and Princess Caroline from Monaco, the 1992 Guatemalan winner of the Nobel Peace Prize Rigoberta Menchu, ambassadors and diplomats, ex-President of Colombia Ernesto Samper and national football coach Gomez among others.

Moreover, in the first La Choza, which was situated in 12 de Octubre Avenue and Madrid, two films were shot, one Ecuadorian and the other starring Mexican actress Silvia Pinal. La Choza began thanks to the drive and determination of husband and wife Jaime Pallares Zaldumbide and Marta Gomez de la Torre. They took the risk to attempt to change the mentality of the era with regards to cuisine, establishing a restaurant with home-made recipes and a family-like atmosphere.