URKO

I normally don’t write restaurant review, but this place deserves to be shout out very loundly. We had a really amazing experience with both service and food. Rick explains every dish with enthusiasm. The guy is simply adorable. There is another lady there whose name I did not get. She is so lovely and took really good care of us. As to the food, I must say that it’s very impressive. Very inventive with surprise tastes and very well combined. It’s a privilege to have their tasting menu. I’ll remember it for a very long long time. One of the best meals I have ever had. PS. The wine paring is excellent!

This place is so amazing. The food is beautiful and delicious. The experience is great. It's like having a staff of chefs just for you. They explained each of the 10 courses as each was paired with a different wine. They accommodated for my shellfish allergy and had a vegetarian option as well.

Truly masters of their craft. This is an amazing experience that really let's you live the richness and variety of Ecuadorian ingredients and cuisine. Dishes were delicious, service was very kind. Best recommendation I can give!

Beautiful way to start my trip. The restaurant has a calm and relaxed atmosphere, with just one seating a night of about 20 people max. The menu changes every 3 months with the agricultural calendar so you can revisit and have a unique experience every time. Every course was excellent, beautifully presented, with interesting and delicious pops of flavour. I tasted ingredients that I hadn’t heard of before, like jicama and sunfo, and those that I already knew, like duck, were of such high quality and local provenance. I didn’t do the wine pairing but imagine they take a great amount of care with this too, even the herbal infusion I had wasn’t a simple mint tea but a lovely combination of herbs and plants thought up on the spot. Highly recommend!

What a journey!!!! Each dish was an explosion of taste and creativity. My wife and I loved the custom menu. The staff was very attentive and mood was very intimidate. I loved explanation of every menu item and how local the ingredients were. They really tried to capture the essence of Ecuador and make the best possible dishes from the amazing country. At the beginning the waitress gave us a little passport with the menu for the season. We took notes and at the end and she took a Polaroid to put in our menu. What a memorable culinary experience, thank you URKO.

A superb dining experience. Almost every dish looked and tasted at a Michelin star level. The first course, which was a stuffed hibiscus flower, was unlike anything I have ever had. The grilled shrimp was grilled to perfection. Every brothy dish was spot on. My only complaint was that the duck was too rare, which made it too chewy to rubbery.

I tried the well known restaurants in Quito and THIS is the one you need to go to. Don’t worry too much about the others because everything about this place is wonderful. Unpretentious and authentic to its core. The staff, the management, the decor, the space, the food. The food. It is unafraid. It is a force of nature just like a mountain range. They aren’t going to whip out fancy foams that lack cohesion with a plate. But they will surprise you with some sourdough and butter, with strawberries and tuna. They aren’t here to woo you, just like a mountain range isn’t there to impress you. But if you give yourself over to the awe of the mountain, of the food, you’ll be blown away. You’ll stand before it, humble and connected to the land you are on. This isn’t just a tour of Ecuador but it’s a challenge to create, innovate, and discover new ways to exist. Isn’t that the kind of inspiration we all need in our lives? Kind and warm staff. Excellent service. A space which combines city scapes with modern gardens. I went during Inti (sun) harvest. I did the wine pairing (it’s worth it). I loved my ‘passport’ notebook (where I got to reflect on the experience of eating here). I love their concept and philosophy and you feel the philosophy of honoring cycles in every aspect of this place. It isn’t just a fulfilling culinary experience but it’s truly a way to honor all cycles and seasons within yourself and your life. Don’t worry about all the other spots. This is where you want to be.

My dining experience at URKO Cocina Local in Quito was an unforgettable adventure that genuinely captured the essence of Ecuadorian cuisine. The restaurant's name, URKO, means "mountain," symbolizing their deep respect for Ecuador's natural landscapes and traditions. On the first night of their INTI Raymi menu, The 10-course tasting journey was a treat that beautifully showcased Ecuador's indigenous cosmovision and agricultural cycles. URKO’s culinary philosophy revolves around the rhythm of agricultural cycles celebrated annually. The sun, moon, climatic changes, and agricultural processes—like fallow, sowing, germination, flowering, and harvest—influence the courses. "Raymi," meaning celebration or festivity, drives URKO's approach to cuisine. Each Raymi represents a specific stage in these cycles, shaping the dishes and ingredients in the kitchen. The 10-course tasting menu was a masterpiece, with each plate visually stunning and flavorful. The meticulous attention to detail in every course transformed the meal into a series of breathtaking presentations, each feeling like a new piece of art. Here’s a glimpse into the menu: Hibiscus • Coffee • Carrot Cassava • Beans • Cacao King Prawn • Plums • Spices Strawberries • Red Pepper • Turnip Pumpkin • Corn • Macadamia Fish • Citrus • Jicama Chayote • Apple • Guayabilla Duck • Bread • Butter Watermelon • Physalis • Sunfo Mucilage • Patasmuyo • Soursop Each dish was a harmonious blend of flavors and textures that delighted the senses. The Pumpkin, corn, and macadamia soup was perfectly balanced, while the fish with citrus and jicama offered refreshing and zesty notes that lingered on the palate. The cassava bean and cacao mochi balls were incredibly creative and unique, and the duck was perfectly cooked and paired with fluffy, hearty bread. If you only have time for one restaurant in Quito, make it URKO. You will leave fulfilled, inspired, and intensely appreciating Ecuadorian cuisine and culture.