Carla's is at the top of the list of the best restaurants in Bolivia. It is a top-notch resto-pub and tourist hangout in the tranquil, subtropical village of Coroico, run by a cheerful Dutch expat. This charming area, just down the stairs from the main plaza, is centered around a lush garden with hammocks and stunning views of the valley below, as the name suggests. The menu features a wide range of delectable European and Bolivian meals, as well as outstanding machine-brewed coffee. It's the greatest location in town to get a couple cold ones and meet some other travelers in the evenings.

A business owner has merged her thatched-roof beer hall with an established German restaurant and relocated it to the plaza's steep stairwell (look for the 'Open' sign). They've kept the same delectable breakfasts, delectable cakes and pastries, spaghetti, and unforgettable sauerbraten (marinated pot-roast beef) with spätzle (German noodles).

Address: Pasaje Linares
Phone: 7207-5620
Hours: 1-10pm Wed-Fri, from noon Sat & Sun
Price: mains B$20-60

TripAdvisor ratings: 4.5/5.0

Given Tarija's proximity to Argentina, it's no wonder that the city produces some of the country's most succulent asados (BBQ meat). El Fogón del Gringo, where exquisite Argentine steak is offered with a first-rate salad bar, is the best of the best. Because some of the steaks are as large as 14 ounces (400 grams), be sure to get a bottle of the excellent local wine to accompany them.

The menu offers a wide variety of beef cuts, all priced at 55Bs (about US$8) for 250g and 75Bs (around US$10) for 400g. While you wait for your dinner, you have free reign of the salad bar (which is included in the meat price), and bread and dips are delivered to your table. The service was a touch rushed, and the meat was cooked wrongly, but overall it was a good pick for a meat restaurant in Tarija. The better-off Tarija residents definitely believe so, as the place was nearly packed on a chilly Wednesday night.

Address: Av Gutiérrez 634
Website: www.facebook.com/elsecretodemama.bo
Hours: 4-7pm Mon-Fri
Price: snacks B$3-5

TripAdvisor ratings: 4.5/5.0

Gustu, which means "taste" in Quechua, provides just that. Gustu is the undisputed king of Bolivia's fine dining scene, having opened in 2012 to excellent reviews from prominent media such as the New York Times and the Guardian. Gustu, the brainchild of Claus Meyer (of Noma renown), takes pleasure in delivering locally produced ingredients with a modern twist on traditional Bolivian cuisine.

More than just a restaurant, the Melting Pot is a sister NGO that recruits talented young stars from El Alto's underserved communities and training them to work in the restaurant. Although the degustation menu costs 410 BOB (US$60) in Bolivia, you won't find greater gourmet cuisine anywhere else in the country. Still not persuaded? Gustu, the sole restaurant from Bolivia, was placed 14th in Latin America's Top 50 Restaurants, and head chef Kamilla Seidler was named Latin America's Best Female Chef.

Address: Calle 10 No 300, Calacoto
Phone: 211-7491
Website: www.gustu.bo
Hours: noon-3pm & 6:30-11pm
Price: almuerzo B$95, dinner tasting menu B$430-560, à la carte mains B$95-130

TripAdvisor ratings: 4.5/5.0

La Cocina is the 4th restaurant in the list of the best restaurants in Bolivia. The current location of La Cocina, San Francisco's Mission District, served as inspiration. The many tiny informal businesses that service this ethnically diverse and economically challenged neighborhood help it thrive. Food is at the core of this community, and you don't have to look far to uncover undiscovered entrepreneurs in many households' kitchens. Organizations like Arriba Juntos, The Women's Initiative for Self-Employment, and The Women's Foundation of California, as well as one very special and visionary anonymous donor, recognized the need to formalize these food businesses and the opportunity created when you turn inconsistent and illegal home restaurants into sustainable legal businesses. La Cocina is a modern structure with a commercial kitchen, as well as a program that supports a growing list of small enterprises.

La Cocina, which is run by a young Turkish guy, serves customers incredibly wonderful food including hamburgers, quesadillas, falafels, and shawarma, as well as optionally deliciously crispy fries in three different varieties. The fact that the crew makes all of their own bread every day, which happens to be some of the greatest dough in the country, is a huge selling point. La Cocina was founded on the concept that with the correct resources, a community of naturally talented entrepreneurs can build self-sufficient companies that benefit themselves, their families, their community, and the entire city. Since 2005, the cuisine that has come out of their kitchen has reflected that vision and tastes incredible.

Address: 2948 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94110

Phone: (415) 824-2729

Hours: 13:00–4:00

TripAdvisor ratings: 4.5/5.0

Given Tarija's proximity to Argentina, it's no wonder that the city produces some of the country's most succulent asados (BBQ meat). El Fogón del Gringo, where exquisite Argentine steak is offered with a first-rate salad bar, is the best of the best. Because some of the steaks are as large as 14 ounces (400 grams), be sure to get a bottle of the excellent local wine to accompany them.

The menu offers a wide variety of beef cuts, all priced at 55Bs (about US$8) for 250g and 75Bs (around US$10) for 400g. While you wait for your dinner, you have free reign of the salad bar (which is included in the meat price), and bread and dips are delivered to your table. The service was a touch rushed, and the meat was cooked wrongly, but overall it was a good pick for a meat restaurant in Tarija. The better-off Tarija residents definitely believe so, as the place was nearly packed on a chilly Wednesday night.

Address: Av Gutiérrez 634
Website: www.facebook.com/elsecretodemama.bo
Hours: 4-7pm Mon-Fri
Price: snacks B$3-5

TripAdvisor ratings: 4.0/5.0