I’m going on record, the street food in La Paz is some the best street food in all of South America. Delicious delicacies can be found on almost every corner tempting you until you cannot resist the urge any longer.
The steep hills of La Paz may help you work up an appetite here, but you won’t lose any weight snacking through the streets of La Paz. Here is a list of our favorite Bolivian street food in La Paz.
Discover the Best Street Food Bolivia has to offer
1. Choripan
The choripan is a staple in the street food scene in La Paz. The choripan is a tasty chorizo sandwich loaded with lettuce, tomato, pickled veggies and topped with mustard, mayonnaise or both.
Budget options are available for only BOB 3.50 just outside of the central Mi Teleférico station while fully loaded choripans are found on the top floor of Mercado Lanza near Plaza San Francisco.
Dona Elvira in Mercado Lanza make some of the best choripan in the city!
These simple sandwiches are a truly satisfying snack on the go!
2.Pasteles de Queso
If you are a fan of deep-fried pastry, cheese, and powdered sugar, the Pasteles de queso may be the street food in La Paz for you.
Fried fresh to order, right in front of you and served up hot, it is the perfect snack when you’re looking for something hot and sweet. The best ones are served up near the San Pedro prison.
3. Salteñas
There is a lot to love about this delicious parcel of Bolivian street food.
Served up on street corners in the early morning, they are the perfect on the go breakfast.
Similar to the empanadas from Argentina, a salteña is a baked pastry filled with either meat, veggies or both and swimming in its own juices.
Unlike empanadas, the salteña is slightly sweet as well making it the perfect accompaniment to coffee at breakfast.
It is common practice to take a bite and then drink out the juice before finishing it off Be careful not to burn yourself when devouring this specialty though.
4. TucumanaS
The tucumana looks a bit similar to the salteña but it is fried instead of baked. It isn’t as juicy doesn’t include all the juiciness and isn’t sweet.
This popular Bolivian street food can be found throughout La Paz. Tucumanas are normally offered as chicken, meat, or veggie. You can find them at the Mercado Lanza for only 2 Bolivianos or about 25 cents a pop. Can’t beat a deal like that!
5. Sandwich de Chola
The sandwich de chola is another specialty in the street food of La Paz. A piece of pork brined, seasoned and roasted is served up on a sandwich topped with lettuce, tomato, pickled veggies and mustard/mayonnaise. Named after the indigenous women, the cholitas, who originally prepared the sandwich, this is definitely something not to miss.
6. Popcorn
You might be surprised to hear that pop-corn is one of the best street food in La Paz. Lightly salted and popped to perfection this popular Bolivian snack is available everywhere in La Paz. Enjoy a bag of freshly popped popcorn while roaming the streets of La Paz for as little as 2 Bolivianos.
7. Jugos
Hot from walking and thirsty from snacking? Grab a fresh fruit juice from the many stalls on street corners or in the markets like Lanza Market.
8. Antichucos
Antichucos are skewered meat, often beef heart, cooked over a charcoal grill on. Originating on the street corners of Peru. Antiochucos have become popular accross South American and Bolivia is no exception.
9. Papas Rellenas
If you’re not quite sold on the beef hearts then the papa rellena may be an alternative street snack for you.
Potato stuffed with vegetables, herbs and sometimes meat, it is deep fried and served to pipe hot from street corners all over La Paz, (and many other South American countries).
If you are craving something deep-fried, you are sure to love this tasty street food.
10. Humitas
Bolivia’s answer to the tamale is these corn cakes are made from ground corn, onion, garlic, cheese, eggs, and cream and steamed in corn husks. They can be savory and spiced or sweet and flavored with raisins.
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These were some of our favorite street food in La Paz. What’s yours? Let us know in the comments below!
Looking for a great sit-down meal in La Paz? Check out our article on Mi Chola for one of the least expensive, fine dining, tasting menus around.
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