In the Mariscal suburb. Serves a wide range of foods from Ecuadorian in addition to Chinese, Mexican, Italian, and American. Has veggie burgers, fruit smoothies, vegetarian version of Ecuador's national dish, soy steak, white corn, potato cakes, beet root, veggie chorizo sausage. Free wireless internet. Open Tue-Sat 9:00am-9:30pm, Sun 8:30am-5:30pm.
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Joaquin Pinto E7-68 y Diego de Almagro, Mariscal, Quito, Ecuador
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- Outdoor seating
- Accepts credit cards
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Last update on 06 Jul 2024 by maynard7
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116 Reviews
First Review by erinmack
BrianCA
Points +22
very good vegan options - Edit
For our appetizer we ordered the Empanadas de Morocco or Corn Dough turnovers which were fantastic. I ordered the Regordete Del Maple which was the double hamburger. I was very, very hungry and barely finished the burger. They have an option to substitute vegan cheese on the burger. If I go again I would only order the single. The patty tasted great but was very crumbly. They bake their own vegan rolls which held up very well to the burger. My friend ordered the sampler called Sustento del Altiplano. The main meat substitute was very dry and inedible. The "sausage" links and rest of the plate very good but I don't think I would ever recommend it to anyone. The portion of white corn was more than generous.
Read morePros: menu in English and Spanish, nice atmosphere
Guest
sinagoesvegan
Points +54
Cosy coffee shop and restaurant - Edit
A very nice and vegan friendly coffee shop / restaurant! We had hummus and a burger. So delicious 😋. Next time I'll come for a cake!
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options
Guest
ShanCrosbie
Points +37
Fantastic vegan friendly experience May 2017 - Edit
I was hesitant going here due to bad reviews of the restaurant's service but was pleasantly surprised to find an incredibly polite, knowledgeable waiter eager to help us to veganise everything. Very fast service, great food, great selection of mock meats and vegan cakes. A little pricey but worth it for the atmosphere (cosy wood fire near our table) and the variety. Vegan cheese can be added to everything for a bit extra. Don't let the bad reviews scare you off! They seem to have very good staff at the moment :)
Read moreGuest
ColoradoHiker
Points +61
A decent option - Edit
We ate here twice while in Quito. The first day we had appetizers - hummus with pita bread and frites. The waitress knowledgeable and helped us navigate the vegetarian/vegan menu which was all in Spanish.
Read moreThe second day, we got the same waitress who helped us figure out what was vegan. My husband loved his burrito but I found my spaghetti dish to be blah. We enjoyed having vegan desserts there.
I would rate it overall as OK (better than "Fair" but not "Very Good").
Pros: Multiple vegan options, Friendly staff, Good dessert options
Cons: Menu was Spanish only, Some options tastier than others
Guest
LNDan
Points +26
Excellent vegan food - Edit
I am very surprised to see negative reviews of El Maple. We were just there - August 2016 - and had a fabulous experience. I had excellent vegan ceviche - a dish I had always wanted to try but had never seen done as vegan. They had 3 options, and the waiter suggested I try the palmas - which was excellent. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful. I also had the empanadas de morocho, which were fine. My daughter had an excellent vegan apple tart for dessert. The waiter was very helpful and knowledgable of which items were vegan. On our way out, we bought some vegan bacon from their cooler - which contained a great variety of vegan "meats" and cheeses. Overall, I would highly recommend El Maple!
Read morePros: Vegan food options, Friendly staff, Great location
Guest
mellmann
Points +279
Not as good as it seams - Edit
The menú looks amazing, has wide variety of vegan options. The service is really bad, they dont seem professional , neither The waiter norte The owner. they also dont understand veganism although they offer great vegan cheeses and cakes. they madr us eat a plate that had actual parmesano cheese but they said it was vegan, but it was not, as de ordee The Same dish for second time (100% vegan) and The cheese was different, so dissapointed. it might be because waiter and owner are not even vegetarian. food may be good but overall experience no.
Read moreGuest
Mellifluoust
Points +827
Didn't understand veganism, but nice owner - Edit
When we read the menu, I was excited for all the vegan dessert options.. Unfortunately, that didn't last! We ordered the milanesa (5.70) and the ravioli (7.50). Despite double and triple-checking with the hostile waiter, the ravioli came swimming in cheese and cream. Additionally, the portions were small and the food wasn't well-seasoned. The best part of our meal was the vegan chocolate cake we got from the owner to apologize for our waiter - rich, soft and delicious!
Read morePros: Good cake, Nice owner
Cons: Rude waiter, Limited understanding of veganism, Pricy for portion size
Guest
Midge
Points +77
Delicious vegan food in Quito, Ecuador - Edit
We had a wonderful meal at El Maple in Quito!
Read moreWe ate from the prix fixe menu, enjoying asparagus soup, a seitan dish with vegan mashed potatoes and avocado, and mango flan. More details here:
http://www.ashlandcreekpress.com/blog/2016/02/22/dining-well-in-quito-ecuador-el-maple
It is a beautiful restaurant with friendly staff (they are happy to make anything vegan for you), and I highly recommend visiting if you're in Quito!
Pros: Lovely staff and setting, Delicious vegan food, Excellent value
Guest
Cieloazul
Points +161
great! - Edit
had a great big veggie burger! very satisfied!
Read moreGuest
Farahilde
Points +42
Nice first encounter with ecuadorian veg restaurants - Edit
we ate here for lunch at our first day in Ecuador. I really dont understand the negative reviews, because it was no bad choice at all. I loved the food. The fake meat in the main course that day really really tasted like meat, but they ensured me it wasn't. I had ceviche with popcorn, a very nice quinoa burger wrap and my husband had a soup and main course with empanadas de morocho and this chickenlike fake meat. I was a pity we were in a huury because their vegan cheese cake and vegan cheeses looked delicious. We plan to go back ther later this week.
Read moreGuest
Mountjoy32
Points +312
Agree with the rest of the recent reviews... Bad.. - Edit
Ate here earlier today with a few friends. We all disliked it to different extents.
Read moreSays there's wifi. Signs advertising it. The waitress typed in a password for it on my phone. Phone said it was wrong. She said it is right and blamed my phone. Um.
Started with a papaya juice. It tasted super watery. My friend ordered a coffee with soy milk. Our waitress didn't bring the soy milk / put any in. She was cool about bringing it when we got her attention.
Shared the nachos. The vegan cheese tastes like its from 1999. Kind of like puke with some herbs in it. Just a very slight implication of cheesiness.The chips were tiny... Nearly crums. Not sure if that was on purpose. The guacamole tasted like mushy salt.
I got some dish that sounded like it was going to be vegetables with some fake meat and fries. It was a big slab of fake meat that, like the cheese, tastes like something you'd get in the '90s. Fries were good. Vegetables looked like they came out of a frozen mixed bag. Tiny cuts of green beans, broccoli, and carrots. It came with yogurt even though I asked for it vegan. She took it back and got me some with no yogurt, no problem... but it's still irritating when yogurt was used for me.
One of my friends ordered a salad and the ceviche with mushrooms. The seviche came out a little before the rest of our food. It tasted like a really bad gaspacho. She figured they forgot her salad... But it ended up coming out about half an hour after our main dishes... Long after we were all done eating. The salad looked good. My other friend got that dish that looks like enchiladas... refried beans on the side... She said it tasted bland and, again, like it was made of vegan substitutes from the '90s.
I definitely wouldn't recommend this place, nor would I eat here again. Not only was the food bad, the wifi situation annoying, and the timing of the dishes coming out bizarre... but it was very expensive for this city. My dish was nearing $10, with the extra $1.50 they charge to make it vegan... Seems excessive.
Noticed that all the reviews from this year are poor. Maybe this place used to be good... It really isn't now. Would give it one star, but two is the lowest option showing up for me.
Updated from previous review on Sunday November 08, 2015
Pros: Location , Hours, Power Outles?
Cons: Food, Unmarked Vegan Menu Items , Music
Guest
Chelmi
Points +237
Bland food, horrible music - Edit
After 5 months in South America, my standards were already low, but still, I was so disappointed by the food served at El Maple that I ate at non vegetarian restaurants the few following dinners I was in Quito. It's a shame that the other veggie restaurant in the area are closed by 5-6 pm.
Read moreOh, and the music (dance/techno) is horrible and has no place in any restaurant.
Pros: Opening times
Cons: Bland food, Horrible music
Guest
OrgasmHurtsUs
Points +142
They use fluoridated salt - Edit
Here they use fluoridated salt! Skip it and go somewhere else. Sakti and Taoist place nearby are better choices.
Read morePros: location
Cons: fluoridated salt
Guest
Melania
Points +30
Not so good - Edit
The flavour is not as good as I expected, they took so long to bring my food, definitely not returning...
Read morePros: Good location, Lots of tables
Cons: Food is average
Guest
xZagx
Points +363
few vegan choices - Edit
I went there and I expected to eat a burger or a hot dog but none of their bread are suitable for vegan.
Read morefinally, I ate a houmous and the andinan sandwich (two little pita with falafels and tomato salad with onion).
The smoothies are not exceptionnal (too much agua ?). I also had the opportunity to taste the thai plate (with pasta and a lot of mushrooms).
Of course, I guess I didn't try the best plates of the restaurant but the vegan choices are very limited, and nothing is indicated on the menu (enven if the menu is long).
2 houmous + 1 sandwich of falafels + 1 thai plate + 2 smoothies for a total of 26$... That seemed to us a bit expensive in Ecuador.
Pros: atmosphere, staff helpful, opening hours
Cons: limited vegan choices, nothing exceptionnal, expensive
Guest
onlyrealfood
Points +32
Fantastic REAL vegetarian cuisine - Edit
Highly recommended restaurant with good vibe and great food. Ate there every night for a week and even meat eating friends were blown away by the variety offered. Real understanding of vegetarians need for proper food! Fake meat was excellent and available to buy to take away frozen. Friendly, smiley staff and a good price for a fresh meal.
Read morePros: Real understanding of vegetarianism, Happy staff, Variety
Guest
m@earthville
Points +10386
A very pleasant place for a bite or a drink - Edit
With three small dining rooms and two outdoor seating areas (a small courtyard in the front and a larger covered patio in the back), El Maple feels cozy and intimate even when it's busy. The relaxed cafe atmosphere, good music, free WiFi, and very warm and friendly staff make it an inviting place to relax for a while.
Read moreThe menu is fairly diverse. Few of the items are vegan, but some can be veganized on request. I ate here three times during my visit to Quito and my favorite dish by far was the "amuleto al ajillo," an appetizer of sautéed mushrooms and peppers. I also enjoyed the set lunch.
I really appreciate the fresh juices and the use of organic ingredients. I only wish they had a few more vegan options. Still, even for vegans, it's worth going at least once, especially Sundays and evenings (when Quinua and most other veg*n places on town are closed).
There are vegan desserts to sweeten the deal. The chocolate cake was my favorite (there are two kinds, and one has eggs, so be sure to be clear which one you're ordering), followed by the banana and plantain cake.
Enjoy!
Pros: Organic ingredients, fresh juices, vegan desserts
Cons: Limited vegan options
Guest
BettyxB
Points +126
Perfect fot my cravings - Edit
Nice break from the normal Arroz con Mesnestra that i had for the last 3 weeks in Ecuador, I got Hot dog and added avocado to it and it was perfect it comes with french fries too. Staff was very friendly, very easy to find and they have wifi. Def going back for the falafel sandwich and the burger
Read moreGuest
JanetCreech
Points +34
Will miss Quito and El Maple! - Edit
This restaurant was so memorable. Delicious, delicious food!! Also , nice atmosphere, music, server, and local microbrew. I had the hummus and samosa appetizers, vegetable soup, quinoa and vegetable salad.plus another Ecuadorean potato/corn/avocado /tofu dish It was all delicious and highly recommend all of these along with the local dark beer. I was so hungry from walking all day and was so happy to have discovered this restaurant. I was happily stuffed when I left. Total cost $25.19!
Read morePros: Delicious vegan/organic food, Local micro-brewed dark beer, Great atmosphere
Guest
bagleyc
Points +24
Nice little veggie place! - Edit
I highly recommend the Amuleto al ajillo (mushrooms and peppers with pita bread) for appetizer.
Read moreGuest
joakimikaoj
Points +92
Will return! - Edit
Ate here on my first day in Quito, sat next to a nice vegan couple who gave me further tips on how to survive in meat-loving Ecuador.
Read moreHad the set lunch menu which was all vegan, cost 5.50. Empanada, Seitan with rice and a juice. Food was good, but could have been great with some more spices. They were a little too quick with serving the main dish, otherwise helpful.
Pros: Open weekends
Cons: Boring side salad
Guest
choogirl
Points +807
Excellent - Edit
I went here twice for lunch and enjoyed my meal both times. The first time I had the menu of the day, which was vegan. You could get it with a fresh juice or pay less without. The second time I had a quinoa and veggie salad off the menu and it was also really good. The place has a lovely atmosphere and is nice to sit and relax in. I recommend going here.
Read morePros: Good hours, vegan options
Guest
javo01
Points +23
Typical Ecuadorian food, veggie version - Edit
Great restaurant in an active zone of the city. It is great to have the occasion to try a typical Ecuadorian dish despite being vegetarian (they replace the pork with soy-based meat). The food was delicious. Please try the mushrooms "al ajillo" (the first appetizer)...they're just amazing.
Read moreThe server was friendly, but service was weird (we got the entrees before the appetizer, and the juice almost at the end of the meal). But I would definitely go back.
Pros: Great taste, large portions, friendly staff
Cons: weird serving order
Guest
eatinggreen
Points +608
The go-to place in Quito - Edit
Last time we were in Quito was about 3yrs ago and at the time I recall we tried out every joint in town only to settle on El Maple as our firm favourite. This time we were in town for just 2 days so we cut straight to the chase and went directly here. Yup, still good. We really enjoyed the soups and the samosas... so much so that we bought several portions of the samosas to take with us on the plane. Drinks are yummy too. Service is all in Spanish but the menu is in English which helps. Oh yes and it's all organic. We'll be back again next time no doubt.
Read moreGuest
Stevie
Points +11765
El Maple, Quito - Edit
At time of writing there are 5 different vego restaurants in the Mariscal area, all within a few mins walk of each other. There is 1 distinct competitive feature El Maple has over the others, namely that it is open in the evenings and the weekend. There's plenty other options around for day time eating for evenings and weekends, its El Maple.
Read moreThere's a big choice of stuff on the menu. I ate here more than once and while its nice to try different things, a main course is more than enough to fill the gap.
No issues getting vegan food.
Its on Joaquin Pinto only 1 block away from the main social in Mariscal at the junction of Reina Victoria and Foch.
In the evening for a soup, main and fruit juice it cost me $7.70.
No issues with service, decor, atmo etc.
Pros: Vegan friendly, Open evenings & weekends
Cons: Closes early on Sunday
Guest
enRoute
Points +1413
Oasis on a hungry Sunday layover - Edit
This place was an unbelievably great find for a Sunday when absolutely every other veg restaurant in the city seemed to be closed. If you go by taxi, make sure you specify Joaquin PintO with an "O," as there is also a street named "Pinta" about 10 blocks away.
Read moreI tried the national platter as recommended here and really loved it. Also got some sandwiches for the flight that were perfect, including the quinoa falafel. Smoothies were right on. Great place!
Pros: great food, nice location, friendly, family-owned
Guest
LyshaSmith
Points +13
Great Menu - Edit
I guess I'm unsure as to why everyone seems to say that the food was bland. I got the typico comida and thought it was just that, typical food for the area, and I thought it was great. The menu had a diverse range of selections and there were some great drink choices as well. It was a bit pricey relative but for 16 USD I had the most expensive dish, a burger with FF for later, a kiwi banana smoothie and tea. I would never be able to find that in the states for that price so it's all relative. Staff was super nice as well. Oh and the chill-out beatles and Michael Jackson tunes were great as well.
Read morePros: food, service, location
Cons: a bit pricey
Guest
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