The Seven Best Restaurants in Asunción

Where to eat well in Paraguay's capital: a 100% scientific guide.

Tomato carpaccio with queso paraguay “stracciatella” & pireca (Photo: Óga).

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Something’s happening with the foodie scene in Asunción: suddenly, there is one.

Maybe the winds of change are blowing from São Paulo or La Paz. Perhaps it’s a new generation of chefs that have trained in Lima and Mexico and brought back the vogue for small plates, emulsions and foam. It could simply be that Paraguay’s agro-export boom has created a small upper class able to splash out on fine dining.

Whatever it is, visitors to and residents of Paraguay’s capital need no longer subsist on mandioca, steak and more steak. Those with some spending money can now eat really well in the madre de ciudades. It’s hard to keep up with the new openings: a wildly popular Mexican-owned taco joint in Fernando de la Mora, sushi served omakase-style by a Japanese-Paraguayan chef in Luque.

But for me, the most interesting places are those revitalising Paraguay’s rich culinary heritage and native ingredients: not just corn a thousand ways, but apepu orange glaze on short ribs, earthy-sweet roast batata dipped in mayo with ky'ỹi pepper, cocktails the colour of imperial purple and infused with the Muscadine grape-like yvapurũ.

Here, I emphasise homegrown, single-location restaurants rather than foreign franchises which, however excellent — La Cabrera, for example — get plenty of custom as it is. While the sector is booming, food and restaurant criticism remains in its infancy in Paraguay. The expectation, several proprietors have told me, is that restaurants will pay for coverage or provide the dining experience for free, and even furnish the quote-unquote journalist with chunks of pre-written text.

So, just for the avoidance of doubt, I haven’t accepted any freebies or cash bribes from anyone in exchange for a glowing write-up. These are simply places that I personally recommend and want to see continue to thrive. Buen provecho!

Óga

Full disclosure: since I featured Óga in my NYT guide to Asunción earlier this year, I’ve become friends with owner-chefs Romi and Beto. But even if I hated their guts, I would still recommend their unpretentious, quietly innovative restaurant on a quiet residential street on the edge of Las Mercedes. The menu evolves with the seasons and according to what’s available: think surubí ceviche; a crispy chipa guazú with confit cherries; and tapa cuadril seared to perfection on the grill. The creativity extends to the drinks — featuring combinations of national rum, naranja hai (bitter orange) and yerba mate syrups, and distilled mandioca spirit — and the desserts, with a modern take on kiveve (corn churros, cream and squash sorbet) currently on offer. For me, Óga is the standard-bearer of the New Paraguayan Cuisine.

Toro

In a crowded market for barbecue, Toro stands out for its superb beef, the relaxed-yet-attentive service, and the finely crafted extras on the menu. Some of the starters push the envelope — tongue a la parrilla; beef tartar with roast bone marrow; creamy sweetbreads — although there’s also pork sausage, and provolone with charred peppers and serrano ham. The tomahawk and prime rib steak are aged for at least thirty days at Señor Parrilla, Toro’s sister carnicería. The sides are solid and, rather than an afterthought, the desserts are an attraction in their own right: the deconstructed queso paraguay with dulce de mamón is one of the best postres I’ve had in years, and I’ve got my eye on the crêpe flambé with dulce de leche for next time.