If you’re looking for typical, high-quality Bolivian food that’s not simply grilled meat, El Vagón should be your first choice. These two restaurants are a father/son team. The father runs the restaurant in the downtown area of La Paz; the son is the manager of El Vagón del Sur in the ritzy Zona Sur (a 15-min., $4 taxi ride from the center of La Paz). El Vagón feels a bit older and dowdier than El Vagón del Sur. For some atmosphere, try to sit in the back room near the fireplace.
In contrast, the Zona Sur location looks as if it could be in California, with nice wood floors, stone walls, folksy art, hand-painted chairs, and colorful tablecloths. In the warmer months (Nov-Mar), there’s a huge garden for outdoor dining. Basically, the two restaurants offer the same excellent menu.
For a sampling of typical Bolivian food, order the picante surtido (tongue, chicken, and chopped meat all in a spicy red-chile sauce), served with chuño putti. If tongue isn’t your thing, try the silpancho. You can also order more conventional dishes such as pejerrey (fresh kingfish from Lake Titicaca). All dishes come with a complimentary chicken empanada (nice touch!).