El Zarape
El ZarapeOpen

El Zarape

Traditional Mexican cooking since 1988, with a big buffet, moles and chile en nogada

Note: Restaurante El Zarape on Calle México, plus El Zarape Malecón on the waterfront.

El Zarape has been cooking traditional Mexican food in La Paz since 1988. It began, in its own telling, with a small kitchen and a single cook, and grew into a family restaurant at the corner of Calle México and Oaxaca in Las Garzas, with a second location, El Zarape Malecón, on the waterfront.

The original restaurant is known for its buffet, where you can eat as much as you like, and for dishes from across Mexico: traditional moles, and a chile en nogada it says is made to the original recipe and served nowhere else in La Paz. It also has private rooms for 12 to 250 people and caters events. Each year it holds a Tamal Festival on 2 February (Día de la Candelaria), with tamales from all over the country, and a Mole Festival on the second Saturday of June.

El Zarape Malecón, on Paseo Álvaro Obregón in Esterito, is the sea-view location, with outdoor seating, cocktails and vegan options, and it stays open later. Diners at both report spending about $200–300 pesos per person. Both are closed on Monday.

What to order

  • The buffet (all you can eat)
  • Traditional moles
  • Chile en nogada
  • Chilaquiles with green salsa

At a Glance

Serves:
Mexican, Buffet, Breakfast, Mole
Price:
$$
Alcohol:
Served

Payment

Credit & debit cards: Verify
$USD acceptance: Varies — pay in pesos or card to be safe

A La Paz kitchen since 1988

El Zarape opened in 1988. The restaurant says it was started by Julia Lorena Hinojosa Oliva with a small kitchen and a single cook, and grew over more than three decades into the restaurant it is today.

Besides its daily menu and buffet, it runs yearly food festivals: tamales from across Mexico on Día de la Candelaria (2 February), and moles from around the country on the second Saturday of June.

Sources: El Zarape — our history (elzarapelapaz.com.mx) · El Zarape — our events (elzarapelapaz.com.mx)

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