El Alto International Airport

Dining at El Alto International Airport is a pleasant surprise for travelers expecting the bare minimum. The main terminal's modest food court punches above its weight, anchoring itself around a handful of Bolivian-run cafés and snack counters that serve genuinely satisfying food. Grab a steaming api morado — a thick, warming purple corn drink — paired with a buñuelo or pastel de queso before a chilly morning departure. The altitude is brutal; the comfort food is a worthy antidote.

For something more substantial, the sit-down café near the departure gates does a respectable silpancho, the beloved Bolivian platter of breaded beef, rice, fried egg, and tomato-onion salsa that locals swear by as honest, filling fuel. You'll also find freshly made salteñas — those glorious, juice-filled Bolivian empanadas — available in the early hours before they sell out, because they always sell out. Coffee is locally sourced from the Yungas valleys and noticeably better than the generic airport brew you'd find almost anywhere else in South America.

Don't overlook the smaller kiosks tucked near the check-in hall on the departures level. These are where you'll find the most authentic bites: chicharrón de cerdo sandwiches, cups of chuño soup on colder mornings, and freshly squeezed mocochinchi — a chilled peach-based drink that is uniquely Bolivian and quietly addictive. The airport isn't a culinary destination in itself, but with a little wandering and an open appetite, you'll leave feeling like you've had a proper send-off from Bolivia.