The Italian restaurant Caffé Milano in La Paz offers guests an authentic dining experience in the warmth of a well restored building dating more than a century   and located in the heart of downtown. The menu is a selection of traditional favorites including house made pastas, prime cuts, homemade sausages as well as fresh seafood, and organic salads, always accompanied with  daily baked bread.

I met Michele, our amphitrion, on the door of the Caffé on Esquerro #15, just before 16 de Septiembre, and one block back from the Malécon. As soon as I walked through the open portal into the restaurant I felt enveloped by the flair of a typical trattoria. Vaulted ceilings, sparkling white table settings, hand painted Mexican tile and bright artwork greeted my eyes.

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 Caffe Milano in La Paz
 

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As lovely and inviting as the restaurant interior was, I was easily distracted from the décor when my lunch entrées arrived. I had selected to the grilled Wahoo in capers and garlic with grilled vegetables. Two ample Wahoo steaks were lightly seasoned with the sauce of Lei’s creation. Since discovering sushi several decades ago, I have always felt that presentation was as important to a dining experience as the flavor of the food itself. Between the wonderful aroma and excellent food styling it only took a moment for me to dive in and satisfy my pallet. The entire dining experience was very satisfying. 

The building which houses the Caffé Milano cements the cultural blend which Lei and Michele have created. The now large, open dining room was once the living quarters and courtyard of one of the earliest large

CHEF LEI OF CAFFE MILANO PROVIDES US A WONDERFUL RECIPE FROM HER KITCHEN.  - CLICK HERE FOR HER RECIPE FOR SALSA DI NOCI
 

The unmistakable aromas of an Italian kitchen waft through the dining room and onto the street, and a flash of blue flame from the open kitchen at the end of the restaurant marked the moment when white wine, extra virgin olive oil and garlic met in a hot pan to seer what soon would be my lunch.

Lei, Michele’s wife and head chef emerged from the kitchen, where her assistant was sorting the recent delivery of fresh Roma tomatoes for the evening’s sauces. “We only use selected ingredients in our menu offerings” Lei explains; “we believe that Italian cuisine is very simple and the freshness of the ingredients is what makes the difference”.

While these vapors of palatable delights teased me, Lei and Michele told me the story of how the Caffé Milano came to be in La Paz. Michele had been studying hotel and restaurant administration in Bologna (Italy) and, as he neared completion of his education he made a list of locations around the world that would provide the opportunities for the lifestyle he sought. His list included Baja California, Madagascar, the Atcama desert (Chile), Namibia and Cabo Verde Island. Each offered a small city lifestyle while embracing a burgeoning upscale tourist industry, but shortly after arriving in La Paz he felt embraced by the warmth of this town and to the date, he hasn’t even visited the other potential destinations.

Lei left Hong Kong years ago traveling the world and experienced different cultures through Asia, the United States and Europe. Although she had lived in Italy, it was in La Paz where she and Michele met. The soul of the universe had brought these two strangers from two opposite corner of the world to meet in this magical place. With her love of cooking and Michele’s background in the travel industry, it wasn’t long before the Caffé Milano was on the drawing board. “The Caffé Milano opened three and a half years ago” Michele explained. “Lei created each of our recipes from a combination of my mother’s Italian recipes and her own experience”.

homes in La Paz. In the remodeling process great effort was taken to maintain that original homey environment. Lei explain, “When we peeled the plywood off the walls and got down to the original tile flooring we found that feeling of being “at home” was still here.” The rough masonry walls bring texture to the European bistro colors and the vaulted ceilings and subtle lighting make the dining room a very pleasant retreat, just off the busy side street. The stone countertop in the washroom is from the original construction and care was taken to match the original hand painted tile work on the restaurant floor.

The Caffé Milano is located in Downtown La Paz one block up from the Malécon near the bandstand plaza. They are open from 12:30 to 11:00 Monday to Saturday and can seat between 60-80 for diner or special event.

They offer a full bar and a wide selection of fine wines. Traditional Italian desserts and coffee beverages are available. Entrees include traditional Italian pasta offerings as well as fresh seafood and prime meats. Entrees range in price from 60 to 200 pesos.

You will find the wait staff is well trained and very courteous and both Michele and Lei and multilingual far beyond the needs of their English and Spanish speaking guests.

Reservations are encouraged for their busiest nights – Thursday through Saturday or for large groups.

Click here for a map for Caffé Milano in La Paz

Esquerro 15, Col. Centro, La Paz, B.C.S.
011-52-612-125-9981
Click here to email Caffé Milano
for additional information
 

Additional Resources

Map of La Paz
La Paz Resources
Resort Living at Hotel Prices - Club El Moro
Open Panga Fishing in La Paz
Mosquito Fleet Fishing Report
Diving in The Sea
La Paz Real Estate