Closer Look: Evolution at Pikaia Lodge, Galapagos

The spring issue of OLTRE, which goes live today, includes my review of South America’s Next Great Restaurant: Evolution at Pikaia Lodge on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos, Ecuador, where chef Cristian Puente elevates Ecuadorian cuisine perhaps better than anyone else in the country. I find this fascinating because of the location. In Quito a restaurant like this would be a no-brainer. But most visitors go to the Galapagos, primarily by cruise ship or yacht, for one reason: the giant tortoises, blue footed boobies and countless other wildlife. This is, after all, the place where Charles Darwin first crystalized his hypothesis for the theory of evolution (hence the restaurant’s name).

I have to confess: The tortoises are great — far more impressive than I ever imagined. But the food is what drew me here, so I spent most of my time at the resort rather than out exploring. The wildlife was just a bonus. Whatever your intentions might be for traveling to the Galapagos, do whatever it takes to get to Santa Cruz Island to visit this restaurant. This is Ecuadorian cuisine at its finest, and Pikaia Lodge (pronounced pick-aya) is quite possibly the nicest hotel in Ecuador (both the restaurant and hotel are Relais & Chateaux). As usual, a mere six-page story in OLTRE can accommodate only a handful of images, not nearly enough to tell the whole story. So here’s a more extensive look around:

Evolution restaurant

Pikaia Lodge’s Evolution by Christian Puente is easily one of the finest restaurants in Ecuador.

Pikaia Lodge and environs

Pikaia Lodge is a Relais & Chateaux resort on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos. There aren’t many hotels on the islands, and there’s nothing else in Galapagos operating at this standard. It’s a great alternative to visiting Galapagos on a cruise ship because you can sleep on solid ground at night.

Pikaia Lodge’s private yacht, the M/Y Vision

Most people who visit the Galapagos do so via cruise ship. At Pikaia Lodge, you can still get that water adventure because Pikaia has its own 150-foot yacht, allowing guests to explore the islands by day. When you book a room at the lodge, it comes with a corresponding private cabin on the yacht (with a private bathroom).

Pikaia Lodge M/Y Vision — Pikaia Lodge’s M/Y Vision in the Galapagos, Ecuador (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)

And where to eat in Quito

Getting to Galapagos requires a stopover in either Quito or Guayaquil, Ecuador, and the airport connections can be excruciatingly long. The best option is to spend a couple days in Quito. These are the two restaurants there I liked best: one super-fancy, one very casual.

Read the full article in the spring 2025 issue of OLTRE, the luxury travel magazine of Internova Travel Group. For a subscription and full access to the print editions, contact your Internova-affiliated travel advisor. For more dining and travel inspiration, I invite you to follow me and join the conversation on Instagram, Facebook and Threads. (I’m no longer active on Twitter/X.)