Objective:

To analyze on the way proximity tourists relate to the traditional food that is offered in the emblematic establishments of the Historic Center of Quito, Ecuador, the main destination visited in the city (61%) and its food establishments are the most representative tourist activity with 79.2%.

Methodology:

A qualitative and quantitative case study was carried out based on semi-structured interviews with the owners of the emblematic food establishments, farmers, government sector and specialists on food and tourism, in addition to a survey applied to 784 tourists.

Results:

The food establishments continue to offer traditional dishes that attract the proximity tourism from the nostalgia they evoke in food memory.

Limitations:

This exploratory study only addresses the interactions between supply and demand. This is from a heritage tourism perspective. Future research should explore structural and functional aspects of heritage, based on the complex interactions that occur in the global structure of culinary tourism.

Conclusions:

The connection between food services in the Historic Center and the local food culture is a key aspect to the preservation and valorization of the products, techniques, and processes of the traditional cuisine of Quito. It is concluded that nostalgia, bonds of trust, colonial architecture and daily life are key aspects in the continuity of the food heritage.

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