In this guide
Caacupé has two places to eat: large restaurants along Ruta PY02, easy if you are driving or in a group, and the centre around the Basilica, with traditional food, chipa and stalls. Choose by plan: a quick lunch after Mass, an all-you-can-eat family meal, or a quiet dinner. If you visit near 8 December, eat early and leave extra time.
Where to have lunch in Caacupé
- On Ruta PY02: Caacupé is 54 km from Asunción on the PY02 (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)), and the highway has restaurants with parking and big dining rooms. Good if you are passing through or travelling with kids.
- In the centre: hotels, restaurants and bars around the Basilica sell food, and stalls join them during the festival (Última Hora, 2015 (opens in a new tab)). Most convenient if you are walking to Mass or the Tupãsy Ykua spring.
- On the outskirts: the pricier restaurants and steakhouses tend to be on the edge of town among greenery, while the centre has ice-cream parlours, juice bars and cafés (Expatra (opens in a new tab)).
Two restaurants worth knowing
- Churrasquería Brasil: all-you-can-eat Brazilian grill on Ruta 2, open daily 10:30 to 22:30, with parking, air conditioning and card payment (Visit Paraguay (opens in a new tab)). It grills more than 12 cuts and has a salad buffet, hot dishes, pasta and feijoada; the signature is garlic picanha. In 2023 the buffet cost G. 80,000 per person and the two dining rooms seated more than 300 (Infonegocios, 2023 (opens in a new tab)). Good for big groups and birthdays; check the current price.
- De las Sierras Resto: the Alta Gracia Hotel's restaurant, with an eclectic Paraguayan and international menu and desserts, bookings, parking and cards (Visit Paraguay (opens in a new tab); Trip.com (opens in a new tab)). The choice for a calmer meal or a celebration; Trip.com lists it as kid-friendly with vegan options.
What local food to try
Chipa (cheese and cassava bread) and guava sweets are the town's classics (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). The pilgrims' combo is chipa with cocido (sweet yerba tea) for breakfast and chipa with butifarra sausage in the afternoon. According to Última Hora, chipa sellers set up behind the Basilica and along the pedestrian walk beside it, and some food vendors moved into the former Municipal Market, which has a roof, tables and chairs (Última Hora, 2015 (opens in a new tab)). For a cheap sit-down meal, head there.
How to choose a restaurant
- Pick the meal first: quick lunch, buffet or long dinner. A buffet pays off for a hungry group; for two people, a short menu works better.
- Groups of six or more: message ahead with numbers and time. The big highway dining rooms host birthdays and events, so a Saturday may be booked.
- With kids: ask about high chairs, outdoor space and a children's menu.
- Payment: 7 in 10 electronic payments in Paraguay are by QR code, and restaurants are the third-largest sector using it (ABC Color, 2026 (opens in a new tab)). Bring cash for the stalls in the centre.
What changes around 8 December
The novena runs from 28 November to 8 December, with checkpoints on the PY02 and fixed bus stops (La Nación, 2025 (opens in a new tab)). The centre fills up and in 2015 the stalls at the former market opened from 5:00 to midnight. Eat lunch before noon or after 14:00, book for groups and park well away from the Basilica.
The rest of the year Caacupé is a quiet town, and on weekdays you will find a table without booking.
FAQ
Where to eat in Caacupé?
At restaurants on Ruta PY02, which have parking and big dining rooms, or in the centre near the Basilica, with restaurants, chipa stalls and the former Municipal Market with tables.
Is there an all-you-can-eat restaurant in Caacupé?
Yes. Churrasquería Brasil on Ruta 2 runs a meat buffet daily from 10:30 to 22:30 according to Visit Paraguay. Check the price before you go.
What local food should I try in Caacupé?
Chipa with cocido in the morning and chipa with butifarra in the afternoon, plus guava sweets. The chipa sellers are behind the Basilica.
Do I need to book lunch in Caacupé?
Rarely on weekdays. Book ahead for large groups at weekends and during the week of 8 December.
