Norte Grande
On weekend nights, this ramshackle corner restobar comes alive with live Andean music and dancing (CH$3000 cover after 11pm). Other nights, it serves a…
Must-see restaurants in South America
Salta & the Andean Northwest
Set in the venerable adobe Jesuit chapel 1km from the center, this place makes an atmospheric venue for a lunch of traditional local specialties, such as…
São Paulo
Top chef Morena Leite turns out excellent regional Brazilian fare, with an emphasis on local and organic ingredients, served in a relaxed, beautifully…
São Paulo
This classic Centro lanchonete (snack bar) serves working folk's meals at all hours, but its signature pernil (pork loin) sandwich, smothered in the…
Buenos Aires
Cadore, one of BA's classic heladerías (ice-cream parlors), was founded by the Italian Olivotti family in 1957. Famous for its version of dulce de leche …
Cuzco
Cuzco's finest coffee shop is shoehorned into a tiny locale at the top of San Blas hill. All espresso drinks feature double shots made with Peruvian…
Brazil
Mangai's spectacular regional buffet is available in other cities, but it hails from João Pessoa. Most items are labeled in English, and there’s plenty…
Salento
We love Lucy for her gut-busting, best-value-in-town meals: fish, beef or chicken served with rice, beans, plantain and soup, consumed at busy communal…
Along the Río Paraná
This old-fashioned Italian-style bakery and cafe serves delicious pastries and excellent coffee accompanied by chipacitos (little cheese scones). It's all…
Guatapé
A friendly Italian-run place near the sports field serving up the best pizzas in Guatapé, nay – the region! Freshly baked, fluffy crusts, high-quality…
Norte Chico
Head to this cute little cafe with old posters and newspaper clips, adjacent to Casa Tornini, for its delicious cakes, sandwiches and real espressos on…
Bolivia
Homemade tagliatelle, gnocchi and ravioli pastas with delicious sauces, not to mention the best pizza in town, make this a must for those wanting a little…
Córdoba & the Central Sierras
The food that comes out of the clay oven at this riverside restaurant is as delightful as the setting; think local trout, great steaks and a range of…
Middle Chile
Stylish restaurants are thin on the ground in Chillán – perhaps that's why the gleaming black tables here are always booked up on weekends. Or maybe it's…
Rio Grande do Sul
Pastry chef Amanda Selbach honed her skills at France's Institut Paul Bocuse. Colorful macarons (R$5; try bergamot!), decadent eclairs (R$14), mille…
Coastal Patagonia
A favorite of townsfolk, this elegant parrilla grills excellent beef and whole roast lamb and serves crisp shoestring fries in a setting of white linens…
Northern Patagonia
Come for simple but outstanding Chilean comfort food. The fried merluza (hake) comes fresh, crisp and oversized, though you probably won't want to share…
Asunción
One of the city's most famous all-you-can-eat restaurants. There are more than 15 different cuts of mouthwatering meats, and salad, pasta and sushi bars…
Pará
This small kiosk just west of the center serves the best tacacá (local soup with shrimp) we've tasted in Brazil. A late-afternoon bowl of this local…
Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
Fish dishes, steaks, homemade pasta, burgers and salads round out the menu at this well-regarded eatery blessed with unsurpassable ocean views. The…
Bariloche
Ask Bariloche residents who serves the best ice cream in Bariloche and most will reply with one word: ‘Jauja.’ Of the 60 or so flavors, there are usually…
Arica
One of Arica's best restaurants serves up excellent grilled meat and seafood dishes amid wood paneling and an old-fashioned ambience. Service is generally…
Belém
The 'King of Cod' is a Belém classic, with cheap and cheerful service and fresh street-food staples straight from the nearby fish market. It's no-frills,…
Lençóis
Fantastically fresh, hearty portions of handmade pastas and jazz music are on the menu at this gourmet restaurant. Opening days can vary during the off…
Paraguay
This place has top-notch Japanese food and is a deserved local favorite with unbelievable udon, super sushi and tempting tofu dishes. Food fit for a…
Valparaíso
Extremely flavorful and very filling set breakfasts or lunches make this funky 10-table cafe the best value in town. There are also delicious cakes,…
Ollantaytambo
This whistle-stop cafe serves elegant and well-priced Peruvian fare. It’s inviting, with an open kitchen bordered by heaping fruit bowls and candles…
Santa Catarina
From a charming candlelit porch in Canto da Lagoa, a small but delectable daily-changing menu of Med-inspired contemporary dishes makes for one of Floripa…
Arequipa
Upscale but not ridiculously pricey, Zig Zag is a Peruvian restaurant with European inflections. It inhabits a two-story colonial house with an iron…
Chiloé
A family-run treasure, El Chejo offers honest food prepared with love by a family that fawns over its patrons. There's no menu – you get what's good that…
Sur Chico
Chinese, Mexican, Thai, Indian, Italian – it's a passport for your palate at this gay-friendly restobar that is ground zero for foreigners. The food isn't…
Isla del Sol
Want a candlelit dinner of organic vegetarian pizza at 4000m? Head to this beloved hilltop restaurant with wonderful westerly views. There are also pastas…
Santa Catarina
Our favorite of the atmospheric seafood restaurants that line the western coast of Lagoa de Conceicão in the village of Costa da Lagoa. A wealth of just…
Puerto Varas
Evoking the rainy-day cafes of the American Pacific Northwest, this charming spot run by an adorable Seattleite dishes up scrumptious house-produced bread…
Sucre
This atmospheric bar-restaurant serves a mixture of typical Bolivian food and international dishes (the latter, such as chicken tandoori, pad thai or…
Quito
Opened in 1950, Modelo is one of the city’s oldest cafes and a great spot to try traditional snacks such as empanadas de verde (empanadas made with…
Pucón
This time-honored favorite does some of Pucón's best gastronomic work for the price, boasting innovative flavor combinations and fresh-baked everything…
Amazon Basin
Healthy food is the name of the game here, with all-day breakfasts, homemade pastries, vegetarian dishes, soups and salads on a breezy terrace across from…
Buenos Aires
This much-loved pizza joint on Av Corrientes has been feeding the masses since 1932. For a quick pit stop (and the cheapest prices), order a slice of…
Uruguay
Set amid vineyards and orchards 13km from Carmelo, this restaurant in a restored 1908 farmstead serves gourmet pasta, Uruguayan beef, organic vegetables…
