Restaurants in Patagonia
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Pura Vida
Featuring the rare treat of Argentine home cooking, this offbeat, low-lit eatery is a must. Even after years of success, the owners can be found cooking up buttery spiced chicken pot pies and filling wine glasses. For vegetarians, brown rice and wok veggies or various salads are satisfying, but don’t skip the decadent chocolate brownie steeped in warm berry sauce and ice cream for dessert. Reserve ahead.
reviewed
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A
La Cervecería Brew Pub & Resto
That aprés-hike pint usually evolves into a night out in this humming pub with simpatico staff and a feisty female beer master. Savor a stein of unfiltered blond pilsner or turbid bock with pasta or locro (a spicy stew of maize, beans, beef, pork and sausage).
reviewed
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Pascasio
In a elegant, pared-down setting, this local star offers tasty innovations like wok seafood and ginger noodles, as well as exotic dishes like ñandú, wild boar and hare. Save room for decadent desserts, such as the serious 'study in chocolate.'
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Mr Jones
Serving a wealth of yummy stouts and reds, homemade pot pie, and fish and chips, this favorite local pub always delivers. Service is friendly but tends to be slow.
reviewed
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La Tasca de Muelle Viejo
Whipping up tasty empanadas and traditional dishes like puchero, a hearty stew thick with veggies, this bohemian riverside cafe overflows with warm ambience.
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La Lechuza
Serves a classic selection of empanadas, salads and pizza on round wooden plates – try the sheep cheese and olive pizza with a local microbrew.
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La Anónima
Head to La Anónima for cheap take-out and groceries.
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Viva la Pepa
Decked out in children’s drawings, this cheerful cafe specializes in crepes but also offers great sandwiches with homemade bread (try the chicken with apple and blue cheese), fresh juice and gourds of mate. Unfortunately, prices are somewhat inflated.
reviewed
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Don Pichón
For dinner with a view, it’s hard to beat Don Pichón, perched high above the lake on the outskirts of town. The casual but classy lodge-style dining room features high wood-beamed ceilings and huge panes of glass revealing sweeping scenic views; the melt-in-your-mouth lamb is a huge hit with travelers. Call ahead to ask about complimentary shuttle pick-up.
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Laguanacazul
Laguanacazul dares to take Patagonian cuisine to new places, with stir-fried trout and slow-cooked lamb with vegetables. The waterfront location is lovely and the interior quite stylish, but the service is practically snobbish; it’s not advisable to come in here wearing grubby backpacker clothes.
reviewed
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Puerto Darwin
Featuring sandwiches, picadas and fish, this cafe run by Darwin Expediciones is easygoing and has views of the port. It’s a hike from downtown and street numbers aren’t labeled: keep walking along the water until you reach the other side of a fenced-in industrial area.
reviewed
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Salón Iturrioz
This charming brick corner cafe is the temporary home of antiques and photographs that will eventually be on display at the Museo Regional Cueva de las Manos (being built across the street). Check out the artifacts, including a gorgeous old silver cash register, while waiting for your hot chocolate.
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Plácido
Chic and waterfront, this white-linen restaurant serves beautifully presented versions of traditional dishes such as shrimp in garlic and cordero patagónico (Patagonian lamb) in a minimalist setting. Try the shellfish sampler paired with a white from Bodega Fin del Mundo.
reviewed
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Los Colonos
Depending on your perspective, the design of this corner restaurant – resembling an old wooden ship, complete with a mini lighthouse near the entrance – is either corny or festive. We vote for the latter, but maybe that’s just because the seafood is fresh and classically prepared.
reviewed
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Viva El Viento
This stylish cafe and restaurant – boasting fresh salads, strong coffee, free wi-fi and warm service by the Dutch owner and his Argentine girlfriend – is a traveler’s oasis. The menu offers gourmet versions of classic dishes like milanesas, burgers, grilled salmon and steak.
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Lizard Café
The ‘burger pizza’ hasn’t caught on yet, but this corner cafe, which also serves decent salads, fills up since it’s almost always open.
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El Cucharón
This sophisticated eatery, tucked away in a small space a few blocks off the main street, is a relatively undiscovered gem and an excellent place to try the regional classic cazuela de cordero. The trout with lemon sauce and grilled vegetables is delicious, too.
reviewed
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Taska Beltza
For a big night out, try the Basque cooking of Chef Negro, who expertly steams fish and crafts tasty pastas. Portions are small, leaving room for homemade banana ice cream drizzled with dark chocolate and dulce de leche (milk caramel). Reservations are advised.
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Sushy Delicatessen
This sophisticated wine bar and deli beckons weary travelers with bottles of good malbec and ample cheese plates. The decor is warm and stylish, with Patagonian vintages lining the walls and a few cozy nooks where you can read, write or plan the next leg of your trip.
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Ambigú
Locals gravitate toward this corner cafe with a focus on fresh ingredients. Ambigú masters a gamut of dishes, including seafood – try the langostinos (prawns) in sea salt – and pizza. The setting is an elegant renovation of a historic bank building, backlit by warm colors.
reviewed
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Estela
The sweet smell of sautéeing garlic stops pedestrians in their tracks, this classic parrilla also does pasta and fish in an intimate, unpretentious setting. While it has a longstanding reputation, some customers have complained of uneven day-to-day quality.
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Malaespina
A chic restaurant-bar catering to playful palates, Malaespina is lustrous and low lit with ample lounge space. A wide selection of gourmet salads and sandwiches fills the menu and a huge flat-screen TV shows fútbol (soccer) matches and music videos.
reviewed
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18 Horas
A true neighborhood joint with cracked vinyl chairs and Boca football memorabilia. Half the fun is the seasoned waiter who addresses clients as 'captain' or 'old man.' There is a hearty daily special, but chicken Provencal with fries is also a good choice.
reviewed
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Casimiro Biguá
With warm copper accents and a hustling staff, this chic eatery and vinoteca (wine bar) offers an impressive list of 180 Argentine wines. The chef creates wonderful homemade pasta, risotto, lamb stew, and grilled trout and steak. Two new locations have popped up nearby to accommodate the masses: a trattoria and a parrilla.
reviewed
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Juniors
Juniors Milanesas (breaded fish), empanadas and home-cooked meals are served in this casual trophy-packed social club. Kids play table tennis in the back while pops serves cold ones on a bar top painted with Curly, Larry and Mo.
reviewed