Must-see restaurants in Norte Grande

  • Santorini

    Iquique

    A surprising find in Iquique, Santorini serves up a huge menu of authentic Greek fare, best enjoyed in the bougainvillea-draped back patio. Aside from…

  • Baltinache

    San Pedro de Atacama

    A short walk south from busy Caracoles, Baltinache has some of San Pedro's best cuisine. Thick adobe walls hung with geoglyph-inspired artwork and…

  • El Wagón

    Iquique

    Almost single-handedly taking on the task of preserving the region's culinary traditions, this rustically decked-out dining hall serves up a fantastic…

  • Cafe del Sol

    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…

  • Los Aleros de 21

    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…

  • Franchuteria

    San Pedro de Atacama

    About 500m east of the plaza, you'll find San Pedro's best bakery. Run by a talented young Frenchman, Franchuteria has beautifully baked goods, including…

  • La Mayor Sandwicheria

    Iquique

    This small rock-music-loving joint dishes up sizzling gourmet burgers and frothy craft brews to a postsurf crowd near the beach. The draw: delectable…

  • Rayú

    Arica

    Across the street from Playa Chinchorro, Rayú has earned a strong following for its creative menu that fuses Italian and Peruvian dishes. The upscale,…

  • Las Delicias de Carmen

    San Pedro de Atacama

    Great breakfasts, delicious cakes and empanadas, brick-oven pizzas (choose your own toppings) and different dishes daily are churned out at this light…

  • La Casona

    San Pedro de Atacama

    A high-ceilinged dining room with dark wood paneling and an adobe fireplace in the middle, classic La Casona serves up sizzling parrilladas (mix of…

  • Babalú

    San Pedro de Atacama

    One of several ice-cream shops on the main street, Babalú serves up rich flavors you won't find at home. Try ice creams made from desert fruits like…

  • Monorganiko

    Iquique

    This tiny cafe secreted away inside a surf shop serves some of Iquique's best coffees. The barista will prepare it any way you like – V60, Aeropress,…

  • Tio Jacinto

    Norte Grande

    One of Antofogasta's best places for a meal, the family-run Tio Jacinto serves mouth-watering plates of locos (Chilean abalone), erizos (sea urchin) and…

  • Lucano

    Arica

    A bit outside the center, open-sided Lucano has an easygoing charm with checkered tablecloths, outdoor tables and a soundtrack of American soul, funk and…

  • Adobe

    San Pedro de Atacama

    Popular with travelers for its studied rusticity, rock-art decor, bench-like seating and smoky fire in the alfresco dining room. Adobe serves tasty but…

  • Mata-Rangi

    Arica

    Superb seafood is served at this adorable spot hanging over the harbor by the fishing jetty. A wooden shack-style place packed with wind chimes, it has a…

  • La Mulata

    Iquique

    Some of the best cooking in town is served at this lively Peruvian-Japanese restaurant. Service is snappy but personable, portions are well-sized without…

  • Todo Natural

    San Pedro de Atacama

    Local ingredients like quinoa, plus Asian influences, whole-wheat sandwiches, good salads and other healthy offerings fill out the lengthy menu here. The…

  • Cantaverdi

    Norte Grande

    Two rustic rooms with contemporary artwork and a fireplace right off the main plaza. The menu features a few Andean staple dishes as well as crowd…

  • El Guru

    Iquique

    Locals flock to this homey spot for its good-value, classic cooking. Come early for changing lunch specials of grilled fish, steak or pork served up with…

  • Salon de Te 890

    Arica

    Come to this cheerful teahouse for pizzas, sandwiches and heavenly sweet cakes served in a pair of pastel-colored rooms with old-timey decoration. Don't…

  • Maracuyá

    Arica

    Treat yourself to a superb seafood meal complete with snappily attired servers and sea views at this villa-style restaurant next to Playa El Laucho…

  • El Tercer Ojito

    Iquique

    Recognizable by the huge lump of quartz outside, this laid-back restaurant serves great vegetarian and carnivore-friendly dishes. Its globally inspired…

  • Govinda's

    Arica

    Take a break from meat and fish at this welcoming vegetarian eatery around the corner from the cathedral. The menu changes daily and might feature the…

  • Señora Jacqueline

    Norte Grande

    You'll have to poke around to find this unsigned, informal place set in one enterprising local's home. Señora Jacqueline cooks up whole fish and whatever…

  • El Arriero

    Norte Grande

    Meat is the specialty at this rustic dining room decked out with arches, dried hanging hams and a fountain in the middle. Full of old-fashioned charm, it…

  • Cafe Peregrino

    San Pedro de Atacama

    Overlooking the plaza, this well-placed cafe has a few shaded cafe tables strategically placed for people-watching. Foodwise, you'll find pizzas,…

  • Bongo

    Norte Grande

    Buzzy eatery with thick-cushioned booths, a tidy mezzanine above and a good-and-greasy menu for those times when only a draft beer and burger – preferably…

  • Mousse

    Arica

    One of several appealing indoor-outdoor eateries facing Plaza Colón, Mousse serves a great variety of pastas and pizzas, plus breakfast fare, tostadas …

  • Blanco

    San Pedro de Atacama

    The hippest eatery in town, this all-white adobe-clad restaurant has artful bamboo lampshades, a terrace with a fireplace out back, a good range of dishes…

  • Letras y Musica

    Norte Grande

    Across from the plaza, Antofogasta's beautifully designed public library has a charming cafe tucked in the back. Stop in for sandwiches, changing lunch…

  • Boulevard Vereda Bolognesi

    Arica

    Hip little shopping mall with a clutch of cool cafes, restaurants and bars. Choose between a Peruvian joint, an Italian restaurant or a sushi bar, and eat…

  • El Toconar

    San Pedro de Atacama

    El Toconar has one of the best garden setups in town, complete with bonfires for those chilly desert nights. Also on offer is a wide menu and a superb…

  • Bavaro

    Calama

    Part of a chain that covers pretty much all northern Chile, this place still has rustic charm and serves up a good variety of meat dishes and seafood. The…

  • El Pomelo

    Norte Grande

    A few blocks north of the plaza, El Pomelo is the best place to eat in town, with hearty lunch specials (CH$6000), grilled meats and fresh juices. It has…

  • Rosamel

    Norte Grande

    On a corner of the plaza, Rosamel has a big menu of Andean dishes, including lomo de alpaca con papas fritas (alpaca meat with fries). There are a few…

  • Salon de Te O2

    San Pedro de Atacama

    Early-morning breakfasts, great quiches, juicy meat sandwiches and lovely tarts are the highlights of this colorful cafe run by a French-Chilean couple…

  • Ckunna

    San Pedro de Atacama

    Come for the homemade pastas and the fusion of altiplano and Mediterranean fare served inside an old school building a stroll from the main strip. There's…

  • M.Koo

    Iquique

    Colorful corner shop famous for its crumbly chumbeques – sweet biscuits filled with mango, lemon, guava, passion fruit, manjar (dulce de leche) and other…

  • Tchiuchi

    San Pedro de Atacama

    If San Pedro's high prices have you down, pay a visit to this no-nonsense rotisserie-chicken joint. A quarter of a chicken with fries will set you back…