Recoleta & Barrio Norte
This long-running, cozy little joint has some of the cheapest food in Recoleta, attracting both penny-pinching locals and thrifty tourists. Order spicy…
Must-see restaurants in South America
Puerto Iguazú
A really nice place to eat or have a beer is this market in the north of town. It’s full of stalls selling Argentine wines, sausages, olives and cheese to…
Bahia
This landmark bar and restaurant attracts Amado fans (two of the novelist's fictional protagonists met here) for moquecas (fish stews) and cold beer…
Uyuni
Tika's chic, modern dining room is an appealing setting to sample contemporary takes on traditional Bolivian dishes, such as charque lipeño (sun-dried…
San Telmo
The small dining room fills up quickly at this almacén (grocery store)–style restaurant. There's an excellent wine list to match the menu of top-notch…
Coastal Patagonia
The best restaurant in town sits on the waterfront but doesn't have ocean views. Still, you will be entertained enough with the excellent wine…
French Guiana
Buzzing ambience meets white-tablecloth elegance at Cayenne's chicest dining spot. Ring the buzzer to enter, and don't be put off by the initial darkness…
Tena
Everyone in town seems to drop by this superpopular Swiss-run riverfront joint, whether it’s for the wide choice of breakfasts, delicious batidos (fruit…
Palermo
The menu at this modern parrilla is limited, but everything on it is spectacular, from the crispy provoleta (barbecued cheese), to the homemade chorizo …
Pollos y Parrilladas El Centro
Central Highlands
There are two large parts to this plaza-facing restaurant – separated by the kitchen – and at lunchtime every inch of space is needed, as seemingly all of…
Along the Río Paraná
You might have to wait for a table at this popular little corner cafe where locals go for their merienda to plug the gap between lunch and the late…
Georgetown
The best Indian food in town is rather a way from downtown, but it's well worth the trip by cab. The menu is huge and takes in all the classics, including…
North Coast
This sophisticated seafooder at the far north end of town specializes in lunchtime ceviches and is the best place in town for top-notch seafood. Though…
Mendoza
Classic gourmet Mendoza-style, Azafrán has a rustic-chic decor true to its roots as an ordinary deli. It serves innovative versions of classic Argentine…
Uyuni
This convivial spot inside Toñito Hotel is run by Chris from Boston and his Bolivian wife Sussy, and is a travelers’ favorite. Sample the best pizzas in…
São Paulo
Most folks crave burgers and fries after a late night of being overserved in Vila Madelana, but if your sweet tooth is calling, the neighborhood outlet of…
Porto Seguro
One of the classiest per-kilo eateries around, Rabanete puts out a mouthwatering buffet of gourmet dishes, from pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and basil to…
Palermo
At this unpretentious but excellent bistro, chef Rodrigo Castilla cooks up an eclectic range of dishes such as grilled venison, rabbit stuffed with…
Palermo
Some place serves some of the city’s best Naples-style pizzas, made with quality ingredients and finished in a hot wood-fired oven so the thin crusts char…
Mendoza & the Central Andes
The name, a holdover from when the restaurant was located at high altitude in Las Leñas, could refer to its status in the Malargüe dining scene, such as…
Montevideo
This converted market on Ciudad Vieja's waterfront remains a Montevideo classic, even if the steady influx of cruise ships into the adjacent port has made…
Leticia
With one of the most varied and interesting menus in town, Santo Angel is a popular place for an evening meal. Diners spill out all over the street, and…
Buenos Aires
This simple, traditional, long-running parrilla (steakhouse) is well-known for its excellent quality meats and generous portions. Also on offer are…
Sur Chico
Temuco's best-kept secret is an underground locals' haunt specializing in the fresh, simple food of the countryside served out of an indigenous-themed…
Rio Grande do Sul
This decadent cafe and chocolataria makes for a mighty fine stop for a sweet treat (we're partial to the Italian merengue and doce de leite–topped Avenida…
French Guiana
The best restaurant in St Laurent, 'the Schooner' is indeed built boatlike over the river and offers a selection of breezy tables with great views toward…
Mendoza
The priciest and finest coffee in the city is served at this elegant and sophisticated cafe. Silla 14 resembles the parlor of an upscale colonial-era home…
Gramado
An accommodating family – mom, dad and daughter – of Genova-descended Brazilians run this homespun trattoria. Classic sauces (pesto, carbonara, bolognese)…
Santa Cruz
Locals say this is the place to go for the country's best steaks and we agree. There's a buzz about El Arriero, with its multicolored cow statues, high…
The Pampas & the Atlantic Coast
Seriously good coffee (an in-house blend of three different fair-trade beans), sandwiches made with freshly baked bread, satisfying brunches and a…
Cali & Southwest Colombia
Well worth a walk from central Pasto, this ambitious restaurant is one of several responsible for pushing Pasto's culinary boundaries beyond empanadas and…
Mendoza & the Central Andes
A chance for a little variety, a welcome rarity in these parts, might make this taqueria's tacos and quesadillas seem exceptionally good. It's a cool and…
Centro & the Mainland
This outstanding, award-winning por-kilo buffet concentrates on a more subtle selection of daily dishes, all focused on high-quality, home-cooked goodness…
Amazon Basin
Fusion in the jungle! This Tunisian emigre to Bolivia, via Paris, makes some awesome fish dishes (pescado Juliano is particularly tasty) and has the only…
Foz do Iguaçu
This informal, family-run cantina churns out wood-fired pizza – even in personal sizes – and reasonably authentic pasta in heaping portions. This is the…
São Paulo
A Scotsman and two Italians were the first to do what nobody outside Buenos Aires could previously do: produce amazing Italian gelato in South America…
Loja
Serving some of Loja's best seafood, Riscomar prepares delicious, Ecuadorian-style ceviche in a civilized dining room. A fillet of corvina (sea bass) in a…
Chiloé
Simple El Medan has no menu – you get what's procured fresh at the fish market across the street. Think cazuela, fried fish, paila marina (seafood stew),…
Salvador
This quaint hideaway cafe, located inside an antique house that's positioned dramatically on a cliff top over the ocean, is one of a kind. Come for the…
Bolivia
This is arguably the best churrasquería (grilled-meat restaurant) in town, with attentive service, sizzling tableside parrilladas (plates of mixed grilled…
