Chile stretches 4,300 km along South America's Pacific coast, offering stunning diversity from the Atacama Desert in the north to Patagonian glaciers in the south. Experience world-class wine regions, vibrant cities like Santiago and Valparaíso, and breathtaking natural wonders including Torres del Paine National Park.
Chilean cuisine reflects the country's extraordinary geography — stretching 4,300 km from the Atacama Desert to Patagonia. Pacific seafood forms the backbone of the national diet, with conger eel (congrio), sea urchin (erizo), and king crab (centolla) defining coastal cooking. Central Chile's fertile valleys produce world-class wines, avocados, and stone fruits. Mapuche culinary traditions contribute distinctive smoked chilli (merkén), cochayuyo seaweed, and ancestral grains. The result is a cuisine of bold simplicity — hearty stews, fresh ceviches, wood-fired meats — deeply shaped by European immigrant influences.
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Boragó
World-renowned restaurant (#38 in World's 50 Best) showcasing Chilean ingredients through innovative tasting menus. Chef Rodolfo Guzmán creates artistic dishes using endemic plants, seafood, and traditional techniques. Unforgettable culinary experience in Santiago.
Av. Nueva Costanera 3467, Vitacura, Santiago
Peumayen Ancestral Food
Unique restaurant celebrating Chile's indigenous culinary heritage from Mapuche, Rapa Nui, and Aymara cultures. Tasting menus feature ancestral ingredients and traditional cooking methods in modern presentation.
Constitución 136, Bellavista, Santiago
Fuente Alemana
Iconic Santiago sandwich shop operating since 1954, famous for massive lomitos and chacareros. Standing room only, fast service, and authentic Chilean experience. A must-visit institution.
Av. Pedro de Valdivia 210, Providencia, Santiago
Mercado Central
Santiago's historic fish market with restaurant stalls serving ultra-fresh seafood. Try ceviche, machas, and paila marina. Bustling atmosphere and authentic experience. Watch for tourist pricing.
San Pablo 967, Santiago Centro
Café Colmado
Hip Lastarria café serving specialty coffee, fresh pastries, and brunch. Modern industrial design, excellent coffee sourcing, and cozy atmosphere. Great for working or meeting friends.
José Victorino Lastarria 192, Santiago
99 Restaurante
Chef Kurt Schmidt's elegant restaurant in Providencia serving modern Chilean cuisine with French influences. Seasonal menus highlighting local ingredients, excellent wine list, and intimate atmosphere.
Av. Isidora Goyenechea 2934, Las Condes, Santiago
Liguria
Beloved Santiago institution with multiple locations serving hearty Chilean classics. Lively atmosphere, generous portions, and traditional dishes like pastel de choclo. No reservations - expect queues at dinner.
Av. Pedro de Valdivia 047, Providencia, Santiago
Emporio La Rosa
Artisanal ice cream shop with creative Chilean flavors like lucuma, chirimoya, and merkén. Multiple Santiago locations, all-natural ingredients, and generous portions. Perfect dessert stop.
Merced 291, Lastarria, Santiago
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Café
Wonderland
Charming Providencia café with garden seating and excellent brunch menu. Specialty coffee, fresh juices, and healthy options. Popular weekend brunch spot.
Orrego Luco 023, Providencia, Santiago
Café Escondido
Hidden gem in Valparaíso's Cerro Concepción serving excellent coffee and light meals. Artistic atmosphere, terrace views, and friendly service. Perfect afternoon stop.
Templeman 833, Cerro Concepción, Valparaíso
Café Journal
Stylish Vitacura café with specialty coffee program and all-day dining. Modern minimalist design, laptop-friendly, and excellent coffee beans for sale.
Av. Vitacura 6130, Vitacura, Santiago
The Coffee Lab
Specialty coffee shop in San Pedro de Atacama with beans from Chilean roasters. Refreshing escape from desert heat with excellent iced coffee and WiFi.
Caracoles 261, San Pedro de Atacama
La Bicicleta Verde
Cozy Puerto Varas café with lake views and homemade kuchen (German cake). Perfect coffee break while exploring the Lake District. Bike rental available.
San José 320, Puerto Varas
Café del Museo
Charming café in San Pedro de Atacama courtyard serving breakfast, lunch, and excellent coffee. Fresh salads, sandwiches, and pastries. Peaceful garden setting.
Toconao 536, San Pedro de Atacama
Chilean Traditional
Galindo
Authentic picada (local eatery) in Bellavista serving huge portions of Chilean comfort food. Try cazuela, pastel de choclo, or chorrillana. Casual atmosphere, reasonable prices, and generous servings.
Dardignac 098, Bellavista, Santiago
Bar Nacional
Historic Santiago bar-restaurant since 1954 with old-world charm. Traditional Chilean dishes, draft beer, and local atmosphere. Unchanged décor and authentic experience.
Bandera 317, Santiago Centro
La Marmita
Cozy Puerto Natales restaurant specializing in Patagonian lamb and local ingredients. Warm atmosphere, generous portions, and hearty dishes perfect after Patagonian adventures. Excellent value.
Plaza de Armas 298, Puerto Natales
Adobe
Charming San Pedro de Atacama restaurant in traditional adobe building. Menu features northern Chilean specialties, llama meat, and locally-sourced ingredients. Beautiful courtyard dining.
Caracoles 211, San Pedro de Atacama
Trawen
Pucón restaurant specializing in smoked meats and fish. Try smoked trout, ribs, or sausages with local beers. Casual setting and reasonable prices.
Arauco 447, Pucón
Seafood
Aquí Está Coco
Santiago's premier seafood restaurant with 70+ years history. Renowned for impeccably fresh fish and shellfish, including famous congrio (conger eel). Elegant atmosphere with professional service.
La Concepción 236, Providencia, Santiago
La Picada de Carlitos
Authentic Valparaíso seafood spot serving fresh catch daily. Simple preparations highlighting quality ingredients, especially caldillo de congrio (conger eel soup). Local favorite with harbor views.
Condell 1466, Valparaíso
Caleta Portales
Fishing cove in Valparaíso with simple seafood restaurants serving fishermen's catches. Ultra-fresh fish, empanadas de mariscos, and ceviche. Authentic and affordable.
Caleta Portales, Valparaíso
Chilean Contemporary
Travesía
Modern Pucón restaurant focusing on local Lake District ingredients. Seasonal menus, craft beers, and relaxed atmosphere. Popular with locals and travelers alike.
Holzapfel 599, Pucón
Chilean Sandwiches
El Rápido
No-frills Chilean sandwich spot in Santiago Centro serving excellent lomitos and completos. Fast service, cheap prices, and authentic local experience. Cash only.
Bandera 340, Santiago Centro
Dessert
Churros Vendors
Street carts frying fresh churros, especially common in Santiago and beach towns. Crispy fried dough dusted with sugar, sometimes filled with manjar (dulce de leche).
Parks and plazas
Empanadas
Empanada Stands
Street vendors and small shops selling fresh empanadas throughout Chile. Try pino (beef), cheese, or seafood varieties. Best when hot from the oven.
Various locations nationwide
European
Europeo
Historic restaurant in Plaza de Armas serving refined European cuisine since 1923. Elegant belle époque interior, attentive service, and classic dishes with modern touches. Santiago institution.
Estado 43, Santiago Centro
Food Market
La Vega Central
Massive Santiago produce market with food stalls serving cheap, authentic Chilean meals. Try mote con huesillo, sopaipillas, and fresh fruit juices. Chaotic but authentic.
Antonia López de Bello, Recoleta, Santiago
French
Le Flaubert
Classic French bistro in Santiago's El Golf district offering authentic cuisine and impressive wine selection. Elegant Parisian-style ambiance with white tablecloths, professional service, and refined dishes.
Av. El Bosque Norte 0155, Las Condes, Santiago
Fusion
Mestizo
Beautiful restaurant in Parque Bicentenario with terrace overlooking lagoon. Creative Chilean-international fusion cuisine, extensive wine cellar, and romantic garden setting. Perfect for special occasions.
Av. Bicentenario 4050, Vitacura, Santiago
Grilled Skewers
Anticuchos Carts
Street carts grilling anticuchos (beef heart skewers) found throughout Chilean cities. Marinated meat grilled over charcoal, served with bread and pebre sauce. Traditional street food.
Various locations
Hot Dogs
Completo Street Vendors
Street carts throughout Santiago serving completos - Chilean hot dogs loaded with avocado, tomatoes, and mayo. Especially popular around Bellavista and Providencia. Cheap and filling.
Various locations, Santiago
International
Color Café
Trendy Valparaíso restaurant on Cerro Alegre with terrace views. International menu with local touches, great cocktails, and artistic atmosphere. Perfect for sunset drinks and dinner.
Papudo 526, Cerro Alegre, Valparaíso
Japanese
Osaka
Popular Nikkei restaurant in Vitacura blending Japanese and Peruvian flavors. Creative rolls, ceviches, and fusion dishes in modern setting. Multiple locations across Santiago.
Av. Vitacura 3800, Vitacura, Santiago
Mediterranean
Blanco
Sophisticated Pucón restaurant with lake views serving Mediterranean-inspired cuisine. Fresh ingredients, creative presentations, and extensive Chilean wine list. Romantic ambiance.
General Urrutia 592, Pucón
Mexican
Como Agua Para Chocolate
Cozy Lastarria restaurant serving authentic Mexican cuisine in charming setting. Homemade tortillas, fresh salsas, and extensive tequila selection. Romantic candlelit ambiance.
Constitución 88, Lastarria, Santiago
Pizza
Pizzería El Último Refugio
Puerto Natales pizzeria with wood-fired oven and creative toppings including Patagonian lamb and local cheeses. Cozy atmosphere and generous portions. Popular with trekkers.
Philippi 356, Puerto Natales
Spanish
Casino Español
Historic Valparaíso restaurant in ornate building serving Spanish classics. Paella, seafood, and tapas in elegant old-world setting. Traditional atmosphere and good value.
Plaza Echaurren 4, Valparaíso
Traditional Drink
Mote con Huesillo Vendors
Vendors selling Chile's iconic sweet drink made from wheat mote and dried peaches. Refreshing and traditional, found at markets and street corners nationwide.
Markets and plazas nationwide
Vegetarian
El Huerto
Santiago's premier vegetarian restaurant in Providencia offering creative meat-free cuisine. Beautiful garden setting, fresh ingredients, and extensive menu including vegan options. Healthy and delicious.
Orrego Luco 054, Providencia, Santiago
Food tours & tastings in Chile
Eat your way through Chile with a guide.
Browse food experiences in ChileWe may earn a commission from bookings made through these links.
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Completo Italiano
Chile's iconic hot dog piled with diced tomatoes, avocado (palta), and mayonnaise — the colours of the Italian flag. The 'completo' is the ultimate Chilean street food, found at fuente de sodas and street carts nationwide for under $3.
Find it at: Fuente de Soda El Naturista (Santiago), Dominó chain, street carts near Plaza Italia
Empanada de Pino
Baked half-moon pastry filled with spiced minced beef, black olives, hard-boiled egg, and raisins — the definitive Chilean empanada. Best bought fresh from panaderías (bakeries) or the legendary Emporio El Hoyo in Barrio Brasil.
Find it at: El Hoyo (San Vicente 375, Santiago), panaderías nationwide, Barrio Lastarria market
Sopaipilla
Fried pumpkin flatbread sold from street carts throughout Chile in winter, eaten with pebre (fresh salsa of tomatoes, coriander, and chilli) or chancaca (dark sugar syrup). A beloved cold-weather comfort food.
Find it at: Street carts outside metro stations, La Vega Central market
Anticuchos
Grilled beef heart and vegetable skewers marinated in merkén spice and vinegar, cooked over charcoal at street-side parillas. A Peruvian-influenced street food extremely popular at Fiestas Patrias fairs.
Find it at: Bellavista night markets, Fiestas Patrias fondas, La Vega Central
Mote con Huesillo
Chile's traditional summer drink-dessert — a glass of cooked husked wheat (mote) submerged in sweet peach juice with a dried peach (huesillo). Sold from street carts throughout summer, particularly around bus terminals.
Find it at: Street carts near Alameda, Plaza de Armas, Mercado Central (summer only)
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Mercado Central
Santiago's iconic iron-and-glass market (1872) is the city's seafood cathedral — stalls piled with congrio, reineta, cochayuyo, and erizo, surrounded by restaurants serving the freshest caldillo de congrio in the country.
Hours: Mon-Thu 6AM-4PM, Fri-Sat 6AM-5PM, Sun 6AM-3PM
La Vega Central
Santiago's vast wholesale market in Barrio Bellavista is where chefs, cooks, and market hunters come for the freshest Chilean produce. Find choclo (giant corn), lucuma, chirimoya, merkén, artisan cheeses, and cheap lunch spots inside.
Hours: Daily 5AM-5PM
Mercado Puerto (Valparaíso)
The freshest seafood market in the Valparaíso port, where fishing boats deliver the catch each morning. An authentic alternative to Mercado Central with lower prices and fewer tourists — the paila marina (seafood stew) here is legendary.
Hours: Daily 7AM-4PM
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Chilean lunch (12-3 PM) is the main meal — the fixed 'menú del día' at traditional restaurants is the best value in Chile: starter, main, drink, and dessert for $5-10.
Dinner is eaten late by European standards — most Chileans dine from 8-10 PM, and restaurants don't fill until 9 PM. Don't be surprised to find a restaurant quiet at 7 PM but packed at 9:30 PM.
Tip 10% at sit-down restaurants (propina) — it's a cultural norm and the income difference is meaningful for service staff. Pay cash tips directly to the waiter.
Request your steak 'a punto' (medium) or 'a punto menos' (medium-rare) — Chileans tend to cook beef well-done by default. 'Vuelta y vuelta' means barely cooked.
Chilean restaurants often serve complimentary pebre (salsa) and bread at the start — don't assume they're free; ask if you're budget-conscious, though most don't charge.
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | $5-10 USD/meal | Menú del día at traditional restaurants, completos, empanadas, or sopaipillas at street stalls |
| Mid-range | $15-30 USD/meal | Casual sit-down restaurants, seafood at Mercado Central, lunch specials at Barrio Italia eateries |
| Upscale | $60-220+ USD/meal | Fine dining at Boragó, Peumayen, or hotel restaurants with wine pairing |