The must-have food experiences across Latin America
From the smoke of an Argentine asado to the calls of street food vendors in Mexico City, Latin America is a region where food doesn't just fill a plate – it tells a story. Across Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Chile and Uruguay, unforgettable culinary experiences unfold in settings as dramatic as the dishes themselves.
This is your essential list of food experiences that’ll last long in the memory.
Asado with gauchos in Argentina
In the rolling Pampas, fire is not just a cooking method; it’s a ceremony. The act of grilling meat over flames is a bridge to a time when gauchos would ride the grasslands, herding cattle and convening for food and folklore around a fire.
Today, there are countless opportunities to experience gaucho life first-hand, including a stay at Estancia La Bamba – just 2-5 hours’ drive from Buenos Aires – where you can saddle up for a day on horseback, roaming the grasslands before a traditional asado at a working ranch, with huge slabs of beef cooked over a pit.
If you plan your trip in November, don’t miss the annual gaucho festival in San Antonio de Areco. It's a journey into Argentine history and heritage with equestrian parades, rodeos, horse-breaking demonstrations, folk dancing, craft markets, and plenty of wood-fired feasting.
High-altitude dining in Chile
Stretching from the sun-baked Atacama Desert in the north to the gnarled peaks of Patagonia at its southern tip, Chile is blessed with some of the most diverse culinary traditions in South America. The Andes mountain range runs the full length of the country and plays a big part in the flavours of every region – providing a pantry of ancient grains, indigenous herbs, glacier-caught fish, and wild game.
You can get a taste for the mountains at Santiago’s celebrated Boragó, where chef Rodolfo Guzmán works with small-scale farmers and foragers to transform native ingredients into multi-course tasting menus that harness the majesty of the Andes on every plate.
Elsewhere, you can pick and pluck ingredients for yourself with a private excursion from the 12-suite Awasi lodge in San Pedro de Atacama. Each room comes with a private guide and 4WD for personalised journeys through this otherworldly landscape.
Wine discoveries in Uruguay
Chilean Carménères and flavour-packed Argentinian Malbecs are exported across the world, but Uruguay’s winemaking remains under the radar despite its varieties being no less impressive. Shaped by Atlantic breezes, rolling hills, and a European spirit, vines were introduced by Basque immigrants in the 19th century and the small, family-owned vineyards that dominate the industry focus on low-intervention, terroir-driven wines.
While the Tannat grape remains king, Albariño, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc are rising stars, particularly in the coastal Canelones region close to Montevideo. Tasting tours can be easily arranged from the capital, but we recommend making a beeline for Bodego Garzón. This huge estate produces some of the finest wines in the country and offers guided vineyard tours, blending sessions, and tastings of their flagship wine, Balasto. Don’t miss lunch at the on-site restaurant, overseen by Chef’s Table star Francis Mallman.
Amazonian markets in Brazil
The city of Belém sits at the edge of the Amazon delta and is where rainforest bounty meets colonial Portuguese influence, layered with indigenous and African culinary traditions. At Ver-o-Peso, one of the oldest and most vibrant markets in South America, the region reveals itself in a riot fresh ingredients.
You’ll wander past stalls heaped with fragrant herbs, live river fish, strange fruits like cupuaçu and bacuri, and baskets of Brazil nuts. Here, you can sip just-pressed açaí berries or sample spicy tucupi broth laced with jambu leaves that gently numb the mouth.
The city’s top chefs visit the market every morning, including Rafael Barros from Amazonia Na Cuia – a small, laid-back restaurant that specialises in authentic soups, stews, and fried seafood.
Street eats in Mexico
In the Mexican capital, street food is more than just a convenient way of grabbing a bite to eat – it’s the cornerstone of the city’s cultural identity. Walk the streets at sunrise and you’ll see vendors heating cauldrons for steaming tamales, warming huge pots of mole, and lighting coals for grilled meats to fill tacos al pastor.
You should start your day with chilaquiles – fried tortillas, dipped in green or red sauce, and covered with cream and fresh cheese. They can be accompanied by fried eggs or a portion of shredded chicken and some of the best are served at La Esquina del Chilaquil, a street stall located on the corner of Alfonso Reyes and Tamaulipas.
At lunchtime, try the hearty barbacoa tacos or carnitas at the famous El Arroyo restaurant. When it’s time for something sweet, seek out a pan dulce or two. These colourful sweet pastries are baked in a variety of shapes and flavours and locals love to dip them into coffee or hot chocolate. For the best in the city, we recommend booking an afternoon table at the legendary Café de Tacuba.