MONTEVIDEO |
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images: Lucas aprikian; jhazmin bentancor |
Above: Shredded beef burrito with nachos and salsa at Mercado Ferrando; time for coffee at Cafe La Farmacia |
FOOD & DRINK
The countless cattle ranches scattered across the Pampas— an immense swath of fertile grasslands stretching across Uruguay and Argentina— produce some of the world’ s finest beef. The city’ s parrillas( steakhouses) serve a huge range of cuts, offal and blood sausages, accompanied by tangy chimichurri sauce.
The buzzing Mercado del Puerto is a must-visit. The market in the Ciudad Vieja is packed with parrillas whose waiters reel in customers with free tasters of medio y medio, a blend of dry white and sweet sparkling wines. Cabaña Verónica is the standout, serving sensational steaks.
Beef also features prominently in two popular snacks. Empanadas are widely available, as are chivitos. Despite a name translating as‘ little goat’, the latter are stacked steak sandwiches featuring accompaniments such as tomato, lettuce, cheese, fried or boiled eggs, and bacon or ham. Local chain La Pasiva’ s secret-recipe mustard sauce is a Montevidean favorite chivito condiment.
Uruguay’ s long Atlantic coastline is the reason for the abundance of fresh fish and seafood, while the thousands of Italians who migrated here in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were responsible for the influx of pasta and pizza.
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Just east of the city center, the Cordón neighborhood is great for contemporary restaurants. Mercado Ferrando offers everything from tacos, poke bowls and gourmet sandwiches to dulce de leche ice cream. There’ s a strong cafe culture throughout the city, too— from classic venues with dark-wood paneling to modern joints such as Cafe La Farmacia.
Uruguayan wine is excellent, particularly the country’ s signature red grape, tannat. But the national drink is yerba mate, a caffeine-rich herbal tea.
SHOPPING
Montevideo has noteworthy markets. The most famous is the antiques mercado in Plaza de la Constitución( also known as Plaza Matriz) in the Ciudad Vieja, which takes place on Saturdays throughout the year, as well as on weekdays during the peak summer season. But fewer tourists and more bargains are to be found at the Feria de Tristán Narvaja on Sundays in Cordón, where stalls sell everything from secondhand books to fresh fruit and vegetables.
Ranging from dried gourds to elaborately decorated glass or ceramic vessels, mates— the cups from which yerba mate is drunk— make for perfect souvenirs. Meanwhile, Manos del Uruguay, a non-profit organization set up in the 1960s to support
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winter 2025 • 83 |