Bariloche eats well, and the food is part of the reason people return. The region blends Argentine grill culture with the Central European tastes of its settlers, and the result is a table that moves from chocolate and cakes to roasted lamb and smoked trout, with craft beer and local berries in between. This guide sets out what to try and how to fit it into a trip.
Chocolate comes first
The city's chocolate story is the best known, and Mitre street is where you taste it. Dozens of shops and cafes line the street, many with family recipes and workshops visible through the window. Walk the street as a tasting crawl: sample a few truffles, compare dark and milk bars, and order a thick hot chocolate in a cafe with a pastry. Chocolate melts easily, so buy firm bars and pack them in the middle of your luggage if you are carrying them home. A guided tasting walk is a good way to go beyond chocolate and learn about other local products in one afternoon.
Asado and Patagonian lamb
Argentine barbecue is central to the culture. Beef cooked slowly over wood or coals is the classic, and in Patagonia you will also find lamb roasted on an iron cross over an open fire, a dish that looks dramatic and tastes of smoke and herbs. Many restaurants serve a parrillada, a mixed grill for sharing. If you want the full experience, a horseback ride with an asado lunch combines the countryside with a long, convivial meal. Vegetarians can manage with grilled vegetables, pasta and salads, but should expect meat to dominate menus.
Trout, game and smoked specialities
The cold lakes and rivers hold trout, and you will see it served grilled, baked or smoked. Smoked meats, cheeses and venison also appear on menus and in delicatessens, a legacy of the German and Central European settlers. Fondue and raclette show up in winter, when the mountain air makes heavy food appealing. Look for places that source from the region and ask what is fresh.
Berries, jams and tea houses
The fruit of the lake district includes raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and the tart calafate berry, and local jams, sweets and cakes are a staple. The tea houses of Colonia Suiza and the lakeside villages serve tea with cakes and tarts made from these fruits, and the traditional curanto, a pit-cooked stew, appears on fair days. A late afternoon tea stop breaks up a day of sightseeing and gives you views of the lakes.
Craft beer and local drinks
Bariloche has a strong craft beer tradition, and breweries and taprooms around the city serve a range of styles with food. Argentine wine is widely available, especially Malbec, and many restaurants have good lists. For a non-alcoholic pick, try the yerba mate, the shared herbal infusion that is part of daily life, and ask a local how it is served. If you want to learn more, a tasting walk or a mate ceremony is an easy introduction.
When and where to eat
Argentines eat late. Lunch is often after one in the afternoon and dinner after nine in the evening, although tourist areas serve earlier. Book a table for popular restaurants at weekends and in peak seasons. Cafes open early for coffee and medialunas, the small sweet croissants, and many places close for a break in the afternoon. Tipping around ten percent is customary where service is not included. Carry some cash for small shops and market stalls.
Sweet things beyond chocolate
Bariloche is also a good place for ice cream, and artisan helado shops serve flavours built on local fruit, dulce de leche and chocolate. Alfajores, the sandwich cookies filled with dulce de leche and sometimes dipped in chocolate, make easy gifts. Cakes and tarts with red berries are a speciality of the tea houses, and strudel and other Central European pastries appear in bakeries. If you have a sweet tooth, plan to eat lightly at lunch and save room for the afternoon.
Putting it together
A good food day might start with coffee and medialunas, move to a tasting walk or a chocolate stop on Mitre street, include a lakeside lunch of trout, and end with an asado or lamb dinner. If you are staying downtown, most of these places are within walking distance, and the Civic Centre is a pleasant place to walk off the meal.