Montevideo is a city that eats with conviction. Beef is the backbone of the table, grilled slowly over embers and served without fuss, but there is more to the cuisine than steak: immigrant Italian and Spanish traditions, a love of sandwiches, a serious sweet tooth and a wine culture centred on a grape that most visitors have never heard of. Here is how to eat and drink your way through the city.
The parrilla and the asado
The word parrilla means grill, and it also names the restaurants that specialise in grilled meat. The classic place to try one is the Mercado del Puerto in Ciudad Vieja, a nineteenth-century iron market where counters surround open fires and smoke rises under the roof. Typical orders include entraña (skirt steak), asado de tira (short ribs), chorizo, morcilla (blood sausage) and provoleta, a disc of provolone grilled until it softens. Portions are generous, so share a mixed grill. Ask how you want your meat cooked, since locals often prefer it well done, and say so clearly if you want it pink. Lunch at the market is a good introduction to the ritual, while an evening meal at a neighbourhood grill house often feels more local.
The chivito and other sandwiches
Uruguay's signature sandwich is the chivito, a steak sandwich piled with ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato, olives and a fried egg, often served with fries. Its cousin, the chivito al plato, spreads the same ingredients on a plate. Also look for the olímpico, a club-style sandwich, and milanesa, a breaded cutlet served in a roll or on a plate. These are everyday foods, found in neighbourhood cafés and bars, and they are excellent value for lunch. A street food tour is a good way to sample several in one outing and to learn what to order again.
Tannat and Uruguayan wine
Uruguay's signature grape is Tannat, a dark, firm red originally from southwest France that thrives in the country's damp, temperate climate. The best-known wine regions are close to the capital in Canelones, where family wineries such as Bouza and Familia Deicas welcome visitors for tastings and lunches. Tannat pairs naturally with grilled meat, and many restaurants list good bottles at fair prices. Look too for fresher white wines, including Albariño, which has done well along the coast. Visits are usually by appointment, so book ahead and arrange a driver or a tour rather than driving after tastings.
Sweet things and drinks
Dulce de leche, the thick caramelised milk spread, appears everywhere: in alfajores, the sandwich cookies sold in every kiosk, in pastries, ice cream and desserts. Try an alfajor with a coffee, or a slice of pastry in an old-town café. Uruguayans also drink an extraordinary amount of mate, the herbal infusion carried in a gourd and thermos along the Rambla, and you will see it everywhere at sunset. Visitors who want a classic old-fashioned drink can try the sweet grape-based uvita in a historic bar, or medio y medio, a mix of sparkling and white wine, in a traditional café. Local beers are easy to find and refreshing in summer.
How to eat like a local
Lunch is the main meal for many people, and dinner often starts late, after nine in the evening. Many restaurants close one day a week, often Sunday or Monday, and the old town is quiet on evenings and weekends, so check hours before you go. Tipping is customary, usually around ten percent when service is not already included. Vegetarians will find the menu meat-heavy, but pasta, salads, grilled vegetables, pizza and fainá, a chickpea flatbread served with pizza, make it manageable. Ask for recommendations from your hotel, and keep one evening free for a dinner without a plan.
Where to put it all together
A good food weekend might start with a street food tour in the old town, continue with a grill lunch at the market, a Tannat tasting on a second day, and end with a tango dinner. Choose a hotel near the neighbourhood that matches your plans: Centro for walking to the old town, Pocitos or Punta Carretas for restaurants along the Rambla, and Carrasco for upscale dining and the airport. Pace yourself, drink water, and leave room for dessert.
