Patagonia is a cold, windy place that rewards good eating. Meals here are built around the things the land and sea provide: lamb raised on the steppe, fish and shellfish from the cold southern waters, wild berries and hearty, warming dishes. Food is also part of the culture, and some of the best experiences are meals rather than sights. This guide covers what to try on both sides of the Argentine and Chilean border, and how to fit it around a busy trip.
Patagonian lamb
If you eat one thing, make it lamb. The traditional method is the asado al palo, in which a whole lamb is split, staked upright beside an open fire and cooked slowly for hours until the meat is tender and the skin crisp. It is the centrepiece of an estancia evening, and the Estancia 25 de Mayo dinner is a classic way to try it, with a show and the story of ranching life. Restaurants in town and in Puerto Natales also serve lamb as ribs, shoulder or stew. Order it with simple sides, and ask how it is cooked, as styles vary between grilled and slow-roasted.
The calafate berry
The town takes its name from the calafate, a thorny shrub whose small, dark berries are everywhere in summer. Local legend says that anyone who eats the berry will return to Patagonia, which is a good excuse to try it. You will find it in jams, ice cream, sauces, liqueurs, cocktails and even beer, with a flavour somewhere between blueberry and blackcurrant. Spring is early for fresh fruit, but the preserved versions are on menus year round. A scoop of calafate ice cream after a cold day is a small pleasure that is easy to repeat.
Seafood and the Chilean side
In Puerto Natales, the cold waters of the sound and the southern channels bring in king crab, known locally as centolla, along with salmon, hake and other fish. Crab is often served simply, in a pie called a pastel, or as a warm dish with cheese. Try it at least once, and look for places that serve the day's catch. Seafood is not cheap, but portions can be generous, and sharing a plate is a good way to try several things.
Drinks
Argentina is famous for Malbec, and the wine lists in El Calafate lean toward the reds that go with lamb, with some good southern whites and sparkling wines for variety. Craft beer is a big part of the scene in both towns, with small brewers making ales and stouts, often using local ingredients including the calafate berry. In Chile, the pisco sour is a favourite starter, and a glass of whisky over glacier ice is the traditional toast at the end of a glacier trek. For a warm drink on a windy day, try mate, the herbal infusion shared among friends, or a thick hot chocolate.
Ranch meals and picnic lunches
Many excursions include food, from a countryside lunch after a horseback ride at Cerro Frías to a ranch lunch at the end of a fjord cruise, and these meals are often the most memorable of the trip. Where lunch is not included, carry snacks, as options near national park sites can be limited and busy. For long hiking days, a packed lunch from your hotel is often the simplest answer, and many hotels will prepare one if you ask the evening before.
Practical tips
Dinner starts late in Argentina, often after eight, and many kitchens are quiet before then, so adjust your rhythm or ask what is available earlier. Book tables ahead on busy nights in high season, tell restaurants about dietary needs in advance, and carry some cash, as card acceptance can vary. If you are staying out on the steppe, ask your lodge about dinner options, since the nearest restaurants may be a transfer away. A hotel with an on-site restaurant is a helpful base after a day of cold wind and hard walking.
A simple food plan
Try lamb at an estancia evening in El Calafate, taste calafate in a dessert or a drink, eat crab in Puerto Natales and finish a glacier day with a toast on ice. Add a good Malbec, a local craft beer and a slow lunch on a ranch, and you will have tasted the region as well as seen it.
Eating on a budget
Good food does not have to be expensive. Look for set lunches at local restaurants, bakeries with empanadas and pastries, and supermarkets for picnic supplies. Sharing a lamb or seafood main between two with a few sides is a good way to taste the best dishes without overspending, and a hot soup or stew is a cheap, warming meal after a cold day.