ChileWhat to eat in Chile: top 10 dishes
Traveling to Chile? These are the ten dishes it is best known for, from everyday staples to festive classics, with a short background and a tip on where and when to eat each one. Ranked by how widely they are known around the world.
01Barros Luco
Barros Luco is a hot sandwich in Chile that includes beef and melted cheese in one of several types of bread. The sandwich is named after Ramón Barros Luco, who served as president of Chile from 1910 to 1915.
Travel tip A classic at casual sandwich counters and cafés across the country, usually served hot at lunchtime or as a quick snack. Order it with a cold drink.
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02Mote con huesillo
Mote con huesillo is a traditional Chilean summer-time drink often sold in street stands or vendor carts.
Travel tip Sold from street carts and stands, especially on hot summer days and at fairs or festivals. It is eaten with a spoon, and you drink the sweet syrup at the end.
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03Completo
The completo is a hot dog variation eaten in Chile, usually served with ingredients such as chopped tomatoes, avocados, mayonnaise, sauerkraut, ketchup, mustard. It can be twice the size of an American hot dog.
Travel tip A fast-food staple found at street stands and casual counters, often eaten as a late-night snack. Toppings are piled on generously, so expect to eat it with a stack of napkins.
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04Curanto
Curanto (from Mapudungun: kurantu 'stony') is a traditional Chilote method of cooking food using heated rocks buried in an earth oven that is covered with pangue leaves and turf.
Travel tip Most closely tied to the island of Chiloé in the south, where it is cooked in an earth pit at gatherings and festivals. Some restaurants in the south serve a pot version for visitors.
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05Chacarero
Chacarero is a Chilean sandwich made with thinly sliced churrasco-style steak or lomito-style pork on a round roll with tomatoes, green beans, mayonnaise, and optionally ají verde pepper.
Travel tip Found at traditional sandwich counters, usually as a quick lunch. Ask for the spicy green pepper on the side if you want some heat.
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06Chilean salad
Chilean salad or ensalada chilena is a salad containing tomato, onion, coriander and olive oil, and sometimes chili peppers. The onion may be soaked in boiling salted water, to soften it and reduce its sharpness.
Travel tip A very common side dish at lunch, served with grilled meats, stews, and almost any home-style meal. It is simple and fresh, so it pairs well with rich dishes.
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07Paila marina
Paila marina is a traditional Chilean seafood soup or light stew usually served in a paila (earthenware bowl). It usually contains a shellfish stock base cooked with different kinds of shellfish and fish.
Travel tip Look for it in coastal towns and seafood restaurants, where it is a popular lunch. It is usually brought to the table hot in its own bowl.
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08Pantruca
Pantruca, is a typical food of Chile made with flour. It is a type of dumpling whose dough is made with water, flour and a bit of oil, cut in irregular pieces and later mixed with vegetable soup or beef stock.
Travel tip A comforting home-style dish, most often eaten in cooler months. Look for it in restaurants serving traditional Chilean home cooking.
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09Hallulla
Hallulla is a popular bread in Chile and Bolivia. The hallulla is a flat round bread baked with vegetable shortening and is used for several traditional sandwiches.
Travel tip Found in bakeries across the country and eaten at breakfast or teatime, often split and filled with cheese or ham. It is best fresh from the oven.
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10Chapalele
A chapalele is a Chilean dumpling made from boiled potatoes and wheat flour. They are especially prevalent among the cuisine of Chiloé.
Travel tip Mostly associated with Chiloé in the south, where it is cooked in stews or alongside curanto. Try it in local restaurants on the island.
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Description: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo: Wikimedia Commons