Liguria (Av. Providencia 1373, tel. 02/2357914) is a hangout with plain but reliable Chilean meals at moderate prices (around US$5). Eladio (Av. 11 de Septiembre 2250, 5th floor, tel. 02/2314224) specializes in beef, but its varied menu will satisfy almost anyone, with moderately priced entrées (US$4–8) and good, cheap pisco sours (about US$1.50).

Within a surprisingly secluded cluster of bookstores and other specialty shops on an otherwise hectic avenue, the Phone Box Pub (Av. Providencia 1670, tel. 02/2359972) is a pub-grub kind of place with a shady grape arbor and lunches in the US$6–8 range, plus imported beers on tap and in the bottle.

El Huerto (Orrego Luco 054, tel. 02/2332690) is a landmark vegetarian restaurant, with dishes so appetizing that even dedicated carnivores don’t seem to notice the lack of meat. Its adjoining café, La Huerta, has a limited menu but lower prices—try the fresh fruit bowl with yogurt, granola, and honey (about US$4.50).

Across from La Huerta, De la Ostia (Orrego Luco 065, tel. 02/3351422, www.delaostia.cl) is an intimate new tapas lounge with a faux adobe bar and richly finished woodwork; the lunches, in the US$6–8 range including a glass of wine, feature creative versions of items such as crab cakes.

In an old but spacious Providencia house, painted in exuberant primary colors, Barandiarán (Manuel Montt 315, tel. 02/2366854) prepares tangy appetizers and ceviches, spicy Peruvian entrées (US$10–12), and a diverse dessert menu. The corvina with mango sauce rates special mention, but the lamb dishes are too heavy on the cilantro.

It’s no longer a secret—go early for dinner or call ahead for reservations at Puerto Perú (Av. Condell 1298, tel. 02/3639886), a once-modest Peruvian place that put the neighborhood south of Avenida Providencia, near the border with Ñuñoa, on the gastronomic map. Prices have risen, but so has the quality.

Another fine Peruvian option is Alto Perú (Seminario 38, tel. 02/2230713, www.altoperu.cl), which puts a twist on the traditional ají de gallina by substituting squid, shrimp, and octopus for chicken, thus turning it into ají de mariscos (US$12). The Peruvian-style pisco sours are first-rate.

Providencia still has several of the city’s best ice creameries, including Bravíssimo (Av. Providencia 1406, tel. 02/4217601) and Sebastián (Andrés de Fuenzalida 26, tel. 02/2319968).