Food

Viña [1]’s dining scene has last ground to Valparaíso [2]’s, but there are still some fine choices. For breakfast, snacks, and onces, try cafés such as Anayak (Quinta 134, tel. 0322/680093) and Samoiedo (Av. Valparaíso 637, tel. 0322/684610). The Tea Pot (5 Norte 475, tel. 0322/687761) serves 50 varieties of teas, plus a wide selection of sandwiches and desserts.

Fellini (3 Norte 88, tel. 0322/975742) is a fine but relatively expensive Italian option with large portions and exemplary service, but it suffers from a high decibel level. Other Italian choices, tending toward the upscale and pretty good, include Mangiarbene (6 Poniente 121, tel. 0322/686358) and Ristorante San Marco (San Martín 597, tel. 0322/975304).

Viña [1]’s best new option, though, is Lemurianos (3 Norte 60, tel. 0322/692367), a combination restaurant and wine bar with light but tasty pastas and meticulous attention from both the cook and staff. Reservations are essential on weekend evenings—there are only six tables—but if the weather’s fine there’s also sidewalk seating.

Delicias del Mar (Av. San Martín 459, tel. 0322/901837) is a fine Basque seafood restaurant with entrées in the US$10 and up range and an owner who, to judge from the decor, might be stalking Marilyn Monroe were she still alive. Unlike many Chilean restaurants, it firmly discourages cell phones, and the service is exemplary.

La Flor de Chile (8 Norte 601, tel. 0322/689554) is the best choice for Chilean specialties. Gus-Tai (3 Poniente 537, tel. 0322/684367) is the only option for Thai dishes (available only at night).

For Mexican food a bit more complex than the standard antojitos such as enchiladas and burritos, there’s popular Cuernavaca (San Martín 501, tel. 0322/739083), but the noise factor is considerable.

Viña has two fine ice creameries: Bravíssimo (Av. San Martín 302, tel. 0322/681862) is a chain, while Timbao (Av. Valparaíso 670) is more strictly artisanal.