South America is a culinary wonderland, offering a rich and diverse range of food and drink to tantalise your taste buds. Many of the iconic dishes in South America are found all over, but each country adds a unique twist to make it its own. Empanadas, for example, are a staple food in any country in South America. These crispy pastries, filled with meats and vegetables, can be found at street vendors and restaurants, each with its own distinct flavour profile. In Colombia, they’re fried; in Argentina, they’re baked. Platanos Fritos is another quintessential South American snack made from fried plantain and found everywhere, offering a variety of flavours and textures. And for those with a sweet tooth, the dulce de leche is king. This incredibly delicious, milky caramel made from condensed milk is a key ingredient in almost every dessert, adding a rich and diverse flavour to South American cuisine.
We believe that food is one of the best ways of exploring a new culture, and if you’re just as big a foodie as we are, check out our food and drink experience page for famous foods and recipes from across the world. There are many more dishes to try, but here are some of our favourite foods from South America.
The number one thing to try in Argentina is the Argentinian steak. Renowned as the best steak in the world, especially in Buenos Aires, this is definitely something you need to taste. The dry aged T-bone cut is by far the most popular. If you want a true taste of Argentina, have it with chimichurri sauce. Now found in many other parts of the world, but native to Argentina is the deliciously smoky chorizo sausage. You can easily find it by simply following your nose! For vegetarians, Provoleta is definitely a must. Smelly cheese topped with chili peppers, spices and herbs and grilled to perfection. A must try beverage in Argentina is yerba maté, a tea made from the rainforest holly tree, packed with caffeine.
Many of Bolivia‘s favourite foods are heavy on carbs and have a base of either potatoes or rice. A typical Bolivian breakfast is salteñas – baked pastry filled with vegetables and meats and slathered in gravy. A lot of the food in Bolivia is very heavy on meat, like the pique macho (a beef stir fry type dish) or the silpancho – tomatoes, onions and potatoes topped with breaded beef. But fear not, vegetarians; there are still some great things to try. Sopa de mani is a peanut soup containing pasta, potatoes, vegetables, and peanuts. Sonso is also a great vegetarian dessert – dough fried with cheese, eggs and butter. Delicious!
Brazil has some of South America’s best food and drink but is very heavy on meat. Churrascarias or rodizios are very popular, all-you-can-eat meat restaurants with the best found in Rio de Janeiro. A typical Brazilian dish is feijoada – a stew of smoked pork, ribs and beans (and sometimes pigs ears and feet!). For dessert, the brigadeiro is a must-try. If you’re into street food, try the coxinhas – creamy chicken balls deep-fried and dipped in salsa. Another famous fish dish is moqueca, an uber-fragrant fish stew mixed with coconut milk and fresh herbs. Try Brazilian chocolate truffles, which combine condensed milk, chocolate, and butter for dessert.
Most Chilean food takes a lot of inspiration from Europe but adds its own spicy, colourful flare. One dish you’ll find all Chileans eating is chorrillana – a (not so healthy) huge plate of beef strips, fried eggs and onions atop a big pile of chips. Pisco Sour is the national drink of Chile and Peru and something you need to try. A cocktail of pisco (brandy), egg whites, angostura bitters, lime and syrup. Another traditional Chilean drink is mote con huesillos, a refreshing drink made from dried peaches and husked wheat. The vegetarian-friendly sopaipilla is a popular, delicious street food with fried pumpkin flatbread and spicy hot sauce.
Colombia has a rich food scene with a heavy focus on hearty dishes and large portions, often referred to as having some of the best Latin American food. Meals tend to revolve around mounds of meat including the national dish Bandeja Paisa – A platter of steak, pork rind and chorizo with rice, black beans and a fried egg. Another typical Colombian dish is the fritanga – a hardy platter of grilled meats and fried plantain – eaten with hands only! It isn’t all meat-heavy though, vegetarians should try the buñuelos – fried cheese fritters, and the patacones – green plantain fried pancakes. You will also find arepas thrown in as a side to most dishes – a delicious cornmeal flatbread. Read here for more information on the best food to try in Colombia.
If there is one thing you try in Ecuador, make it the chocolate. They are renowned for producing some of the best chocolate in the world, often coming in unique flavours such as lemongrass or rose. A traditional, warming dish to try is viche – a heavy soup of seafood and peanuts. And if you’re into street food, the Ecuadorian salchipapa is a fried hot dog topped with cheese, fries and a delicious selection of local sauces. Vegetarians should try menestra – a bean stew often served as a side to many dishes and pan de yuca – a bun made from a root vegetable a little like a potato and filled with cheese. If you happen to be visiting Ecuador at Easter, read our blog on traditional Ecuadorian Easter cuisine.
Most people visit the Galapagos Islands to get up close to nature without considering the food too much. But being a group of islands, the culinary delicacies should be on your radar. Most dishes include fresh fish, with the Galapagos ceviche being a favourite. Locals swear by their hangover cure of encebollado – a thick soup of fresh fish and pickled onion found almost everywhere. Another dish to try is the arroz marinero – a seafood mixed with rice. If you can stretch your wallet, this is possibly one of the best places in the world to taste lobster.
Patagonia’s most loved dish is Cordero al palo (spit-roasted lamb), which is often cooked over several hours on an open fire. Another dish special to Patagonia is filete de guanaco – a fillet of Guanacos (an animal similar to an Andean Llama). A great fish dish in this area is chupe de centolla – the Patagonian King Crab pie. Thick, creamy and topped with breadcrumbs, making this a very comforting chowder. If you have a sweet tooth, the calafate berry is native to Patagonia and is a key ingredient in most puddings, from tarts to ice cream.
Peru is a great destination for foodies with Lima holding the name of South America’s culinary capital. Ceviche can be found all over South America but is Peru’s national dish and often considered as the best in Latin America. A plate of raw, marinated fish, onions, lime juice and veg. See our recipe here! Peru is also famous for its ‘unusual’ meat choices. They favour the cuy (guinea pig) and alpaca meat. As for drinks, chicha morada is very popular, the Peruvians love it! Made from an array of spices and mixed with purple corn giving it an unusual deep purple colour. And did you know that Peru has its own soft drink? Inca Kola, which actually tastes more like cream soda. Read here for more info on the best food and drink to try in Peru.
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