The best places to eat in Viña del Mar
A summary of weeks 7-9 in Chile with a focus on food. Enjoy.
Week 7: April (3-9) Sushi in South America – My Favorite Restaurants & More
See this Instagram photo by @sincerelytakira * 79 likes
If there’s one thing I noticed about Chile, it’s the simple fact that locals quickly embrace visitors from other countries. With that being said, there are foreign restaurants on nearly every corner. Some of my favorites include: Sushi Home, Wok n Roll, and Saori which sell a fusion of Japanese/Peruvian food. What a mixture, right? With so many opportunities to try tasty eats, I decided to finally try sushi for the first time (in my entire life). You’re probably sarcastically thinking “Wow, great. Big deal.” But yes, it is a BIG deal to me. How many people can say that the first time they had sushi was in South America? How ironic is that?
My Instagram followers already know what type of food I enjoyed in Chile, but for those of who you don’t, here’s a list of some of my favorite dishes and restaurants:
Also, fun fact: It was really difficult for me to find a wide selection of restaurants that serve authentic Chilean cuisine.
Bread and a cappuccino to start off the day.
Anayak Café: This dazzled up café can be found near the intersection of Calle Valparaiso and Calle Quinta in Vina del Mar. Anayak serves everything from small plates, to omelets, yummy ice cream, and more. I usually go here to treat myself to an occasional ice cream (two scoops of manjar (dulce de leche) and tres leches).
Not only is the food good, the staff is friendly, and there’s free wifi! Cool points and a big bravo for bravissimo.
Bravissimo: Another gem for ice cream. At a glance, one might think the whimsical restaurant is only good for those with a sweet tooth, but no, Bravissimo is so much more. Although Bravissimo specializes in ice cream, cakes, and other desserts, they also have a pretty good selection of café drinks, sandwiches, and other entrees. While I cannot vouch for everything they have (I’ve only been there a handful of times), I can tell you that the barbecue chicken sandwich is quite delicious.
Barbecue sandwich at Bravissimo - WARNING: it has mayonnaise. Don't want it? "Sin mayonesa, porfa."
See this Instagram photo by @sincerelytakira * 136 likes
Alster: On the far end of Calle Valparaiso (walking in the opposite direction of the Plaza de Vina) is a cute little café in which I had my very first restaurant once [pronounced "on-say"]. “What is once,” you might ask. Well no worries, I’ll explain. Once is a meal that takes place in the late afternoon between 5 and 7pm and it’s somewhat like tea time before dinner. Through a project in my Chilean Culture class, I took to the streets to learn about the eating habits and preferences of the average Chilean. I talked to strangers of various ages in Plaza de Vina, the Feria (farmer's market), and Quinta Vergara Park to see what they liked. I learned that once is usually between 6 and 7pm while the menu consists of light snacks, something sweet, and tea.
Sushi Home is a great option for those looking to taste some Japanese cuisine with a Chilean twist. Many sushi options here include cream cheese and palta (avocado) as ingredients. Not in the mood for sushi? Try the teriyaki pork (pictured below). Sushi Home is very tourist friendly as it has a digital picture menu (you order on a tablet) and they also have menus in English.
See this Instagram photo by @sincerelytakira * 173 likes
La Flor de Chile (mentioned in this post) is a great place to find traditional Chilean food. I highly recommend it if you're ever in Vina del Mar. The environment of this establishment is warm, welcoming, and always open to visitors (except on Sundays - they're closed). In fact, if you're dining on the weekend, you might have to wait 20 minutes or so just to get a seat. It's just that good!
Bistec a lo pobre at La Flor de Chile (french fries cover with beef and fried eggs)
El Mono is a restaurant on the shore of Concon that serves Chilean cuisine (empanadas and more). The ambiance of this place is super chill and the mussel empanadas are AMAZING. Just go.
See this Instagram photo by @sincerelytakira * 173 likes
Week 8: April (10-16) A Night Out With the Guys
Me and the fellas at J. Cruz
Somehow I ended up at a bar late on a Tuesday night when I had class the following morning... I stood out for two reasons: 1) I was the only person drinking a cup of coffee and 2) I was the only girl in a group of 4 guys. What?! Yeah. I’ll explain. The original plan was for a group of the intercambio kids (exchange students) and some local students to enjoy an evening of live jazz at Casa Cervecera in Valparaiso. When the night first started out, we had at least 3 girls and there was a good guy-to-girl ratio. But somehow, everyone decided to bail at the last minute and here I am having a spontaneous night out with the bros. Normally I would’ve felt awkward in this situation or maybe even intimidated by being in a foreign place with men that I barely know. However, to my surprise, our night out in Valparaiso was pretty awesome. I did the following:
1) Enjoyed live music at Casa Cervecera Altamira (videos coming soon)
2) Tried my first craft beer
3) Ate my first chorillana at the legendary J. Cruz
Chorrillana (French fries topped with eggs, onions, and beef strips) and a terremoto (white wine, Pisco, pineapple ice cream, and sugar) - talk about a real terremoto (earthquake)!!
Chorrillana is a famous Chilean dish that was invented in Valaparaiso. Remember the bistec a lo pobre that I ate in week 7? Chorrillana is the poor man’s version of the meal itself but oh man is it good.
Photos and other memories left by customers on the walls of the restaurant.
Bonus: One of the best parts about eating my first chorrillana was the unique restaurant we ate at. J. Cruz is a restaurant that was founded in 1987. Ever since then, they’ve been serving customers with smiles and unforgettable experiences. Patrons at J. Cruz often leave notes on the walls (or even the ceilings) and I even found a sonogram of someone’s unborn child?! Creepy or no? I’m still trying to determine.
FUN FACT: Week 8 is the week that I started Sincerely Takira. April 10, 2016. Remember the date!
Week 9: April (17-23) First time going to the movies
Waiting to see Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice at Cinemark in Mall Marina
Going to the cinema in Vina del Mar wasn't that different from going to the movies back home. In fact, the majority of the movies were in English with Spanish subtitles and the prices were much cheaper - show tickets were $4.50 USD. Also, the movie theatre at Mall Marina is HUGE. It's on the top floor of the mall and takes up about two blocks. You can't miss it.
This sums up weeks 7-9 in Chile. As always, please let me know if you have any questions or comments about my time abroad. Feel free to leave a comment.
Have a good one!
-- Sincerely, Takira
