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Most of the best restaurants in Viña del Mar can be found in three neighborhoods:
Avenida San Martín
This is the most important area in the city for fine dining. All along the street a visitor will find restaurants featuring a diversity of menus and ambience. Because of fierce competition, restaurants have sought to attract the choosy diner with well-planned decor and original cuisine emphasizing creative house specialties. Most of these establishments feature domestic wines made from grapes produced in the rich volcanic soils of Chile. Another advantage of this area is its proximity to the Viña, if you are thinking of extending the fun well into the night.
Italian food buffs will get their fix at La Cucina di Vacareza. Avowed carnivores might opt for meats on a skewer in Guris Brasileiros and Spanish food lovers for Basko Delicias del Mar. If in need of a pizza go to Diego’s. Fish and shellfish are elegantly served in Fornoni while Tex-Mex cuisine, the craze of the 90’s, can be had at Santa Fe. Near by you will find the recently inaugurated Rincón Austriaco and if you are a dedicated calorie watcher visit the health food center at Haikú.
Avenida Borgoño
Running along the coast, this avenue joins Reñaca with Concón. Dedicated mainly to fish and shellfish, it has recently become the second gastronomic center of the city. Here there are many local specialties, served in the traditional Chilean way, including the famous pescado frito (fish fried in batter), machas a la parmesana (shellfish topped with melted cheese) and caldillos (fish soups). You will also find more elaborate fish and shellfish dishes that give local ingredients a more international touch. To accompany your meal, you would be well advised to choose one of the excellent local wines.
Within the group of restaurants serving mainly Chilean dishes are Don Chicho, El Pacífico, Andre's and El Albatros. In Higuerillas, more to the north, there are Bellamar, Vista Mar, El Taitao, Don Enrique and La Perla del Pacífico.
If you are into sophisticated, international cuisine visit Stella Maris and Mirador Cochoa, and to the south, Rendez Vous with its delicate Parisian cooking.
One advantage of this area is the spectacular view offered from every restaurant of the untamed and sometimes raging ocean. Many of the restaurants, especially the more elegant ones, sit precariously right on the rocks and are constantly splashed by the foaming waves. A great part of the more rustic establishments can be found in the Higuerillas Cove area.
Los Nortes
This area has been gradually becoming a very good alternative for lunch or dinner. To keep up with the competition, these restaurants are price conscious, and you will often get a cheaper meal here than elsewhere. The establishments themselves are often smaller, creating a more intimate and less formal atmosphere.
If in need of a good fish or shellfish meal go to Donde El Tata, or for spicier fare, try the Arabic cuisine at Guarak Chili. For Tex-Mex specialties stop at El Margarita and for Chinese at the Pau-San. Pastas and all things Italian can be had in Don Giovanni and grilled and skewered meats in La Parrilla El Gaucho.
Another interesting feature of this sector is the numerous pubs along 5 Norte Street. Some good examples of these are Bar K, Sub Terras, Hollywood and the Pub Alcazaba. More to the south is found the Green Pub. Do not expect typical ketchup-smothered pub grub, however. Despite the emphasis on drinking, all of these establishments serve tasty, well-prepared food in a pleasant atmosphere.
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