Food · Montevideo · Uruguay
What to eat in Montevideo
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Montevideo, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Eduardo Ruggieri, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Chivito, Asado and Choripán. Take a counter seat at one of the market's grills and order a mixed parrillada for two, with a medio y medio to start. Lunch is from about 12:30pm to 3pm and dinner starts late, rarely before 9pm.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Chivito
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 7
- Tipping
- About 10% is customary in restaurants and is not usually added to the bill.
- Food experiences
- 4
11 foods to try
Dish
1.Chivito
Uruguay's national sandwich: thin beef steak with ham, mozzarella, bacon, fried egg, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise in a soft bun, usually served with chips. The 'chivito al plato' version comes without the bun and with salad.
Where: Traditional bars and confiterías across the Centro, Pocitos and Cordón.
Dish
2.Asado
Grilled beef cuts such as tira de asado (short ribs), vacío (flank) and entraña (skirt), cooked slowly over wood embers rather than charcoal, with chorizo, morcilla and grilled provolone.
Where: The parrillas of the Mercado del Puerto and neighbourhood parrillas across the city.
Street food
3.Choripán
A grilled chorizo split in a crusty roll, often with chimichurri or salsa criolla; the classic snack at football matches and street stalls.
Where: Parrillas, carnival venues and street stalls near stadiums and fairs.
Drink · Vegetarian
4.Medio y medio
A mix of sparkling and dry white wine served as an aperitif, created at the Mercado del Puerto's Café Roldós, which has served it for generations.
Where: Café Roldós and other bars in the Mercado del Puerto.
Drink · Vegetarian
5.Mate
Bitter yerba mate tea sipped through a metal straw (bombilla) from a gourd, topped up from a thermos tucked under the arm. Uruguayans drink it constantly, at work, in parks and on the Rambla.
Where: Buy a gourd, bombilla and yerba at a supermarket or market; it is rarely sold in cafés.
Drink · Vegetarian
6.Tannat
The robust red grape, originally from south-west France, is Uruguay's signature wine, often tannic and dark, and it pairs well with grilled beef.
Where: Wine bars in the Ciudad Vieja and wineries in Canelones, about 30 minutes from the city.
Street food · Vegetarian
7.Pizza and fainá
Thick-crust 'pizza al tacho' is often eaten 'a caballo', with a slice of fainá, a thin chickpea-flour bread, laid on top. It reflects the city's Italian heritage.
Where: Old-style pizzerías in the Centro and Cordón.
Snack · Vegetarian
8.Torta frita
Fried discs of dough, sometimes sprinkled with sugar, traditionally eaten with mate on rainy days.
Where: Street vendors and bakeries, especially when it rains.
Dessert · Vegetarian
9.Chajá
A light cake of sponge, meringue, cream and peaches, created in the city of Paysandú and named after a local bird.
Where: Confiterías and bakeries throughout the city.
Dessert · Vegetarian
10.Dulce de leche and alfajores
Thick milk caramel spread on toast, filled into crêpes (panqueques) and sandwiched between biscuits in alfajores, often coated in chocolate.
Where: Every bakery and supermarket; alfajores make easy gifts.
Snack
11.Empanadas
Baked or fried pastries filled with minced beef, ham and cheese, or corn; a cheap, quick lunch.
Where: Empanada shops and bakeries in every neighbourhood.
Food experiences
Parrilla lunch at the Mercado del Puerto
Take a counter seat at one of the market's grills and order a mixed parrillada for two, with a medio y medio to start.
Winery visit in Canelones
Family wineries in Canelones department, a short drive from the city, offer Tannat tastings and long lunches among the vines; book ahead.
Mate on the Rambla
Join locals with a thermos and gourd on the rocks or benches along the Rambla at sunset.
Chivito at a classic bar
Order a chivito canadiense, Uruguay's loaded steak sandwich, at an old-school bar in the Centro.
Quick bites and street food
- Choripán — Parrillas, carnival venues and street stalls near stadiums and fairs.
- Pizza and fainá — Old-style pizzerías in the Centro and Cordón.
- Torta frita — Street vendors and bakeries, especially when it rains.
- Empanadas — Empanada shops and bakeries in every neighbourhood.
Vegetarian options
Of the 11 foods in this guide, 7 are usually vegetarian: Medio y medio, Mate, Tannat, Pizza and fainá, Torta frita, Chajá and Dulce de leche and alfajores. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Lunch is from about 12:30pm to 3pm and dinner starts late, rarely before 9pm.
- Parrilla portions are large; a parrillada for two often feeds three.
- Order meat 'a punto' for medium; Uruguayan grills often cook steak well done unless you ask.
- Ask whether your restaurant applies the VAT discount for foreign-issued cards, a policy that has been offered in some seasons.
- Many restaurants close on Sunday evenings or Mondays, especially in the Ciudad Vieja.
Tipping
About 10% is customary in restaurants and is not usually added to the bill. Round up for taxis and tip guides and hotel porters a little.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Buen día | Good morning |
| ¿Tá? | OK? (Uruguayan filler word) |
| Bo | Hey (informal, used between friends) |
| La cuenta, por favor | The bill, please |
| ¿Me pasás el mate? | Can you pass me the mate? |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Montevideo famous for?
Chivito, Asado, Choripán and Medio y medio. Uruguay's national sandwich: thin beef steak with ham, mozzarella, bacon, fried egg, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise in a soft bun, usually served with chips.
+Is Montevideo good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Medio y medio, Mate and Tannat.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Montevideo?
About 10% is customary in restaurants and is not usually added to the bill. Round up for taxis and tip guides and hotel porters a little.