Chile - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 462

EATING
Unimarc supermarket has several branches in the centre,
with the largest at Bories 647 (Mon-Sat 9am-10pm, Sun
10am-9pm), with a cheap café upstairs.
Ì Brocolino O'Higgins 1055 T 61 710479. The
unassuming exterior hides some of the best food in
Patagonia by chef Héctor Gálvez; don't miss “aphrodisiac
soup” (CH$5500), made with the freshest seafood,
centolla (king crab; CH$8000) or steak “in the style of Paris
Hilton” (CH$8500), whatever that means. Daily 1-3pm &
7-11.30pm.
Café Almacén Tapiz Roca 912 T 9 77693359, W cafe
tapiz.cl. Fashionable café set in a lovely old building from
1930, serving all sorts of delicious pies, cakes and sand-
wiches. Mon-Sat 10.30am-6pm, Sun 11am-5pm.
Café Montt Pedro Montt 976 T 61 220381. A (small)
book exchange and wi-fi are available in this cosy coffee
shop, as well as a good selection of teas and coffees.
Particularly good is the caffeine-fuelled creation with
condensed milk (CH$1700). Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat
8am-2pm.
Kiosko Roca Roca 875 T 61 223436. Elbow your way
to the counter at this legendary joint packed with locals
(its been here since 1932) and grab a banana milkshake
(CH$200) or choripán (a sort of mini-burger with chorizo
and cheese) for CH$350-450. Daily 8am-7pm.
Lomito's Menéndez 722 T 61 243399. Classic Chilean
version of a US diner-cum-sports bar, open until the
wee hours and one of the few places open on Sun; chefs
knock out all manner of burgers and grilled sandwiches
in the centre, while locals sip beers and watch the football
at the bar or from tables. The surly servers are part of
the experience, so be prepared for a wait. Mains from
CH$4000. Daily 10am-2.30am.
Ì La Marmita Plaza Sampaio 678 T 61 222056,
W marmitamaga.cl. If you can tear your gaze away from
the decor, order one of the imaginative dishes made from
organic produce, such as the exotic ceviche with coconut
milk, or the tasty caldillo de congrio (conger eel soup). The
pisco sours, served in martini glasses, are the best in

Patagonia, and the calafate berry and chocolate dessert
is a work of art. Mains from CH$6500. Mon-Sat 12.30-
3pm & 6.30-11.30pm.
Sabores Mejicana 702 T 61 227369, W restaurant
sabores.com. Cosy spot with Croatian owners offering such
bargains as the two-course menu ejecutivo (CH$3850),
which includes a choice of home-made pasta or hearty
seafood stews, drink and dessert. Daily 10.30am-
midnight.

DRINKING
Pub Olijoe Errázuriz 970 T 61 223728. Decked out like
a classy English pub, with its leather and dark wood, this
pub serves a good selection of beers, though its speciality
is the glaciar : a potent mix of pisco, milk, horchata and
curaçao. It may take a while to catch the barman's eye.
Daily 6pm-2am.
Santino Colón 657 T 61 710882, W santino.cl. Spacious,
welcoming Italian-owned bar offering typical Chilean food,
such as lomo a la pobre , as well as good sandwiches, pasta
and live music on Sat. Beers CH$1300; mains CH$5500. Daily
6pm-3am.
Taberna del Club de la Unión Palacio Sara Braun, Plaza
Muñoz Gamero T 61 241317. Travellers can't resist this
darkly elegant basement drinking venue - once part of
the posh Club de la Unión and gathering point for the
town's most powerful men. Free wi-fi. Daily 6.30pm-3am.

4

DIRECTORY
Banks and exchange There are several banks with
global ATMs around Plaza Muñoz Gamero, including Banco
Santander and Banco de Chile. There are cambios along
Roca and Lautaro Navarro.
Hospital Hospital Regional at Angamos 180 ( T 61 205000)
deals with 24hr emergencies.
Internet and phone Try Internet Banda Ancha, at
Menéndez 787 (daily 9am-11pm; CH$700/hr), or the
similarly priced Ciber Center at Carrera Pinto 674.
Post o ce Bories 911 (Mon-Fri 9am-6.30pm, Sat
10am-1pm).

PUNTA ARENAS TOUR OPERATORS
Turismo Pali Aike T 61 615750, W turismopaliaike
.com. A variety of nature-watching trips, including
daily trips to Isla Magdalena, Seno Otway and Estancia
Lolita, as well as full-day canopy trips, transfers to the
nearby Reserva Nacional Magallanes and excursions.
Day-trip to Pali Aike park CH$70,000.
Turismo Yámana Errázuriz 932 T 61 321172,
W yamana.cl. Intrepid single- and multi-day kayaking
trips on and around the Strait of Magellan, taking
in seal and penguin colonies, as well as multi-day

trekking and riding excursions in Tierra del Fuego.
Nine-day kayak expedition from US$3460.
Whalesound Navarro 1163, 2nd floor T 61 221076,
W whalesound.com (o ce Mon-Fri 9.30am-1pm
& 2.30-6.30pm). Responsible operator offering
study-based kayaking trips to the Coloane Marine
Park and humpback whale-watching trips from
December to May. All-inclusive trip (2 days, 1 night)
US$900.