Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
270
Tips
T ake Flight
If you're visiting Mendoza and want to sample as much wine from as many win-
eries as possible, then take a flight! A flight of wines , that is. The
Vines of Men-
doza,
Espejo 567 (
&
261/438-1031
), was the first collective tasting room in the
region. Led by charming and bilingual wine experts, tastings include daily sam-
ples of some of Argentina's finest—and hardest to find—boutique wines. On
Wednesday nights, a local winemaker presents his best
vino tinto,
and on Fridays,
it's about bubbly champagne. The indoor terrace is cozy. They've just opened
shop inside the Park Hyatt Hotel. Likewise,
Wine Club Republic
(
&
261/15-541-
3892
[cell]), meets every Monday at 7pm at the Marcelino Wine Store, at the cor-
ner of Benegas and Zapata. It's open to the public, but reservations are required.
Both are great places to meet and mingle with expats, other travelers, and local
wine lovers.
Plaza Italia B and B
This tiny spot inside a traditional M endoza family's home has
been getting rave reviews for its warm hospitality. The owners love to chat with foreign-
ers. All rooms have air-conditioning and priv ate bathrooms, although one r oom's bath-
room is not en suite. The room inside a renovated garage is the most modern, although
it fronts on a busy str eet. Still, the location is superb , the ser vice very sociable, and the
price remains a bargain.
Montevidea 685 (at P eru and 25 de M ayo), 5500 M endoza.
&
261/423-4219.
www.plazaitalia.net. 5
units. $110 (£74) double. No credit cards. Rates include breakfast.
Amenities:
Concierge; laundry service.
In room:
A/C.
WHERE TO DINE
Mendoza is Argentina 's top destination for food lo vers. R estaurants her e ar e kno wn
around the world, and the food—fr esh, local, creative, and very tasty—will certainly be
a highlight of your trip. As in the rest of Argentina, Mendocinos dine late. Breakfasts of
coffee and pastries are served from around 7:30 to 10:30am. Lunch is generally a leisurely
meal, running from 1 to 3pm. R estaurants don't usually open for dinner until 8:30pm,
and they don't get busy until 10pm. How can you survive? If you must dine before 9pm,
stick to hotel-lobb y r estaurants, which usually open earlier . O r, do as the locals do:
Indulge in an afternoon siesta, then satiate y our 6pm hunger with a coffee and snack at
one of the city's many lovely outdoor cafes. We highly recommend that you soak up the
atmosphere at a Mendoza cafe. There are dozens of cafes with outdoor patios along the
Sarmiento Peatonal pedestrian street, where the people-watching is world-class. A t Arís-
tides Villanueva 209, tr y
La Dulcería de la A buela
(
&
261/423-5885
) for delicious
sweets. For something funky ,
Kato Café
, Emilio Civit 556 (
&
261/425-7000
), is
artsy and hip. And for the classically elegant Mendocino cafe, nothing comes close to
Vía
Civit
, Emilio Civit 277 (
&
261/429-8529
). That can be followed by a stroll through
the plazas and maybe a stop at a wine bar . Come 9:30 or 10pm, y ou'll be ready to head
out for dinner.
Even if you are staying in the center of town, make at least one trip out to a restaurant
in the suburb of G odoy Cruz or in the wine ar eas (see “ Touring the Wineries,” later in
this chapter), where some of the best cuisine is to be had at restaurants such as
La Bour-
gogne
(p. 284) and
Terruños
(p. 287).
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