Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting There
Take a 15- to 25-minute taxi ride fr om downtown Mendoza, or 30 minutes fr om the
Mendoza airpor t. O r catch the local bus no . 151 or 160 fr om the stop on La Rioja
street—it'll take you into the center of the town of Maipú. Drivers should head south on
Hwy. 40 and turn east at J uan J. Paso to get to the center . Other turnoffs will take y ou
to outlying vineyards.
287
Getting Around
Flat and leafy , Maipú is a gr eat place for biking (see “ Tour Operators,” earlier in this
chapter). Alternately, taxis can take you from the bus stop to wher ever you need to go.
Visitor Information
There is a visitor information center at O zamis 19 (
&
261/492-2448
).
Where to Stay & Dine
Almacén del Sur
DELICATESSEN The journey from garden to table is incr edibly
short at Almacén del Sur. Before seating you, staff members guide you through the herb
and v egetable gar dens, to demonstrate ho w fr esh the ingr edients ar e. Then y ou head
inside a refurbished farmhouse for your meal. The dishes highlight their gourmet line of
deli products sold across the country, including green tomato chutney, cipollino onions
in balsamic vinegar, and rose petal preserve. The five-course lunch is definitely not cheap,
and does not include wine.
Zanichelli 709, C oquimbito.
&
261/410-6597.
www.almacendelsur.com. Reser vations highly r ecom-
mended. Lunch menu $50 (£34) for 5 courses. AE, MC, V. Mon-Sat 12:30-4pm.
Club Tapiz
One of the top lodges in the ar ea is built in an old home dating to the
1890s, tucked inside a 10-hectar e (25-acre) vineyard, which you can explore on bike or
on foot without having to cross a road. The seven guest rooms are simple and tidy, with
modern touches, king-size beds, and bright, if simple, bathrooms. Ask for a room with a
window onto the back gar den, and be sur e to save time for a fe w hours in the peaceful
spa. Rooms start at $125 (£84) a night, including a big buffet breakfast and wine tastings
each evening. It's a good deal. The inn is close enough to other
bodegas
to keep you busy
for a few days.
Pedro Molina s/n.
&
261/496-4815.
www.tapiz.com.ar. 7 units. Doubles start at $190 (£128). AE.
Ameni-
ties:
Restaurant; lounge; wine c ellar; pool; spa; game r oom; business c enter; high-speed I nternet.
In
room:
A/C, TV.
10
Divina Marga
Finds
ARGENTINE This new bistro is in a r efurbished country
home on the r ugged shore of the Mendoza River, and has a stunning décor both inside
and out. For an appetizer, don't miss the sweetbread empanadas. Try the trout with sun-
dried tomato paste and almond sauce or the
ojo de bife
(rib ey e). Simple grilled local
vegetables in a lemon sauce is a light alternativ e. A cellar downstairs is predictably heavy
on the big local wineries, but the giant patio is r omantic under the night sky. Kinks still
have to be worked out in the kitchen, but this place will cer tainly draw beautiful people
to a beautiful corner of M aipú.
Calle P ublica s/n, L unlunta.
&
261/15-5702-2700.
Reser vations r equired. M ain c ourses $10-$15
((£6.80-£10). AE, MC, V. Daily 1-3:30pm and 8:30pm-1am.
Terruños Restaurant
FUSION Inside the Club Tapiz lodge complex, this r es-
taurant is like wise housed in a r estored colonial home. E legant y et funky, the menu
blends F rench, I talian, and Asian tendencies without distracting too much fr
om the
