Discover local flavors in the ?picadas? of thecapital

ZONA AYSÉN - SIMPSON

Nothing better for making one feel welcome than a generous plate of homemade food. ?Picadas? are those

special local restaurants where the food is plentiful and the hosts are authentic, great ambassadors for the

identity and traditional gastronomy of a place. Get ready to tour the picadas of Coyhaique, Bon appetit!

D ATA S H E E T

Activity Type: Gastronomic tour in search of the best picadas of Coyhaique.

Start: The picada of your choice.

End: With a cup of coffee after a great meal.

Distance: All of these picadas are located in the central sector of the city, in a radius of 8 blocks of the Plaza.

Duration: 1 to 2 hours.

Seasonality: Year round.

Picadas are sought after for their fair prices, the abundance of their dishes and their traditional homemade preparations.

You can nd them throughout the Region of Aysén, and in Coyhaique, we can assure that you that there are an

abundance of picadas, brimming with great food and true regional identity.

We’ll start with the legendary Casino de Bomberos (General Parra #365; (067) 2231437), chosen as the best picada of the

region in a contest held by the National Council for Culture and the Arts in 2012. Specials of the house include steaks,

sh, empanadas (hand-held pastries stu ed with meats of cheese), papas rellenas (same as empanadas but enveloped in

potatoes) and pichangas (think of it as a Patagonian pupu platter). Service includes daily lunch specials and empanadas

to go.

Lito’s restaurant (Lautaro #147; (067) 2254528), is famous for its preparations of local beef, all year round, and seafood

specialties, according to what’s in season. Don’t miss their pichangas and delicious pisco sours, accompanied by tortas

fritas and house-recipe pebre sauce. You’d never guess such a great restaurant was hiding inside its humble exterior, and

in addition to a charming atmosphere, the service is excellent and the owner is always nearby!

In the Comedor Restaurant (12 de October #337; (067) 2210840), the rustic carvings, photos and decor transport you to a

farmhouse dining room somewhere in the countryside of Aysén. The comfortable atmosphere makes the food even more

tasty and authentic, featuring proprietary recipes for sh, seafood and regional meats, accompanied by garden fresh

salads, tortas fritas and pebre. During the spring and early summer, the menu features various preparations of chiporro,

which is young lamb, weighing between 12 and 14 kilos, when the meat is at its most tender. Don Luis, the owner, will

even prepare a traditional lamb asado, with prior coordination.

For those looking for the experience of sharing an authentic meal in a Patagonian house, the ideal place is El Mastique

(Bilbao # 141; Contact: (09) 96824067). This Coyhaique mainstay has been open since 1995, and is renowned for big plates

and authentic Chilean cuisine. Typical dishes include guatitas (a stew made with strips of the stomach of cows),

charquican (a stew that features dried, roasted meats – and sometimes the meat is horse), Chilean beans, noodles with

red sauce, cazuela, beef stew, and salmon, among others. In 2011, Sercotec recognized the owner, Señora Carmen

Hernandez,for her contributions to the conservation and celebration of traditional Chilean recipes.

The Loberías de Chacabuco Restaurant is another traditional picada (Eusebio Lillo #366; (09) 82841296). Don Juan, the

owner, learned the restaurant trade working for the classic Aysén Hotel in the years that Puerto Aysén was the capital of

the region, sharing: “there we even served the President of the Republic”. When he moved to Coyhaique, he decided it

was time to become independent and opened his own restaurant. He serves a variety of lunch specials but his true

Special Considerations: Picadas tend to ll up with locals during the 13:00 to 15:00, lunch “hour”. It’s advisable to go

early.

Reservations: The Restaurants do not require reservations and are generally open during the lunch hour (13:00 to

15:00) and for dinner (20:00 – 22:00).

passion is seafood. We can de nitely recommend the paila marina, the fried sh and, in season, puyes, jaibas (stone

crabs) and (centollas) spider crabs.

If you’re interested in eating with local farmers and gauchos, you’ll want to head to the Moneda de Oro (Arturo Prat

#431; Contact: (067) 2233321). Here, you’ll dine with Ayseninos from all over the region who have ventured in from the

farms for some sort of business in the capital. Of course, while they’re in town, they make it a point to enjoy the great

food and service in their favorite picada. Bet you can guess the specialty of the house – meat and potatoes!!!

T R A V E L T I P

Write the note here

These picadas are only a few of the many that you

can nd in Coyhaique and throughout the region. If

you nd yourself with other travelers, an exchange

of tips about the great picadas in the local area is a

great way to start a conversation!

P H O T O G R A P H S

Photographs that complement this story

R E C I P E S

The flavors and culinary knowledge can be a memorable aspect of his travels in Aysén. Every corner has its own

recipes and dishes . Discover your favorite recipes here.

V I D E O S

If a picture 's worth a thousand words, a video is worth a million , is not it? Here you will find some of the best

for this sector.

Nombre Url

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3wMhZegTMI

R O U T E S

To go this route , you'll need a good map. Find the details and steps here in georeferenced and downloadable

version Smartphone, Tablet and GPS .

Nombre Url

Discover local flavors in the “picadasâ€

of the capital

http://es.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/spatialArtifacts.do?

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