4 Best Restaurants in The Northwest, Argentina

Facing the main plaza, this big barn of a restaurant serves regional specialties (like baked rabbit and cabrito al horno), as well as pastas and classic Argentine steaks. Expect generous portions, a bustling atmosphere, live folk music, and wines from the owner's Bodega Río Colorado, just a block away.

For wine-tasting with a difference, stop at Heladería Miranda in Cafayate. In 1994, at the age of 60, Ricardo Miranda decided that he wasn't going to succeed as a painter. So he turned his creative energy to making wine sorbets, taking two years to perfect the recipe. Sweet yet tangy Torrontés arguably makes sense as a sorbet; the Cabernet makes a good match for his fruit-flavored ice creams. All are made organically on the premises. 

At lunch, the best tables are taken by groups of tourists being serenaded by a band of minstrels, but don't let that put you off. The food is simple, well-presented Andean fare, and the prices are very reasonable. The kitchen can cater to vegetarians, too.