4 Best Restaurants in San Martin de los Andes, The Lake District

San Martín wouldn't be a ski town without a fondue restaurant, and this one is particularly appealing. The cheese fondue is smooth and rich, while the meat version comes with cubes of Argentine beef in assorted cuts and up to 12 condiments. (Vegetable fondues are, sadly, a bit limp.) Steaks and pasta are also well represented, and there's a fantastic wine list. The restaurant's two rooms—adorned with wooden panels and rustic tables—are equally suited to children and honeymooners.

Cozy dark-wood tables and booths, a friendly staff, a chalkboard listing tempting specials—these are good building blocks for a restaurant. Order the smoked-meat plate with venison, boar, trout, salmon, and cheese as a starter; then try the Patagonian lamb al asador (on the open fire). Assorted parrilla classics are paired with a fine wine list.

This European-tinged eatery is one of the traditional high-end choices in San Martín, for locals and tourists alike. With tables scattered about the black-stone floor and barrels, shelves, and other surfaces stacked with foodstuffs (think pickled vegetables, smoked meats, cheese rounds, dried herbs, olive oil, and wine bottles), you might think you're in a Patagonian deli. Top choices include braised lamb and local specialties made from fresh-caught game; the La Tasca appetizer platter of smoked salmon, venison, boar, and trout pâté is especially good.

This elegant downtown bistro takes you on an odyssey through the pleasures of Italo-Argentine cooking. The sirens sing loudest when it comes to artisanal pastas like sorrentinos (large, puffy ravioli) filled with smoked trout or seafood standbys like cebiche or pulpo a la gallega (Galician-style octopus). If you're feeling truly heroic, there's also a bevy of belly-busting desserts before you navigate your way home. Prices are incredibly reasonable for food this good.