27 Best Restaurants in Wine Regions, Argentina

Embracing many aspects of Mendoza from terroir right down to the hard-carved wooden teaspoons, the lunchtime experience at Zonda—Bodega Lagarde’s Michelin-starred restaurant—is refreshing. Starting in the olive groves, the immersive orchard-to-table experience means you have to work, but only a little, picking salad leaves and herbs for your lunch. The nine-course regional tasting menu is paired with gems dating back to the 1980s selected from the cellar.

Partners in life and in the kitchen, Mariano and Florencia traveled the world working in restaurants. They’ve brought that experience to their own intimate eatery, which offers a sophisticated tasting menu. The space may be small (it sits only 18 people), but you can expect delightful culinary creations with consistently appealing flavors and presentation. Staff can recommend wines by the glass or bottle to match the seasonally changing eight- or 11-course menus.  In 2023, the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star.

Nestled between a golf green and tennis courts, Chez Gastón serves up unpretentious and fresh local cuisine in the smart Algodón Wine Resort. Surrounded by ancient olive groves and vineyards, you can sit outside on the brick patio where pine-log tables are surrounded by comfy couches with puffy white cushions. Many of the products used, such as the olives, fruits, and walnuts, are harvested on the property, and bread is baked daily in a clay oven. Ask about the Smoky tasting menu; Sunday lunch is dedicated to asado.

Warm up with a tasting of Uco region wines at Cundo’s cellar door before taking your seat at the table. Adhering to local terroir philosophy, chef Seba Juez prepares three- and six-course, paired tasting menus using only Uco Valley–sourced ingredients in his al fresco kitchen (even in winter), which sits neatly in front of Malbec vines. A wintry starter might include roasted beets with grilled ricotta, or seared mollejas (sweetbreads).

Daniel Ancina and his wife Graciela will greet you at this typical ranch house, about 20 minutes from town. Then they'll fill your wine glass, introduce you to the other guests, and seat you family-style at a long table. Regional cuisine rules. Little pots of sauces for spreading on pan casero (homemade bread) line the center of the table and out of the mud-brick oven comes a platter of crisp baked empanadas followed by a protein—goat, lamb, beef, chicken, or chorizo.

Although this family-run winery also cultivates peaches, plums, cherries, and apples, La Azul's boho restaurant is a go-to in this corner of Uco Valley, and especially busy on weekends. Sink into a cozy armchair or pitch up under the trellis vines to enjoy tasty empanadas, stews, and barbecue over three or five courses, accompanied by lovely views of the Andes. There's a small guest house with four rooms.

Hidden between the vineyards of Maipú is this historic manor, lovingly restored as an intimate restaurant, which serves a five-course tasting menu of farm-to-table Argentine cuisine (including recipes from a 19th-century cookbook found on the property) paired exclusively with Ver Sacrum wines. Tastings, cooking classes, and live art shows are all on offer, and the limited lunchtime reservations fill up fast.

There's a friendly atmosphere in this small bistro, which started out as a teahouse until the French owners expanded into Argentine-Franco breakfasts, lunch, dinner, and a wine bar.

Overlooking Tupungato volcano and the family vineyards, this small restaurant is the perfect spot for a lazy lunch in wine country. The colorful tasting menu is served with flair, from the assortment of starters to the juicy steak and hearty pasta dishes, and the final tasting platter of puddings. Order the well-priced three-course meal. 

This intimate eatery serves up comforting Argentine cuisine each evening for just 10 tables in a romantic, candlelit garden. The menu changes regularly, but some favorites include homemade gnocchi and mollejas (sweetbreads).

This character-filled restaurant has stepped up in recent years, bagging a Michelin star for its Argentina-focused tasting menus in 2023. Start dinner over a glass of espumante bubbles in the tasting room, next to the old grape press that's been upcycled into a tasting table. Offering a welcome break from parrilla fare, the two tasting menus, which can be paired, give traditional Argentine and regional ingredients a creative twist.

Caffeine fans can get their espresso fix at Bonafide. The Bonafide brand was the first to bring a coffee roasting machine to Argentina in 1917, and it now has locations citywide. On the corner of Sarmiento and 9 de Julio near the central plaza, enjoy a steaming cup of joe with medialunas (sweet croissants) and alfajores (cookies with dulce de leche, sweet caramelized milk jam).

A popular gathering place for both locals and visitors just one block from Km 0 (the very center of town), Bonafide serves up fresh coffee, sandwiches, cakes, and other goodies for the road. Grab one of the window seats with leather couches and take advantage of the Wi-Fi.

This spit-and-sawdust-style eatery has monster-size steaks, irresistible BBQ smells, and cheap wine by the jug. If you've had a long day in the mountains and need a place to refuel, old-school El Rancho is open daily for lunch and dinner, it also serves coffee and snacks outside of mealtimes.

This remote part of western Mendoza Uspallata is home to Mendoza’s most elevated vineyard and winery, Estancia Uspallata at 2,000 meters above sea level (6,561 feet). Malbec, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc are cultivated in this seemingly inhospitable canyon, the driving force to the bodega’s restaurant, Fuegos en Altura. The lunchtime-only tasting banquet deals in various proteins such as as kid goat and lamb prepared over open fires, a show that adds to the remarkable ambience in the canyon. The wine pairing comes from the estate and El Enemigo.

Priding itself on cooking dishes like your Italian nonna would make, Fuente y Fonda offers hearty Argentine fare in family size portions that are designed to be shared by at least two people. Expect deep dishes filled with stuffed cannelloni, milanesa napolitana (topped with cheese and ham), or roast meats.

Mendoza has no shortage of heladerías (ice cream shops) ranging from artisan producers to national chains. It's a favorite pastime of locals to sit down to a few scoops, at any time of the day or night. Try local flavors, including wine ice creams, at Soppelsa (on Belgrano and Civit), Perin (at Sarmiento 799), Michel (at Belgrano 860), and Bianco & Nero (on Aristides and Belgrano).

This colorful spot is known for its large dishes of warming pasta, succulent local trout, and king-size milanesas and steaks. Decor is minimal but service is warm, and there are splendid mountain views.

Serving a buffet of salads and starters followed by a main course straight from the grill, La Juntada updates the classic pulperia (tavern) atmosphere with a good wine list and a fresh lick of paint. Go hungry for the typical Argentine fare such as grilled goat kid that's well-prepared.

They've been serving homemade pasta at La Marchigiana since 1950, and many of the recipes were passed down from founder Nonna Fernanda; today her descendants carry on the tradition in the kitchen. Popular with Mendocinos looking for a reasonably priced meal (and a great lasagna), there's a second restaurant at Ruta Panamericana 3200 in Godoy Cruz.

This casual, family-run restaurant has been hamming it up in the valley for 30 years, serving pork cooked in every way imaginable. A surprising number of vegetarian options are also available, and all the wines offered are from local bodegas. A small shop on-site sells artisans' items, such as hand-knit sweaters, blankets, and artwork.  If you like this place so much you don't want to leave, check into a reasonably priced cabañas behind the restaurant.

Mendocinos have been coming here for years to get their beef fix—lomo and bife de chorizo are grilled to perfection at this comfortable country-style restaurant. Pastas, grilled vegetables, and salads are also on the menu. Their other restaurant in Palmares is more upmarket.

Inspired by local ingredients, dynamic young chef Alfredo Morales creates a delicious seasonal menu, cooking out of an upcycled San Juan casona. Order the six- or three-course tasting menus; dishes might include pork empanadas, artichoke ceviche, and flame-grilled pears with ricotta and pak choi.

Delicious smells from the outdoor grill lure locals off the streets and into this popular and unpretentious restaurant in the center of town. Saffron-yellow tablecloths throughout brighten the low-ceilinged dining room and add a splash of color to the outdoor patio. A variety of typical dishes—including grilled goat, beef, chicken, and vegetables—are served for lunch and dinner.

Tiled walls that look straight out of the Middle East mark the entrance to this eatery, which offers great value Lebanese food. Don't be dismayed by the bright lights. Just order a bottle of Malbec, head for the table of appetizers, and fill your plate with crab brochettes, pickled eggplant, fresh tomatoes, and sliced tongue. Entrées include pastas, chicken, and beef prepared with a Middle Eastern touch.

Traditional grilled meats, homemade pastas, and appetizers featuring locally made cold cuts comprise the hearty fare at this friendly family-style restaurant. On Sunday, you can help yourself to steak, lamb, chicken, and goat at the open grill.

Dedicated to natural foods, this buffet-style restaurant has lots of vegetarian and even vegan options. The atmosphere is laid-back, and your meal—which is priced by weight—can be eaten in or taken out.  Be sure to try the fresh-squeezed fruit and vegetable juices.