Are you planning a trip to South America? If you are a food lover (like us!) then we recommend you consider adding these cities to your itinerary. From ceviche to feijoada, to quite possibly the best steaks in the continent, these destinations are filled with mouth-watering cuisine that is definitely worth to make a stop at every single one of them! But if you don’t feel like limiting your travels to just one part of the world, we also have a blog article on the 9 Best Cities for Foodies in the World or (for our non-meat eaters) a vegan-friendly version too! Yes, we like to write for every type of stomach, you’re welcome! Now without further a due, here are our top 7 foodie destinations in South America!
Lima, Peru
This list is in no particular order but its worth mentioning that Peru has won best culinary destination 8 times in a row according to the World Travel Awards. Which is why we won’t only recommend you to visit Lima, the capital, but to visit as many cities as you possibly can to try everything that Peruvian cuisine has to offer. The most popular and loved dish from Peru’s capital is called Ceviche, which is raw fish cooked in lemon juice surrounded by onions, chili, cillantro and corn with a side of sweet potato. If you are not that big of a seafood fan, we made a list with other typical dishes you can try!
Foods to eat while in Lima, Peru:
- Ceviche
- Ají de Gallina
- Anticuchos
- Lomo Saltado
- Picarones
- Chicha
Cusco, Peru
After tasting the wonders Lima has to offer, you cannot leave this country without stopping by Cusco. You can also visit Macchu Picchu while you’re there, which is one of the 7 World Wonders! But let’s keep focusing on the food for now… A complete must while you’re here is the choclo con queso, which translates to corn with cheese. Peruvian corn is bigger and with a milky color in comparison to US and European corn, and combined with the regional cheese you are 100% guaranteed to fall in love with the flavor combination. You can usually find this at the ‘Mercados’ where you will also find many more typical Peruvian foods and snacks for a very cheap price.
Foods to try while in Cusco, Peru:
- Chiri Uchu
- Choclo con queso
- Pan dulce
- Cuy al horno
- Chicharrón
São Paulo, Brazil
Brazilians seem to have it all, gorgeous rainforests, lovely people, beautiful beaches AND delicious food! One of our personal top recommendations is the typical feijoada, which is a stew made with black beans, rice, pork and spieces and and pão de queijo, which is small bread-balls filled with cheese. If you are addicted to chocolate, then brigadeiros are a must-try too!
Foods to eat while in Sāo Paulo, Brazil:
- Feijoada
- Picadinho de carne
- Brigadeiro
- Pão de Queijo
- Acarajé
Santiago, Chile
Did someone say vineyards and endless wine tasting? Sign me up! If you are a lover of wine then Santiago has to be in your travel bucket list. But not also do they have delicious wine, their food is very tasty and you can try different versions of ceviche and empanadas, which are also popular in Peru and Argentina. Every country gives their own spin to some of the most popular dishes (and they’re all worth trying!)
Foods to eat while in Santiago, Chile:
- Pastel de choclo
- Empanadas
- Cazuela
- Asado
- Sopaipilla
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Argentina is a country that should be on meat-lover’s travel bucket list. Argentinians claim to be the masters of the best steaks in the whole world, and (according to fellow colleagues) we can confirm! For the vegetarians with a sweet tooth, we can recommend alfajores with dulce de leche. These delicious cookies are filled with creamy sweet milk ‘dulce de leche’ and some are covered in chocolate too. You cannot leave the country without eating these.
Foods to eat while in Buenos Aires, Aires:
- Asado Argentino
- Locro
- Empanadas criollas
- Alfajores
- Dulce de leche
Bogota, Colombia
Colombia, a country full of delicious food, awe-inspiring nature, and world-renowned coffee! Gastronomy here is also next level, and a tasteful experience for sure. After doing our research, Ajiaco always came at the top of the food recommendations list and although we may not have had the opportunity to travel there yet to confirm it ourselves, it looks very tasty!
Foods to eat while in Bogota, Colombia:
- Ajiaco
- Fritanga Bogotana
- Changua
- Merengones
Quito, Ecuador
While some people consider mostly the Galapagos Islands, a couple days in Quito to try their food is well worth it! If you love seafood then you have to try their Encocado de camarones or different versions of ceviche.
Foods to eat while in Quito, Ecuador:
- Hornado
- Encocado de camarones
- Llapingachos
- Fritada
Send us a (food) postcard!
We hope we could encourage you to start saving up for your next South America vacation and your stomach is craving all the delicious dishes we shared with you. Always remember to keep your mind open when traveling to another country since some food combinations can blow your mind when you least expect it! If you end up documenting your foodie trip, make sure to tag us on your socials or use the #MyPostcard moment on your posts featuring your delicious dishes! Until next time and buen provecho!
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