Smokewood Garzón – Magical 50-acre off-the-grid vacation rental
This magical 50-acre modern off-the-grid oasis is one of the best places to stay in Uruguay.
Typical Uruguay foods — chivito, asado, pamplona, chajá, alfajores, dulce de leche… We go through each one, what it is and how you say it.
Uruguayan cuisine is simple. The staple is meat with a mixed salad, simply cooked but very tasty.
Cattle are still grass-fed so if you don’t usually eat red meat, you can feel good about doing it here. You’ll find the fruit and vegetables are full of flavour.
So what should you make sure you order while you are in Uruguay?
Ask for: chee-VEE-toe
Basically a huge steak sandwich layered with cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, olives, fried or hard-boiled egg and mayo. You can have it “al plato” i.e. without the bread. Curiously, chivito translates as baby goat, and a chivito canadiense is a chivito with ham. You can rest assured that no goats or Canadians were involved in their preparation. Check out how to make a chivito in the video at the end of the page. Where to go for a gourmet chivito in Montevideo and on your way to the beach.
Ask for: aa-SAA-do or TEE-ra de aa-SAA-do
A cut of beef, and a way of grilling food, usually using firewood in Uruguay (vs coals in Argentina). Ordering an asado will get you a full steak meal, usually for two or more, which includes at least two cuts of beef, sausage, blood sausage – morcilla, which comes in sweet (dulce) or savoury (salada) versions – and sometimes chicken. If you want ribs, ask for tira de asado. Where’s the best tira de asado in the Port Market?
If you really want to look like a local, instead of ordering a tira, ask for a pamplona. Made of deboned chicken or pork, rolled and stuffed with cheese, ham, sweet pepper and sometimes olives, this originated on Uruguayan grills.
Ask for: moh-RONE ray-ZZHEN-oh
If you find yourself in yet another parrilla, here’s a vegetarian option which is often not on the menu. Morrón relleno is a roasted pepper stuffed with melted cheese and olives and ham. To order it without the ham, ask for “Un morrón relleno sin jamón”. Ask for: moh-RON ray-ZZHEN-oh SEEN ha-MONE
Ask for: nee-YOK-ees
The Spanish spelling for the Italian gnocchi, this filling pasta meal was and is still traditionally served every 29th of the month, the day before payday, in homes and restaurants too. It’s considered good (financial) luck to put some money under your plate before you start eating. Many of our favourite restaurants serve ñoquis every 29th.
Ask for: DOOL-say day LEH-chay
A creamy caramel sauce or filling that’s popular all over Latin America. Uruguayans eat it on EVERYTHING.
Ask for: al-faa-WHORE
A sweet South American sandwich made from two shortbread-style cookies filled with dulce de leche and covered in white or dark chocolate or powdered sugar. My British relatives go practically orgasmic for them.
Ask for: prEEN-see-pay oom-BARE-toe
A uniquely Uruguayan dessert made of Marie biscuits, meringue, double cream, dulce de leche (of course) and virtually nothing else. However, the taste is out of this world. Look for it in supermarket freezers and get yourself a whole tub!
Ask for: cha-HA
Considered the most Uruguayan of all desserts, chajá was created in 1927 by a tea-shop owner in Paysandú, a city west of Montevideo. Made of sponge cake, meringue chips, cream and peaches, the original recipe remains a secret. Many restaurants stock chajá wrapped in its distinctive white wax-paper wrapping from the factory in Paysandú.
On any cold, rainy or overcast afternoon, stands selling tortas fritas magically mushroom on every street corner. It’s the ultimate comfort street food. The dough, which is like donut dough, is rolled into a roughly 8-inch disc and deep-fried till it puffs up. You can buy it as it comes or ask for it to be sprinkled with sugar.
This article was taken from The Guru’Guay Guide to Montevideo. Our guidebook on Uruguay includes dishes traditionally served in the Uruguayan countryside and at the beach.
Smokewood Garzón – Magical 50-acre off-the-grid vacation rental
This magical 50-acre modern off-the-grid oasis is one of the best places to stay in Uruguay.
Uruguay Festivals – Sea Goddess Day on February 2
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Montevideo Carnival 2023 dates
Uruguay carnival is back in 2023! The world’s longest carnival returns to Montevideo. We’ve got the when and where.
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Mark Teuten & Associates – Lawyers & notaries
Finding an English speaking Uruguay immigration lawyer who can advise on real estate, employment law, & mediation, as well, can be a huge relief.
Uruguay’s Kentucky Derby – January 6
One of the best things to do in Montevideo is visit the horse races. Fun for the family and for architecture buffs the art-deco stadium. Fridays & Sundays.
How to avoid paying top dollar at the beach in Uruguay
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Montevideo over New Year? 5 things you need to know
Between Christmas & New Year, Montevideans leave town in droves. So what to do you do? There’s still the beaches, tango, fireworks and… water fights!
Great little car rental company in Uruguay
Shout-out for local car rental company, Mariño Sport, in Uruguay. I’ve been impressed by their great service and personal touch since 2010.
A full half of all of the wineries in Uruguay are located in Canelones. These were founded often 4-5 generations ago by European immigrants.
Following a textbook harvest, experts and winemakers are heralding Uruguay wines of 2020 as some of the best in decades, reports sommelier Adriana Rossi.
One in every three bottles of wine produced in Uruguay is a Tannat. What does Uruguay’s flagship wine taste like? Here’s a guide to get started, by locals.
The food scene in New York City had turned Javier’s head. Would Montevideo mean having to trade great food for the luxury of time and money to enjoy it?
One in three bottles of Uruguay wine is a Tannat. Yes, Uruguayans LOVE this red. Nowadays there’s a Tannat for every occasion. We celebrate the Top Tannats.
Join us as we parachute in on a virtual visit to a Uruguay wine-maker. Harvest is just ending and there’s some feel good news, it’s the BEST in 40 years.
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6 Responses
Paysandú is west of Montevideo — has the earth tilted on its axis?
Hey Barry, your message made me laugh. Thanks for the close read. My comment is based on how locals refer to locations here. Everything is very Montevideo-centric in Uruguay. The country even been called a city-state by some academics. So all other locations are either north, west or east of the city. Hope this explains my point. Best — Karen
Hey, I’m an Uruguayan-Canadian, love your blog. Keep up the good work !
Thanks, Gabriel! If you’re not signed up already, do join our newsletter (link in the footer). I share info there I don’t share elsewhere, as well as site updates. Stay in touch! — Karen