Ancud’s 5 Best Food Spots: A Delicious Review
Ancud, way up there in northern Chiloé, is really just a great spot for soaking in local culture and scenery, and maybe it is often missed. You’ll want to know the right spots if you are really looking to savor some great local food. You see, I’ve scouted Ancud pretty extensively for good eats, and, to be honest, I’ve come up with five gems that should make any foodie very excited. Get ready to check out where to find some fantastic flavors, and just what makes these places super special!
Mercado Municipal: A Taste of Authentic Ancud
So, when you swing by Ancud’s Mercado Municipal, or city market, prepare for a sensory hug that’s also super local. Actually, this spot right by the water’s edge buzzes all the time with vendors shouting about all the fresh catch, piles of potatoes, and other local produce that might just have you thinking. It’s truly a place where Ancud comes to life. That is why this market is just perfect for people that want to get deep into what the area really eats and produces. A trip around the Mercado is more than grocery-getting—too it’s kind of an immersion in local daily routines.
Down at the market’s cozy eateries, you can find tasty, cheap plates that are going to show you just how fresh those ingredients actually are. “Curanto en olla,” basically a hearty stew, often gets recommended; yet, really I would vouch for the “empanadas de mariscos.” Trust me: these seafood-filled pastries taste amazing after they are fried nice and golden. Very warm, super savory, and stuffed to the brim with shellfish, they are super portable for snacking as you walk through the rest of the market! Remember: Bring some Spanish, but definitely an appetite!
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Restaurant Sacho: Seafood with a View
Right along the waterfront, Restaurant Sacho is very famous among locals for its killer views and unbelievably awesome seafood offerings, as a matter of fact. This spot is quite big in Ancud, usually offering a tranquil place where your seafood feast is paired with awesome seaside vistas. When I eat there, the charm goes way up a notch with every sunset viewed through those big picture windows, that is, the kind of charm you can’t find in places that are so commercial.
When at Sacho, you really can’t miss the “cazuela de mariscos.” This big, flavorful seafood stew has got a bunch of local shellfish and fish swimming around in a delicious broth and usually served smoking hot. Everything there tastes super fresh. So it just doesn’t matter if you are warming yourself from the typically brisk Pacific air or grabbing a taste of Ancud’s seafood—this stew will definitely do the trick. It will likely have you coming back just for this place. Plus, basically, everything else on the menu is guaranteed to wow!
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Cocinería Donde Yiyo: Home-Style Cooking
Cocinería Donde Yiyo is where you should go for some food that reminds you of home cooking that also packs great flavor. Usually, people flock there for meals that taste quite homey and feature family-passed-down traditions. More or less hidden from the bustle, Yiyo offers just simple but scrumptious local food that hits just right after you are touring the local spots of Ancud all day.
Make it a point to grab their reineta frita. Really, it’s more than just some regular fried fish; too it shows the absolute care and love put into preparation, where it seems like each plate is seasoned to perfection. So, imagine flaky, fresh fish fried to a nice golden brown. Seriously, there is nearly nothing else that makes it easier to get a solid feel for real Chilean home cooking! Don’t hesitate: drop by, meet the awesome family running it, and taste something authentically lovely. It might just become your favorite lunch place!
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Mar y Canela: Cafeteria Comfort
For that very much needed coffee break and pastry craving, Mar y Canela should totally be on your radar in Ancud. In fact, a great stop while traveling the area’s rugged scenery, the quiet cafe provides amazing pastries and caffeinated beverages that just make any afternoon that much nicer. As a matter of fact, I’ve had many relaxing afternoons in this very spot, just enjoying the cozy setting with some solid baking!
Grab their kuchen—a rich, dense cake that is, seriously, some magic—you won’t regret it. Their version is often prepared with local fruits, yet really the flavors adjust with the seasons so you might get an unexpected berry, apple, or even a rhubarb one based on the month. Usually, these fresh flavors perfectly match that strong coffee taste, so if you’re touring all through Ancud or looking for some quiet, give this place a visit!
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El Trauco Restaurant: Local Flavors in a Unique Setting
El Trauco isn’t just some restaurant; it might just be an entire experience based around local mythos along with genuine island flavors. Named following the mythical Trauco figure, a short statured leprechaun creature from local Chilote folklore, the place really presents itself with a really playful yet earnest local angle that is quite fun, as I was saying. In short, with a warm setting spiced up by stories and neighborhood decorations, you are really going to taste authentic island cooking.
You ought to give the cordero al palo—or spit-roasted lamb—a whirl, you’ll thank me. That being said, it is more than just perfectly cooked meat, but something that shows a cooking technique steeped so deep in Patagonian history. That is to say, it’s roasted beautifully outside till so tender it melts the minute it touches your tongue. If you plan a visit to El Trauco, plan to enjoy history in your tummy—probably this one is a must-do spot that you will keep in mind!
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