In the second of a three-part series on Montevideo, Rachel Ricks takes a closer look at the Uruguayan capital’s café culture.
I’ve been in 2013’s Ibero-American Capital of Culture, Montevideo, for five weeks now and one of my favourite things about the city is its café culture. On the corner of almost every block in the centre is a fantastic café serving delicious food that’s always bustling with locals. What is astounding is that these cafés are often very large and the menus extensive, which normally I would veer away from for fear the quality of the food suffered.
This is not the case here though, where cooking and waiting staff alike are experts in their fields. Cafés in Montevideo also double up as bars – there are no pubs as such in the city – so the cafés stay open late and always have a great atmosphere as people gather over the big bottles of the local cerveza (beer) – Pilsen or Patricia.
Here are some of my favourite cafés in Montevideo. All of them are alike in that they serve hundreds of different dishes ranging from pastas, pizza and hamburgers to Milanesas (breadcrumbed chicken or beef), those infamous chivitos (massive sandwiches filled with steak, ham, egg and salad, with fries on the side) and, of course, this wouldn’t be Uruguay if beef wasn’t served in every imaginable shape and form. They are also all staffed by stoical middle-aged waiters who can take all the orders of these complex menus without writing a jot down, and work 12-hour shifts in the sometimes unbearably sticky temperatures this city musters up.
The Manchester
Avenida 18 Julio 899
I’m not sure why it acquired this odd Anglo moniker when it was established in 1962, but this place is phenomenal. It was the first café I stumbled into late on the night I arrived in the city. It stays open until at least 1am and serves food all day. It’s bang in the city centre – on the main shopping street and just along from the main plaza (it is also just round the corner from my hotel so has been well-frequented by me).
Best for: Cappelleti a la carusso (cream, mushroom and ham sauce). I was served about two kilos of this pasta in a big steaming dish. I never thought I’d finish it, but it was so scrumptious, I did.
Las Delicias
Corner of Convencion and San José
This place has the best name because it really does offer a range of delicious fare. And loyal to its patrons too – it was the only place in town open on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day – and well past midnight at that. Unsurprisingly, it was packed out on each of these holidays. Don’t let the fact that it’s clearly not been refurbished since circa 1962 put you off (this for me was its initial attraction).
Best for: They probably do the best pizza out of all the places I tried. I also love it when you order a cup of tea; they bring it on a silver tray with a glass of orange juice, sparkling water, pot of popcorn, a chocolate and a little meringue on the side!
Bar Centro
Corner of Colonia and Plaza de Cagancha
I repeatedly went back to this café with a fantastic 1960s interior. The staff are excellent and friendly, there were daily specials and it’s here that I was first introduced to the chivito – I couldn’t move for quite a long time after working my way through this mound of food. The famous Uruguayan sandwich is served on a tray with a massive pile of fries; the waiter even has a ritual he must have performed a million times, where he serves you the first half of the chivito onto your plate for you.
Best for: The legendary chivito, of course.
Bar 36
Corner of Convencion and Maldonado
This little atmospheric bar-café also has tables and chairs under the shady trees outside. I had a great gramajo here – a Uruguayan speciality of scrambled eggs, bacon, ham, peppers and potato all mixed together in one big dish. However, I think the ravioli in a delicious filetto sauce was better.
Best for: Atmosphere in the evenings.
Any disappointments?
There hadn’t been until I finally succumbed to the…
Oro del Rhin
Corner of Convencion and Canelones
This ‘café-confiteria’ is right opposite my hotel so had been luring me for weeks. However, when I finally went in one Saturday afternoon, I was disappointed how its elegant exterior belied a rather ugly altered interior and staff who couldn’t seem to care less. I opted for the chocolate cake but it was entirely flavourless. The walls were lined with black-and-white photos of the café back in the 1920s when it was established, but I think its heyday has sadly long gone.
And what about vegetarians?
I couldn’t believe it when I discovered…
La Vegetariana
Yi 1369
In a country famous for its high-quality meat, I expected that veggies would struggle. Then one night I spotted this great vegetarian place with an all-you-can-eat buffet. I helped myself to dishes such as cheesy cannelloni, spinach quiche, veg curry, roasted peppers and noodle soup as well as endless salads. I couldn’t quite believe it, when after all of this, the waitress informed me that not just one but two desserts were also included. I promptly selected chocolate brownie and a chocolate pudding. I rolled out the door that night.
Best for: Satiating hungry veggies.
My Montevideo menu tips
When you see pizza on the menu in Uruguay, it comes without cheese but extra sauce; to get mozzarella on your pizza, you need to order a muzzarella. You can add any toppings to either type. Locals often have them with faina – a flatbread made with chickpea flour and black pepper.
Salus are a long-established Uruguayan brand of mineral water, sourced from the springs in Minas. They also produce various flavoured waters, of which pomelo (a type of local grapefruit) is the most delicious, in my opinion.
When you order a pasta dish, expect a small extra cover charge as you will be brought a basket of fresh bread, breadsticks and crackers on the side (as if the pasta wasn’t enough…).
You can read more about Rachel’s travels on her blog.
> Find your way to Montevideo’s best cafes with our range of travel guides and maps.
All photos © Rachel Ricks