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PUERTO NATALES
Culinary Capital Since 2024
Puerto Natales is in the Province of Última Esperanza, Magallanes Region of Chilean Patagonia. Its geography, its history and the hospitality of its people await you with a culinary culture that brings together the Patagonia of the mountains, the pampas, the fjords and canals that shelter pure waters and millenary ice at the edge of the world, where food is grown and produced in unique natural conditions, These are brought to a cuisine that expresses the union of the traditions of the Spanish colonisation, the magic of Chiloé, the German, English, Croatian, French and Swiss immigrants, and the cosmovision of the Kaweskar and Aónikenk indigenous peoples.
Puerto Natales is the expression of an identity more than 500 years old that you will have the privilege of experiencing through the innovative and revolutionary art of its local chefs, proud of their territory and committed to its sustainability.
Whether to warm up with a hearty stew after trekking through virgin forests or the millenary ice that coexists with the sea, or to enjoy an exquisite meal paired with beers and distillates made with pure local waters, Puerto Natales offers a varied and delicious range of options to choose the dish through which you seek to experience the meaningful flavour of local products as part of the history of the destination.
THE FOOD & DRINK
Typical Products & Dishes
The scientific name of the sarsaparilla is (Ribes spp.). It is one of the berries of Patagonia. It is found in the forests of the sub-Antarctic ecoregion of Puerto Natales.
This fish grows in crystalline waters surrounded by a pure and natural environment under the influence of the Humboldt current. The icy waters in which it lives make it a product with a mild flavour, but full of nuances, with a firm texture, which separates into delicate and fine slices.
The golden conger eel is one of the three species of conger eel found in Chile and owes its colloquial name of ‘golden’ to the reddish colour of its belly, throat and lips. It is low in fat, has a delicate flavour and a firm texture. Its flesh is white.
Taste this appetizing natural jewel, extracted at the foot of ice that is 1000 years old. In Puerto Natales, scallops play a leading role in our cuisine. There are two species originating from the territory: the southern scallop (Austrochlamys natans) and the Patagonian scallop (Zygochlamys patagonica). Unlike in the rest of the world, these two species of scallops found in Puerto Natales are found in the channels of the pristine Patagonian sea, which have thousand-year ice in the vicinity where the scallops are found. It is therefore a unique product due to its natural place of origin, and with a unique flavour, due to the waters and climate in which it grows. It is also part of the indigenous culinary culture of Patagonia, and is rich in carbohydrates, fats and proteins. It has Omega 3 fatty acids, and is also a source of zinc, vitamin D, selenium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus.
Enjoy the taste of this immigrant vegetable, which arrived in Patagonia more than 100 years ago, and is here to stay. Rhubarb was brought to Patagonia by English immigrants who arrived in the territory in the 20th century. In Patagonia, rhubarb is integrated into family life for medicinal purposes, and then it is used in cooking as a vegetable (in some areas, such as Asia, it is considered a fruit). It is a phanerogamous plant belonging to the Polygonaceae family. Its stem contains minerals such as manganese, iron, phosphorus and potassium. Due to its woody texture, it is cooked first for a short time before using. In Puerto Natales, rhubarb is used to make ice cream, desserts, drinks, sweets and jams.
In every kitchen you will find various recipes of this delicacy, extracted from the pure waters of the sea. In Chile, salmon is cultivated in Patagonia. Its flesh is pink, soft, tasty and versatile for all kinds of cuts, which manufacturers and packers keep in mind to make the processes increasingly sustainable (for example, achieving a low carbon footprint and less water consumption in its production). Our salmon is exported to the five continents, make this fish one of the most demanded in the gastronomy in the southern hemisphere. It is a superfood due to its high level of protein, fatty acids such as Omega 3, vitamins and minerals.
Healthy, delicious and indulgent meat, perfect to complement your day of adventure in our city. The guanaco is a kind of llama and was the herbivorous animal that dominated arid Patagonia until the 19th century, and was the main source of food for the indigenous peoples of the region, the puma and scavenger species such as the condor. Until before the pandemic, its population had declined, and now there is an overpopulation that has led to management plans to allow other livestock species to coexist with them. Its meat has a mild flavour, is low in fat and high in protein. It can be eaten in sandwiches, main courses, starters and as carpaccio.
For as long as there has been Patagonia, there has been calafate. The calafate berry (Berberis microphylla), native to southern Chile and Argentina, is known in English as the Magellan barberry or simply calafate berry. This small, dark blue or purple berry is similar in appearance to a blueberry and has a sweet-tart flavor, making it popular for jams, jellies, and desserts.
The essence of our Patagonian cuisine in your mouth. The lamb from Puerto Natales is one of the most renowned foods, enjoyed by tourists and locals alike. It is an unmissable gastronomic experience in a cultural context that evokes the relationship of the Patagonian people with the natural environment and the Patagonian pampas. The lambs grow in the vast Patagonian territories with natural pastures, far from the stress of the farms that have industrialised production for human consumption. This provides a tender, low-fat meat, which gives it greater versatility in the kitchen.
The hypnotic treasure of our Patagonia fjords and canals. The Patagonian spider crab (Lithodes santolla), also called Magellanic king crab, southern king crab, Argentinian king crab and Chilean king crab. It is a crustacean that inhabits the seabed of the cold waters of southern South America. The climate and the characteristics of the sea of Puerto Natales, with its purity, give us a king crab with a delicious and incomparable flavour due to its organoleptic (mouthfeel) characteristics. Its meat is pearly, soft and tender. Try it as a starter, main course or even in a sandwich.
THE STORIES
Marcia Maldonado knows about Patagonian hospitality, because she lives in Puerto Natales sharing her love for gastronomy. She joined La Mesita 19 years ago as a master chef, and today she is the restaurant's head chef.
Ricci came from the Philippines to Puerto Natales and fell in love with the place so he stayed. He is passionate about meaningful gastronomy. He found here the perfect setting to give wings to his creativity, bringing people together around good food, with international standards.
Rubén spent time in the area of Río Rubens, developing a business linked to a dining room and restaurant on the road between Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas. There, he decided to continue the family tradition and the culinary knowledge of his ancestors.
Esteban is the executive chef of Florentina Restaurant, located in the Simple Patagonia Hotel, a family business that has always considered gastronomy as an important part of their offering.
Fernando Luksic's family is of Croatian origin. His story is part of the story of the arrival of these settlers of these colonists who arrived in the area more than 100 years ago and who brought with them the concept of cattle ranches, which now dot the area.
Paola is part of a family that runs an artisan ice cream business. She is proud of her native roots and wants her ice cream parlour to bring the area's sweeter side of gastronomy closer to the local community and tourists. She has innovated by incorporating local raw materials in her creations.
