Il Maestrale
As previously mentioned, Chileans have a very large sweet tooth and no shortage of options to ruin their teeth, but the overwhelming favorite is ice cream. If you are the type of person who likes to stay away from chain restaurants, then there is just the place for you when it comes to ice cream. Tucked away in Patio Bellavista is Il Maestrale. While this shop has less selection than a larger chain, the quality is not lacking. So don't be shy about asking for a sample if you are unsure as to what flavor you want. But the inside scoop here is that they are all wonderful and you can't go wrong with any flavor of ice cream being offered. It is hard to give you a heads up here, because the flavors are always changing. The one thing I can tell you is that there will surely be a flavor there that you have never heard of and if you get a scoop of it you will not be disappointed.
Gelateria Bravissimo
Chileans have a very large sweet tooth. In fact, it is hard to go more than a couple of blocks without seeing some kind of storefront selling something on the sweet side. Perhaps one of the most beloved sweet things for Chileans to enjoy is ice cream, and one of the best known names in ice cream is Gelateria Bravissimo. This is a local chain of ice cream shops found all over Santiago. Just walking by one without stopping is hard to do when you get a shot of all of the flavors of ice cream being offered up inside. Here you can get ice cream in a cup, cone, shake or sundae. But be warned, some of the sundaes and shakes are very large and even two people eating on them will have trouble getting it all down. Even though Bravissimos are known for their ice cream, they also offer up some light eating in the forms of sandwiches and salads, but something just doesn't seem right about ordering a salad at an ice cream shop. So when your sweet tooth starts to ache Bravissimo has what it takes to make it feel better.
Dulceria Las Palmas
If you are walking around Barrio Bellavista, and the wind is just right then the smells of fresh baked pastries will tease you. If you are curious as to the origins just follow your noise. More than likely your noise will lead you to Dulceria Las Palmas. Since you are here, you might as well take a load off and settle in for a nice meal. When entering the restaurant your eyes will immediately be drawn to the left and all the sweets on display. There is everything from ice cream, cookies, chocolate and custard pastries, and cheesecakes. There aren't many other places with such an impressive variety of sweet things in Santiago.
Despite what your eyes and noise tells you, this is more than a sweet shop. Dulceria Las Palmas also is a great place to have lunch. I would recommend ordering the daily special. Usually, the daily special consists of your choice of juice, salad or soup, a main course, desert and a coffee or tea. You get all of this for around $8. In a recent trip to this restaurant the main dish was your choice of either a plate of grilled chicken or pot roasted pork with rice. With so much food included in the daily special there will be no need for dinner. The seating fills up pretty quickly so if you want to ensure a seat before the lunch crowd plan on showing up around 2 p.m. because by 2:30 you may have to wait for a seat to open up.
Off the Record
Situated on a quiet street in Barrio Bellavista sits an icon in the local restaurant field. From its food, live music, book/poetry readings, television show, and its art gallery no other place can easily be mistaken for Off the Record. With everything that is offered up by this at establishment, it can be over looked that at its core it is a restaurant. The menu is extensive with influences from all over the world. Everyone is sure to find something worth eating at Off the Record. As indicated above, Off the Record offers up so much more than just food. For example, if you happen to be dinning on a night when there is live music or readings just sit back and enjoy the ambiance. If you show up on a night when there is no live music or readings, don't worry as Off the Record also acts as a local art gallery. So walk around and have a look at all of the works by local artists. Also worth noting is that the president of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, has been known to have a meal at Off the Record from time to time. From the food, music, literature, and art there is a lot going on at Off the Record. Be sure to stop by and have a bite to eat and take in all that is offered at this local destination.
El Orto Sitio
Nestled among art galleries and night clubs in Barrio Bellavista sits the restaurant, El Otro Sitio. The restaurant's menu is Peruvian based with Chilean influences. The atmosphere is welcoming and the wait staff are friendly. White table clothes and monogrammed plates sit upon the tables. Upon taking your seat you will be politely asked if you would like a pisco sour. While tradition suggest you should start off your meal with a local drink, have no worries if you prefer another dinner drink as the bar stocks beer, and a decent size wine list. Given the Peruvian influences the menu is mainly seafood dishes with a couple of pasta and meat plates. If you have never tried ceviche, there could not be a better place than a Peruvian restaurant. Also upon looking at the menu you will find that half of the menu is composed of starters. So if you are in the mood for a tapas style dinner this place could easily suit your needs. But if you need bigger portions have no fear as many of the dishes are large and more than likely you will leave some food on your plate.
El Otro Sitio's good food and reasonably priced menu has made this place a popular destination for tourist and locals alike. In fact, its popularity has enabled it to open three additional restaurants throughout Santiago. So even if you are not in Barrio Bellavista, you may be able to enjoy this wonderful restaurant. Just have a look at their website, find the nearest branch and get your taste buds ready for a great meal at a local institution.