Where to Eat in José Ignacio
We enjoy fresh caught seafood and vegetable-forward dishes. José Ignacio has no shortage of both.
Eating in José Ignacio was simple: we found what we liked and went back a few times within our five day stay. Many restaurants have menus that change daily, so you won’t be bored with repeat visits. Here are our favorites that had us coming back for second, and third helpings.
Parador La Huella
Even though it was pouring down rain, we showed up to our scheduled reservation @paradorlahuella thirty minutes early and ready to nom.
Anthony Bourdain had eaten there. It was on the map. It was supposed to be good, but it really went beyond expectations set. We ate there two nights in a row, finishing our binge off with a third day at lunch. Each time, we ordered the same exact three dishes.
- Pulpo a la Parilla (Grilled Octopus)
- Verduras Asados (Grilled Vegetables)
- Dulce de Leche Volcano (nuff said)
- Complimentary Pan y Olivos (Bread and Olives)
If you close your eyes and take a bite out of the Parador la Huella’s octopus, it tastes identical to bacon. Also, it was so addicting we came back to the restaurant three days in a row. Sure, we don’t eat a lot of meat, typically stick to seafood, but we’ve had bacon – and that taste memory never leaves the tongue. Pulpo “octopus” is the bacon of the sea.
Mostrador Santa Teresita
This gem of a restaurant is open from lunch through early dinnertime. It’s buffet style, so you’ll sit down wherever you wish then go to the counter and pick out a small plate of three items or larger plate of six, plus a protein fresh from the grill.
For drinks, the waitress / waiter will bring you a menu and then serve them for you. Don’t skip the flavored water option of the day.
The atmosphere is relaxed, and the Scandinavian lodge design gives it a touch of hygge, making it a place you’ll likely eat at a few times during your stay in José Ignacio.
For dessert, ask the counter chefs their favorite – it’s really overwhelming how many options they had and the ones they chose for us were the bomb.
Parador Posada del Faro
This is the restaurant associated with the nearby posada (hotel) called Posada del Faro.
We recommend visiting to watch the sunset. You’ll enjoy deep house groove playing in the background and a good selection of drinks. The food is fine for a small bite with your cocktail, beer, or wine. Bring cash as they don’t accept card!
La Excusa Coffeehouse and Bar
Also a live music venue, La Excusa is best visited for a strong cup of morning coffee and pastry or a wood-fired oven pizza before a live music session.
They’re most known for their visiting DJ’s and other musical artist that begin after Christmas, and their Instagram is the best resource for learning more about the upcoming jam schedule.
One of our favorite DJs Travis Wild played some deep disco funk here in 2017, check it out on Soundcloud.
Las Caracolas
Last but certainly not least is Restaurante la Caracola – which requires a boat trip to get to and is only open for a limited time each year. We recommend emailing them [reservas@paradorlacaracola.com] in December to sort out what day they open, and to make a reservation. Their website is a bit ghetto as of January 2019, but don’t let that scare you away. Check out Anthony Bourdain’s Uruguay episode for a full review.
We didn’t get to dine here this year, but did go kitesurfing in the nearby Laguna Garzón. You can see images of the restaurant that you boat to in the far right of the photo above.