What to eat in Puerto Madryn? Typical dishes

Although Puerto Madryn is a city in the Patagonian region whose typical dish is lamb, the specialty is seafood and fresh fish from the sea! We are talking about the coast of northern Patagonia, where you can’t miss the fresh sea fishings in an authentic atmosphere. What to eat in Puerto Madryn should not be a concern if you visit this destination.

Its sandy beaches and coastal promenade are full of restaurants facing the Bay of the New Gulf giving us a wonderful view. But, if you have a better reference of the gastronomic places, you can look at the best restaurants in Puerto Madryn.

You will find the typical dishes of Madryn: pastas with seafood and fish, centollas and octopus immersed in their respective sauces, prawns and shrimp, Andean mushrooms, fish mayonnaise and the traditional and must-see paellas and seafood casseroles. A delight to your palate!

That is not all, though. We can’t forget that it is a city of Patagonia Argentina whose gastronomic offer stands out for its Lamb and so many other delicacies. In that sense, you will also find fine fruits, homemade cheeses, mushroom preserves, fruit and vegetable crops, sweets and artisanal spirits. Of course, wine can’t be missed.

If you go to the Welsh communities of Gaiman and Travelin, the dining options expand much more. In these, you can taste the typical specialties of Wales such as: traditional sweets, savory delicacies and the must-have stranded tea, thick and dark in its different flavors.

Thus, you will be part of an exquisite tradition. The quote from Tea in Gaiman throws us back to the past, after the resemblance to the rest time that settlers took after work. His habit became tradition, taking root in the lower valley of the Chubut River; whose tea houses await us with porcelain teapots dressed in crochet.

Don’t worry if you’re not a seafood lover or travel with reluctant children to try these typical Puerto Madryn dishes. There are establishments with international food options such as Italian, with delicious pizzas; and European, with cheese fondue and Curanto There is much to eat in Puerto Madryn!

WHAT IS THE PATAGONIAN LAMB?

The first thing you should know is that the meat of the Patagonian Lamb is recognized for its incomparable texture, low fat and peculiar flavor. It comes from the breeds Corriedale, Merino and its crosses, adapted to the form of extensive breeding within the Patagonian nature and feeding solely and exclusively on breast milk and the region’s native vegetation.

The tenderness of this meat is due to the youth of the lamb, three to six months old, which is when it reaches its greatest softness. Not in vain is a delight to the palate! The way it is cooked puts another special touch and makes it the stellar dish of the local gastronomy.

The Patagonian Lamb is roasted. It is cut with a sharp knife at the height of the sternum, opening the chest box to flatten as much as possible. Small cuts are made around the spine and, with your hands, the ribs open. The ligaments are then cut so that the legs can open outwards.

After this procedure, it is seasoned with brine (water, garlic cloves and coarse salt), and 6 hours later the cooking begins on the grill. There it is placed in the form of a cross with the limbs attached to the grill with hook and wire and the head always down and at a 60-degree tilt. The distance between the lamb and the fire should be between 50 to 80 centimeters.

As you can see, preparing the Patagonian Lamb is quite an art. In fact, the grill must be thorough with the cooking of this meat, the process should be slow and even. The first stage with full heat is usually two hours. The brine continues to be applied until a white layer is formed. Then it is turned around to be cooked on the other side.

Once ready, it’s time to eat it. As is tradition, the Patagonian Lamb is served with homemade and hot country bread. Keep in mind that this cold meat can affect proper digestion.

That said, it’s important that you know that you can try it on one of the excursions. And it is that Peninsula Valdés Norte includes this delicious dish as lunch. The best? It is served in the magical Estancia San Lorenzo.

 LOCAL CUISINE IN PUERTO MADRYN

As for the seafood and fish, characteristics of the local gastronomy, they will always be a good choice. You can imagine the variety of presentations! 

A good option is to change two bites, e.g, one of seafood and one of cold cuts and cheeses. Octopus and fried prawns are other delights you can’t miss if you come home to marine wildlife.

One of the other recommendations are the dishes of Abadejo: it can be in fine herbs or honey. There are multiple options to taste this saltwater fish from the Gadidae family. It looks a lot like cod and it’s from white fish with countless nutrients.

As for curanto, which is the European dish we mentioned at the beginning and it is also sold in the city. It’s a combination of meats, vegetables and vegetables that are cooked on a hot stone at the bottom of a well dug into the ground, covered by leaves and soils.

You know what to eat in Puerto Madryn and its typical dishes. Don’t worry if you’re vegan, vegetarian or looking for gluten-free treats. Beyond the culinary tradition of the place, there are options for all tastes, big and small. If in doubt, you can consult our travel specialists, they will help you in whatever you need! 

Port Madryn, for lovers of sea fruits!