Colonia Suiza, Bariloche | Don’t miss this foodie haven

Argentina Patagonia June 29, 2019

Patagonia is notorious for vast landscapes and incredible vistas. The Andes provide limitless opportunities to explore mountains, glaciers, and turquoise lakes, so you’re bound to catch a view or two. What’s more rare is stumbling across a vibrant cultural experience that isn’t rooted in nature.

After spending weeks traversing the Southernmost points of Chile and Argentina we were desperately in need of some life that even the charming, tourist-filled, chocolate-shop-lined streets of San Carlos de Bariloche couldn’t provide. Thankfully, along came Colonia Suiza.

When we rented bikes to tour Circuito Chico we heard about a detour to a small village that served a dish called Curonto – a stew cooked, oddly enough, underground. Always curious to try interesting local food we had to check it out. And we weren’t disappointed…even though we didn’t actually get to taste the Curonto (or not yet at least).

For nestled in the wilderness of Argentina’s Lake District we discovered a historic Swiss Colony with lively crowds, jovial music and most importantly, some of the best authentic food in the country. It was a much needed dose of culture, so if you’re into food like us, don’t miss this foodie haven.

Food, Glorious Food

Aside from how busy it is, the first thing you’ll notice upon strolling into Colonia Suiza is the bountiful offering of food on display – chocolates, pastries, pastas, sausage and onions, fresh cut fries, tacos…you get the point.

Of course Curonto was the dish of the day, and it wasn’t hard to find as there was a crowd of about 50 people clambering for a peak of it being made. We don’t blame them. Once we got a good vantage point it was a sight to behold. Three men were shovelling soil on top of a large smoking platform covered in leaves. The ritual was captivating and the scent wafting into the crowd had us excited to return. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be.

We learned that cooking heaps of fresh meat and veg underground takes approximately 2 hours. And everyone at Colonia Suiza wanted a taste. So although we really wanted a bowl we decided to pass on the long wait and longer line up to sample some of the other amazing nibblies around the square.

The best Empanadas in Argentina - Colonia Suiza

After taking it all in we landed on the continent’s most prominent offering: empanadas. And damn were they good. Some of the best we tried in months of travelling South America, no doubt because they were served up by the same lady who prepared, stuffed and cooked them.

Then we ordered up a South meets North American classic – a Cordero (or lamb) Burger. The man behind the flat top grill at this stall really knew what he was doing. Sitting on a stool he cooked everything to perfection. Caramelized onions, buttered buns, fresh ground lamb patties and fried eggs to top it off. An irresistible and uniquely Argentinian proposition, we ordered up a ‘completo’ and grabbed a seat at the picnic tables to enjoy.

The Original Craft Beer

The only thing better than the food at Colonia Suiza is the beer. In this case, a couple of pints from the local cerveceria. We sampled a few of their creations before deciding that their seasonal frambuesa (raspberry) beer was one of the freshest and most flavourful we’ve had (and Laura’s all-time fav) and their IPA could compete with the best at Beerfest. Worth the extra kilometres on your bike alone.

The prevalence of quality craft breweries in Patagonia came as a pleasant surprise to us. It makes sense though – these settlements were removed from the infrastructure of modern society until relatively recently. Back when there weren’t highways stretching down to the ends of the Earth they had to rely on what they could make for themselves, beer included. This gave producers decades to perfect their craft.

A Big Dose of Culture

After two months in Patagonia we were still struggling to get real a sense of the local vibe. One afternoon at Colonia Suiza was all we needed. Near the Curonto burial, an accordion player serenaded a sea of picnic tables. People sang, clapped and danced along under the midday sun.

While the music floated through the air we meandered through picnic tables from stall to stall checking out the offerings. Along with the food there were plenty of local handmade goods – clothing, soaps and cute little decorations to bring home for some distinctly South American flare.

As the food and drink continued to flow throughout the day the crowds got more and more lively. Soon the accordion player was replaced by a young groups of teens that we can only describe as an Argentinian Ska band – mohawks, short shorts, flowery shirts and some aggressively happy music with accordions and horns. Everyone – even the locals – had their cameras out to capture the scene, while more and more people joined in to sing and dance. We were grinning, pleasantly full, and so happy to have discovered this hidden gem.

If you like the sounds of good Argentinian food, add El Chalten to your bucket list too. The restaurants are almost as good as the views.
Or just across the border in Chile’s Lake District you can eat your way through picturesque Puerto Varas.