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Food tours in Montevideo: what to eat and which tour to book
Uruguay eats more beef per person than almost anywhere, and Montevideo's food is built around the parrilla: asado grilled slowly over wood embers, chorizo and morcilla, and the chivito, a steak sandwich piled with ham, cheese, egg and more. Italian immigration left pizza with fainá (chickpea flatbread), milanesas and pasta on Sundays; Spanish roots left tortas fritas on rainy days. Mate is drunk everywhere, carried in a thermos under the arm. The historic Mercado del Puerto in the Ciudad Vieja is the best-known place to eat asado, but neighbourhood parrilladas in Cordón, Pocitos and Parque Rodó are where locals go.
Use this page to know what to order and where, with rough 2026 prices in Uruguayan pesos (about 45–48 UYU to the euro); Uruguay is one of the more expensive countries in South America. The tours shown are real GetYourGuide listings, with prices as seen when we checked; confirm the price and meeting point on the booking page before you pay.
What to eat in Montevideo
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asado asado / parrillada | Beef cuts such as tira de asado (short ribs), vacío (flank) and entraña (skirt), plus chorizo, morcilla (blood sausage) and mollejas (sweetbreads), grilled over wood embers on a sloping iron grill. | Parrillas at the Mercado del Puerto and neighbourhood parrilladas across the city. | roughly UYU 700–1,400 for a main cut; UYU 1,200–2,200 for a mixed grill for one at the Mercado del Puerto |
| Chivito | Uruguay's national sandwich: thin beef steak (churrasco) with mozzarella, ham, bacon, egg, tomato, lettuce, olives and mayonnaise in a bun, with fries. Created in 1946 in Punta del Este; 'chivito al plato' is the same on a plate. | Bars, cafés and chivito specialists in the centre and Pocitos. | roughly UYU 550–950 |
| Choripán | Grilled pork sausage in a bread roll with chimichurri, a cheap snack from grills and street stands. | Parrillas, street grills at fairs and football matches. | roughly UYU 200–350 |
| Pizza and fainá pizza con fainá | Thick-crust pizza by the slice (often just tomato or mozzarella), eaten with fainá, a thin chickpea-flour flatbread laid on top of or beside the slice. A legacy of Italian immigrants. | Old pizzerias in the Centro and Cordón. | roughly UYU 120–250 per slice |
| Medio y medio | A mix of sweet sparkling wine and dry white wine, said to have been created in the late 19th century at a bar in the Mercado del Puerto. Usually drunk as an aperitif before asado. | The bars of the Mercado del Puerto. | roughly UYU 250–450 a glass |
| Dulce de leche and alfajores dulce de leche, alfajores, chajá | Caramelised milk spread used in nearly every dessert, alfajores (two biscuits sandwiching dulce de leche, often chocolate-coated), and chajá, a meringue and peach sponge cake from Paysandú. | Bakeries (panaderías) and confiterías across the city; supermarkets for packaged alfajores. | roughly UYU 60–150 per alfajor |
| Tortas fritas | Fried dough discs, plain or sprinkled with sugar, traditionally eaten with mate on rainy days. | Street sellers and bakeries, especially when it rains. | roughly UYU 30–60 each |
| Milanesa | Breaded beef or chicken cutlet, served with fries, mashed potato or salad, or as a 'milanesa napolitana' topped with ham, tomato and cheese. | Bars and everyday restaurants (bodegones) at lunchtime. | roughly UYU 450–850 |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Mercado del Puerto, Ciudad Vieja
Iron market building opened in 1868 near the port, now a hall of parrillas and bars under one roof, where you sit at the counter beside the grill. A national historic monument and the most famous place to eat asado; busy with visitors and cruise passengers.
Mercado Agrícola de Montevideo (MAM)
Restored early-20th-century market hall in the Goes neighbourhood with produce stalls, butchers, cheese, wine and food counters. More local than the Mercado del Puerto.
Feria de Tristán Narvaja, Cordón
Huge Sunday-morning street fair along Tristán Narvaja Street, with fruit and vegetables, cheese and cured meats, antiques, books and odds and ends. A Montevideo institution.
Ciudad Vieja
The old town around Plaza Matriz and Sarandí pedestrian street, with historic cafés, bars and restaurants. Busy by day with offices and visitors, quieter at night.
Pocitos and the Rambla
Residential beachside district with parrillas, pizzerias, cafés and ice-cream shops; locals walk the Rambla (seafront promenade) with mate in the late afternoon.
Parque Rodó and Palermo
Neighbourhoods south of the centre with craft-beer bars, parrilladas, small restaurants and nightlife.
Food tours in Montevideo compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montevideo: Traditional Dinner & Tango Show at Primuseum | 3 hours | from €98 per person | — | Evening eaters who want dinner and drinks rolled into one, plus the city after dark. | Check dates |
| Bodega Santa Rosa: Passadore Family Sightseeing Tour, Food Tasting with Lunch | 2.5 hours | from €76 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Best Montevideo Street Food Tour With 5 tastings | 3 hours | from €60 per person | private | Couples, families or friends who want the route and pace set around them. | Check dates |
| Montevideo: Mate food tasting with artisanal alfajores | 1.5 hours | from €40 per person | max 5 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Montevideo: Wine tour - Lunch & Tasting with Wine Explorers | 4.5 hours | from €176 per person | max 10 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Uruguayan Tradition: Asado at the Port Market | 1 day | from €65 per person | — | Morning people who want to see where locals shop and taste produce at the source. | Check dates |
Montevideo: Traditional Dinner & Tango Show at Primuseum
On GetYourGuide · run by Primuseum Antiques and Lovetts
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €98 per person
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 47 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Hotel pick up and drop off 6 course dinner Drinks Tango show
- Suits
- Evening eaters who want dinner and drinks rolled into one, plus the city after dark.
Bodega Santa Rosa: Passadore Family Sightseeing Tour, Food Tasting with Lunch
On GetYourGuide · run by Bodega Santa Rosa
- Length
- 2.5 hours
- Price
- from €76 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 19 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Includes: Coffee break reception in the winter season Welcome drink in the summer season Tour led by the winery's oenologist and Juan Passadore, the owner of Bodega Santa Rosa Tasting of 7 wines 3-course lunch Does no…
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Ruta Nal. César Mayo Gutiérrez 2211, 12500 Montevideo, Departamento de Montevideo, Uruguay
Best Montevideo Street Food Tour With 5 tastings
On GetYourGuide · run by Guydeez
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €60 per person
- Rating
- 4.8 ★ from 10 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- private
- Suits
- Couples, families or friends who want the route and pace set around them.
- Starts
- Depends on the selected option ### Ciudad Vieja, Montevideo
Montevideo: Mate food tasting with artisanal alfajores
On GetYourGuide · run by Stephannie
- Length
- 1.5 hours
- Price
- from €40 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 6 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 5
- Included
- Mate preparation and food tasting Artisanal alfajor food tasting
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Acevedo Díaz 1876, apartment 108
Montevideo: Wine tour - Lunch & Tasting with Wine Explorers
On GetYourGuide · run by Wine Explorers Uruguay
- Length
- 4.5 hours
- Price
- from €176 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 3 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 10
- Included
- Guided tour of the vineyard and winery Explanation of wine production processes Tasting of 4 wines with snacks À la carte lunch with wine pairings Round trip transportation from Montevideo Accompanying guide (availabl…
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Uruguayan Tradition: Asado at the Port Market
On GetYourGuide · run by Buemes DMC Uruguay
- Length
- 1 day
- Price
- from €65 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 3 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Typical Uruguayan asado lunch at Parrillada Cabaña Verónica Chorizo and Provolone cheese starter Baby beef entree with a side of your choice Vegetarian option is available Choice of dessert (ice cream, fruit salad or…
- Suits
- Morning people who want to see where locals shop and taste produce at the source.
- Starts
- Cabaña Verónica Restaurant, located in the heart of the Mercado del Puerto
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
Street food is limited compared with other Latin American capitals: choripán at grills and fairs, tortas fritas on rainy days, empanadas and pizza by the slice. The Sunday Tristán Narvaja fair is the best chance to graze outdoors.
Sit-down meals
Most eating is sit-down at parrillas, bars and bodegones. Restaurants often charge a 'cubierto' (cover charge) per person for bread and service. Lunch runs about 12:30–15:00, and dinner rarely starts before 21:00; parrillas fill late on Fridays and Saturdays.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes are not common in Montevideo. Food experiences are more often asado demonstrations, wine tastings at the Tannat wineries just outside the city in Canelones, or market visits. Check whether transport is included for winery visits.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | UYU 1,500–2,300, about €32–50 (bakery breakfast, chivito or pizza lunch, simple dinner) |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | UYU 3,000–4,500, about €65–95 (parrilla lunch and dinner with wine) |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | UYU 6,500+, about €140+ (top restaurant with Tannat wine) |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Harder than in many capitals because beef dominates, but pizza, fainá, empanadas de queso or verdura, pasta, tartas (savoury pies) and grilled provolone are common. Vegetarian and vegan restaurants are growing in Cordón, Pocitos and Parque Rodó.
Halal: Very limited. There are very few halal restaurants; meat at parrillas is not halal and pork sausages are part of most mixed grills. Fish, vegetarian dishes and a small number of Middle Eastern places are the realistic options.
Gluten-free: Coeliac awareness is decent: products marked 'sin TACC' (without wheat, oats, barley and rye) are widely sold in supermarkets. Grilled meat and salads are naturally gluten-free, but milanesas, empanadas, pizza and many desserts are not; ask about breadcrumbs and shared fryers.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Touts at the entrance to the Mercado del Puerto steering you into a particular parrilla and tourist-priced mixed grills. Walk through the whole market first, look at the prices on the menus and sit at a counter that is busy with locals.
- Surprise 'cubierto' or cover charges per person on the bill. This is a normal, legal charge in Uruguay and usually listed on the menu; check the menu so it is not a surprise.
- Paying in US dollars or with foreign cards at poor conversion rates. Pay in pesos or by card in pesos. Uruguay has offered VAT refunds on restaurant bills paid with foreign cards; the rules change, so check whether it currently applies and whether the restaurant processes it.
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Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
Do I need to tip in Montevideo?
About 10% for table service is normal, and service is usually not included in the bill, even when there is a cubierto (cover charge). In bars and cafés, rounding up is fine. Tips in cash are best. A tip for a good food-tour guide is appreciated but not required.
When is the Mercado del Puerto open?
The parrillas inside the Mercado del Puerto are mainly a lunchtime affair, busiest from about 12:30 to 15:30, with more activity at weekends and on cruise-ship days. Some open in the evening, but many close early, especially early in the week. Check current hours before planning dinner there.
What should I order at a parrilla?
Start with chorizo, morcilla or provolone (grilled cheese) while the meat cooks, then choose one or two cuts: tira de asado (short ribs), vacío (flank), entraña (skirt) or bife de chorizo (sirloin). Portions are large, so share. Ask for your meat 'a punto' (medium) or 'jugoso' (rare). Drink Tannat, Uruguay's signature red.
Is tap water and street food safe?
Yes. Tap water in Montevideo is treated and generally considered safe to drink, though some visitors prefer bottled water. Food hygiene standards are good, and grills and bakeries have fast turnover. The usual care applies at outdoor fairs in summer heat.
How much should I budget for food per day?
Uruguay is expensive for the region. On a tight budget, roughly UYU 1,500–2,300 (€32–50) covers bakery breakfasts, a chivito or pizza lunch and a simple dinner. A comfortable day with two parrilla meals and wine is about UYU 3,000–4,500. Top restaurants start around UYU 6,500 per person.
What is mate and can I try it?
Mate is a bitter herbal infusion of yerba mate drunk through a metal straw (bombilla) from a gourd, refilled with hot water from a thermos. Uruguayans drink it all day and share it with friends; restaurants rarely serve it. If someone offers you one, drink it all and hand it back; say 'gracias' only when you've had enough.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.