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Food tours in Ushuaia: what to eat and which tour to book
Ushuaia, on the Beagle Channel in Tierra del Fuego, eats what the cold sea and the Patagonian steppe provide: southern king crab (centolla), Patagonian toothfish (merluza negra), mussels and trout, and lamb roasted slowly on an iron cross over an open fire (cordero al asador). Add Argentine staples such as empanadas, steak, dulce de leche and Malbec, and the calafate berry, which turns up in jams, ice cream and drinks. Most restaurants sit along Avenida San Martín and the waterfront, and many are geared to cruise and Antarctica passengers, so prices are high for Argentina. Puerto Almanza, a fishing settlement about 70 km east on the channel, is where crab and shellfish come straight off the boats.
Use this page to know what to order and where. Argentine peso prices change fast with inflation, so we give rough euro equivalents; check current prices on the menu. 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 Ushuaia
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern king crab centolla | Large crab from the Beagle Channel and surrounding waters, served cold with sauces, gratinated, in soups and chowders (chupe de centolla), or in ravioli and empanadas. Some places keep live crabs in tanks. | Seafood restaurants on Avenida San Martín and the waterfront; Puerto Almanza for crab bought from fishing families. | roughly €25–60 a dish depending on preparation; whole crabs priced by weight |
| Fire-roasted Patagonian lamb cordero fueguino al asador | Whole lamb split open on an iron cross and roasted for hours beside a wood fire until crisp. Often served all-you-can-eat (tenedor libre) alongside other grilled meats. | Parrillas (grill restaurants) on Avenida San Martín, many with the lamb roasting in the window. | roughly €20–35 per person for a lamb plate or tenedor libre |
| Patagonian toothfish merluza negra | Rich, white, oily fish caught in the deep southern Atlantic; served grilled, baked or with sauces. Among the most expensive fish on the menu. | Seafood restaurants in the centre and on the waterfront. | roughly €25–40 a main course |
| Mussels and shellfish mejillones, cholgas | Local mussels (including the large cholga) steamed, in sauce or gratinated; a cheaper way to taste the channel's seafood than crab. | Seafood restaurants in town and in Puerto Almanza. | roughly €10–18 a dish |
| Calafate berry calafate | A small blue-black Patagonian berry, used for jams, ice cream, liqueurs, beer and calafate sour cocktails. Local folklore says anyone who eats calafate will return to Patagonia. | Ice-cream shops, chocolate and regional-product shops on Avenida San Martín, and bars. | about €3–6 for an ice cream; €5–10 for a jar of jam |
| Empanadas | Baked or fried pastry turnovers; besides beef and cheese, Ushuaia places fill them with king crab, lamb or seafood. | Bakeries and empanada shops in the centre; good for a cheap lunch. | about €1.50–4 each; more for crab fillings |
| Hot chocolate and local chocolates submarino / chocolate | Hot milk with a bar of chocolate dropped in to melt (submarino), plus boxed chocolates and alfajores from local chocolate shops. Welcome after a cold day in the national park. | Cafés and chocolate shops along Avenida San Martín. | about €3–6 for a hot drink |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Avenida San Martín
The main street, one block up from the water, lined with parrillas, seafood restaurants, cafés, chocolate shops and regional-product shops. Easy to compare menus and prices on a short walk.
Waterfront (Avenida Maipú) and the port
Restaurants facing the Beagle Channel and the cruise pier, some with crab tanks and views. Convenient but among the priciest places in town, especially on cruise days.
Puerto Almanza
Argentina's southernmost settlement, a small fishing community on the Beagle Channel about 70 km east of Ushuaia along Ruta 3 and a gravel road. Families sell and cook king crab, mussels and other shellfish in simple restaurants, with views across to Chile's Puerto Williams.
Valleys east of town on Ruta 3
Lodges and winter-sports centres in the valleys beyond town (such as Valle de Tierra Mayor) serve lamb, stews and hot chocolate to hikers, sledders and skiers.
Food tours in Ushuaia 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ushuaia: Full-Day Off-Road 4x4 Sightseeing Tour with Huskies, ATV, Beaver Dam, and Lunch | 5 - 8.5 hours | from €111 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Ushuaia: Ski or Snowboard Lesson with Lift Pass & Lunch | 9 hours | from €280 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| City tour and Wine tasting | 3 hours | from €77 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Ushuaia: Esmeralda Lagoon Trekking Tour with Lunch at a Mountain Dome | 8 hours | from €138 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
Ushuaia: Full-Day Off-Road 4x4 Sightseeing Tour with Huskies, ATV, Beaver Dam, and Lunch
On GetYourGuide · run by Info de Ushuaia
- Length
- 5 - 8.5 hours
- Price
- from €111 per person
- Rating
- 4.6 ★ from 157 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Ushuaia: Ski or Snowboard Lesson with Lift Pass & Lunch
On GetYourGuide · run by Tangol
- Length
- 9 hours
- Price
- from €280 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 5 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- 2-hour private class with professional instructors Complete equipment rental for skiing or snowboarding Ski lift pass for the entire day Access to Culipatin Peak Box lunch Transfers
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- *
City tour and Wine tasting
On GetYourGuide · run by Latitud Ushuaia Travel
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €77 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 5 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- 1 hour city tour 2 hours wine tasting any extras
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Ushuaia: Esmeralda Lagoon Trekking Tour with Lunch at a Mountain Dome
On GetYourGuide · run by Patagonia Dreams
- Length
- 8 hours
- Price
- from €138 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 3 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Specialized trekking guide. Personalized advice prior to the activity. Round-trip transportation from your accommodation. Lunch at a mountain lodge. Specific equipment for the activity. Insurance. Water during the trek
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
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
There is little street food in Ushuaia: the cold climate and the visitor economy push eating indoors. The cheap options are empanadas from bakeries, sandwiches (sándwiches de miga) and supermarket picnics.
Sit-down meals
Most eating is sit-down at parrillas or seafood restaurants. Argentines eat dinner late, from about 21:00, but restaurants here open earlier for visitors. Wine is often good value compared with food; a cubierto (cover charge for bread and service) may appear on the bill.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes are rare in Ushuaia. Food experiences more often take the form of crab-focused excursions along the Beagle Channel, lamb asado lunches in the countryside, or chocolate and craft-beer tastings. Check what food is actually included in any excursion.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | roughly €25–40 (bakery breakfast, empanadas or a set lunch, simple dinner) |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | roughly €60–90 (a parrilla meal and a seafood meal with wine) |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | €120+ (a king crab dinner with Patagonian wine) |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Harder than in Buenos Aires, because menus centre on lamb, beef and seafood. Most places have pasta, pizza, salads, vegetable empanadas and provoleta (grilled cheese), but vegan options are limited; supermarkets help fill the gaps.
Halal: No halal infrastructure to speak of. Seafood and vegetarian dishes are the practical choice; ask about lard in empanada pastry and pork in mixed grills.
Gluten-free: Argentina has good coeliac labelling: look for 'sin TACC' (without wheat, oats, barley and rye) on packaged food and menus. Grilled meat and fish are usually fine, but check sauces and shared grills; bread and empanadas are not.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- 'Centolla' on the menu that is actually centollón, a smaller and cheaper related crab, or crab bulked out with other seafood. Ask which crab it is and how much crab meat the dish contains; prices that look too low for centolla are a warning sign.
- Whole crabs or fish priced by the kilo from a tank, with the final weight and bill much higher than expected. Ask the weight and total price before the crab is cooked.
- Paying in US dollars or euros cash at a poor exchange rate set by the restaurant. Ask the rate before paying in foreign currency; paying by foreign card is often at a fair rate in Argentina, but check current rules and compare.
- Waterfront restaurants on cruise days charging premium prices for ordinary food. Walk one or two blocks uphill from the port, and compare menus posted outside before sitting down.
Top tours & activities in Ushuaia
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Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
Is king crab in Ushuaia worth the price?
For most visitors, once. It is the city's signature food and comes from local waters. Expect it to cost far more than other dishes. Ask whether it is centolla or the cheaper centollón, and how much crab is in the dish. Crab soup or crab empanadas are a cheaper way to try it.
Do I need to tip in Ushuaia?
Tipping about 10% in restaurants is customary in Argentina and is often not added to the bill. A cubierto (cover) charge is separate from the tip. Leaving the tip in cash pesos makes sure it reaches staff. On guided excursions, a tip for the guide is appreciated.
How should I pay in Ushuaia?
Cards are widely accepted in restaurants on Avenida San Martín, and in recent years foreign cards have often been charged at a rate close to the market rate. Carry some pesos for small cafés, bakeries and Puerto Almanza, where cash may be the only option. Exchange rules in Argentina change often, so check current advice before you travel.
How much should I budget for food per day?
Ushuaia is expensive for Argentina. On a budget, roughly €25–40 a day covers bakery breakfasts, empanadas and a simple dinner. Two restaurant meals with wine come to about €60–90. A king crab dinner with a bottle of Patagonian wine can push the day past €120 per person.
What time do restaurants open?
Lunch is usually from about 12:30 to 15:00, and dinner service starts around 20:00, with locals arriving later. Many places close in the afternoon. Some restaurants and the places outside town have reduced hours in the off-season, roughly April to September outside the ski months.
Is it worth going to Puerto Almanza for seafood?
If you have a car or join an excursion and like seafood, yes: it is a working fishing settlement on the Beagle Channel with simple places serving crab and shellfish, far from the cruise crowds. It is about 70 km from Ushuaia, partly on gravel road. Opening is seasonal and irregular, so check before you go.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.