"Wake up to Santiago's Best Brunch at Melba Expat Dell Taylor (from New Zealand ) left accounting for the restaurant business over a decade ago in Santiago when the concept of brunch did not yet exist. Café Melba was born and quickly became the place to get real french toast with real maple syrup, pancakes, eggs benedict and frothy cappuccinos. Her empire has since expanded from the El Golf locale within Las Condes (and adding alcohol to the menu for mimosas). Arrive early to get a table or be prepared to wait. Good venue for families. Don Carlos 2898, Loc 1 (Cross street El Bosque Norte) Phone: 56 (2) 2232 4546"

"Gourmet Hog Dogs with the Works Chileans love "completos," hot dogs with the works. Hogs took this concept and made it gourmet. Think hot dogs made with venison, lamb, pure frank, even rabbit. Then top it with items like caramelized onions, blue cheese, avocado, barbeque sauce, etc. The place is casual and standing room only to eat. Los Leones 40 (almost with Av. Providencia), Providencia (new location opening in Barrio Lastarria pronto!) Phone: 2235-4593"

"Santiago's Best Thin-Crust Pizza Among the sleek high-rise buildings of El Golf, right off the Plaza Peru, is Tiramisú (aka Santiago 's best pizza). If you are yearning for an authentic, Italian pizza with thin crust, buffalo mozzarella, and primo ingredients pull up a chair. Always buzzing with a long wait for tables at lunch and dinner, this family-run establishment starting 12 years ago with only a dozen or so tables--and is now over 132. Besides pizza, the large salads, calzone, and bruschetta are delicious. Isidora Goyenechea 3141, almost corner Augusto Leguía Norte (Metro El Golf) Phone: 56 (2) 2519 4900"

"Indulge Your Inner Sommelier at Baco Want to know where Santiaguinos go to drink wine? Baco. This place got the wines-by-the-glass craze started and quite simply comes down to the following equation: amazingly well-curated wines with no restaurant mark-up. Add in wonderful, simple French food and great service. Winner. Sip on sublime, zesty Sauvignon Blanc from Casa Marin by the glass; maybe an earthy Carignan from the Maule Valley; how about a silky Bordeaux blend like Erasmo? Be sure to make reservations. Baco is open every single day of the year but always packed. Nueva de Lyon 113, Providencia Phone: 56 (2) 2231 4444 No website!"

"Santiago's Most Beloved Bar Liguria is an institution in Santiago . It's the default for meeting friends and colleagues over chilled draft beers called schops, or dangerously loaded cocktails. The bar scene is animated and starts in the late afternoon around happy hour and ends in the wee hours of the morning. The kitchen pumps out tasty Chilean bistro-style fare ranging from countryside rabbit in mustard sauce to their much renowned "carne mechada," a braised beef in tomato and red wine chopped up on pasta or sliced down into sandwiches. Get there early to score a table or make friends with the bartender. Best Locations: Metro Tobalaba on Luis Thayer Ojeda & Metro Manuel Montt (address listed here). Photo: Qantas"

"Elbow Chilean Politicians for This Coffee at Blue Jar Just a block away from the Palacio de la Moneda, the Chilean Government Palace, this culinary oasis offers tasty treats and killer coffee in a downtown setting. Known for its breakfasts, burgers, tea time, and heady java, you can rub elbows with local politicians fueling during the work week. Blue Jar is also one of the few coffee spots to sell the coveted "Keep Cups," to keep your latte warm for the road. Almirante L. Gotuzzo 102 at Moneda Phone: 56 (2) 2696-1890"

"Vegetarian Bounty at El Huerto Santiago's first, and finest, vegetarian (vegan and ovo-lacto) in town, El Huerto (meaning orchard in Spanish) got started back in 1980 and has become a flagship for all things veggie. Located on a quiet street in the heart of bustling Providencia, it's the perfect spot for a relaxed, healthy lunch on their terrace. Try their tangy limonadas or fresh juice and then dive into fresh salads or appetizing mains with world flavors ranging from Indian to Mexican (our favorite). A choice hang out for local yogis, girlfriends, and those wanting to live a "green" lifestyle. Orrego Luco 54, Providencia (Metro Pedro de Valdivia) Phone: 56 (2) 2231 4443"

"Local, Organic, and Homey White Rabbit has caused a clamor among Santiago foodies for its stripped-down approach to good, wholesome food. Using all organic ingredients on a short but sweet menu, this is the kind of food that your soul craves. Mac n' cheese with black truffle oil and a touch of smoked pancetta. Classic steak tartare. Artisan fresh mozzarella in a Caprese salad. A gooey chocolate brownie for dessert, or even baked Alaska! All served in a small, modern restaurant with a young, cool crowd. Reservations essential. Antonia Lopez de Bello 118, Bellavista Phone: 56 (2) 2503 4246"

"Casaluz: Rustic-Chic Chilean Dining The menu here has a Spanish influence (the owners met in Barcelona ), with dishes such as patatas bravas and crema catalana. The look is both chic and rustic: brick walls, leather studded sofas, and two patios for alfresco dining. This appeared in the May 2014 issue. By Afar Magazine"

"Chile's First Gourmet Market Chile's premier foodie market is akin to Dean & Deluca in the Southern Cone. A total trip for your senses, with housemade chocolate, beautiful presentations of spices, and native ingredients like Merkén or salt from the Atacama desert. Chilled cases hold cured wild boar prosciutto from the south of Chile and artisan cheeses like Matetic Vineyard's unpasteurized sheep's milk, along with imported delicacies. They also make their own pastas, bread, and serve a wonderful breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Perfect for meetings or shopping."

"A Hot Dog Sandwich (aka the Chilean "Completo") Chilean "completos" are hot dogs piled high with the works--usually mashed avocado, chopped tomato, optional sauerkraut, and an obscene amount of mayo (maybe 1/3 cup). Actually, eating them is a feat of gravity without the toppings winding up on your shirt, or the ground. Chileans are passionate about their completos and no place draws them in like Dominó, an old-school soda fountain with locales peppering the downtown. Locals crowd around the counter to scarf down these dogs with Coca-Cola or freshly made juice. Various locales throughout downtown (see website)"

"Mouthwatering, Modern Chilean Comfort Food In the window, the neon sign states what is obvious once you clean your plate. Comida rica. Delicious food. Here, well-known chef Juan Pablo Mellado, has conquered Santiaguino palates with food your mother would prepare at home. An updated concept of a local Soda Fountain, an informal and bustlingly busy bistro,Las Cabras pays homage to homecooking. It’s a short but tasty menu where you can savor classics like "crudo de filete", Chile’s lemony take on steak tartare or the ever-popular "palta cardenal", half an avocado stuffed with shrimp salad. They also excel at sandwiches like the "fricandela" on crunchy "marraqueta" bread (Chile’s version of the baguette) and braised stews from pork to tongue. On the side, be sure to sip some of the best artisan beer brews in the country. Always full so arrive early or be prepared to wait. Quite a bar scene in the evenings and weekend. Luis Thayer Ojeda 0166, Providencia. Phone: 02/2232 9671. Monday to Saturday from 1pm-1am, Sunday from 1-4pm."

"Ice Cream Ecstasy at El Toldo Azul One of the few artisanal ice cream spots in El Golf, El Toldo Azul has reinvented ice cream for the city’s foodies with its creamy texture, balanced pure taste, zero fillers or stablizers (all natural!) and constantly revolving flavors—up to 90 of them in total. Understated and stylish, it’s easy to get inspired and revisit with flavors like Chilean salted caramel, Southern chestnut ice cream, pear-red wine sorbet, or country-style yogurt with candied sesame. The ingredients are top notch from the Belgian chef’s (Mathieu Michel) garden along with imported products like Madasgascar vanilla, Sicilian pistachios and single origin chocolate from Ecuador. Isidora Goyenecha 3226 B, Las Condes: 569 9230 9988"

"Local yet sophisticated dining in Providencia This super-casual yet gastronomically sophisticated spot has been on Santiaguino foodies’ lips since it opened earlier this year. Run by chef Kurt Schmidt who’s worked in top restaurants in Europe and Santiago , 99’s charming with wooden tables and recycled furnishings that adorn the petite, bistro-like space. The kitchen pumps out beautifully executed dishes paying homage to utterly Chilean ingredients. Lunch is casual while dinner is a 6 or 8 course tasting menu. The menu rotates seasonally and Friday is their riff on “street food”. Andrés de Fuenzalida 99, Providencia contacto@99restaurante.com +56 2 2335 3327 Photo: 99 Restaurante"