5 Best Restaurants in The Central Coast, Chile

This cutesy cafe is Valpo's yummiest breakfast, brunch, or lunch spot with homemade sourdough breads, sweet treats, silky lattes, fresh kombuchas, and health-focused bites. Sit in the brick-red bakery to watch the action or at a table on the tree-shaded street out front.

If you were to ask a local to take you to a traditional restaurant, chances are you would wind up here. Now operated by the third generation of the same family, this small establishment will take you back in time with its long wooden bar, older gentlemen playing dominoes, and very traditional Chilean fare. The star dish is the causeo de patas (cow feet cut into squares and cooked till the fat melts away, mixed with onions, chili, beans, and vinegar and served cold), an adventurous dish that is much tastier than it sounds.

This trendy café with exposed brick walls, colorful murals, and hardwood floors is one of the best reasons to leave the hills for the flatland of Barrio Puerto. In addition to a fine array of coffees and baked goods, you'll also find soups, salads, and sandwiches that offer superb value for money. The dark interior is also a great place to flip open a laptop and answer a few emails.

This long-running bakery on the road up to Cerro Alegre prepares more than 80 different varieties of empanadas, including surprising combos like cheese, salmon, and capers or cheese, mango, and pineapple. The dough is crispy, the service is friendly, and the line out front moves fast.

Whether you like your coffee prepared in a Chemex or espresso machine, brewed hot or cold, you can find it at this friendly café, which also serves up incredibly cheap panini sandwiches, salads, and traditional Chilean cakes.