5 Best Restaurants in Montevideo, Uruguay

The smell of fresh-baked bread wafts through this pleasant, sunny spot off Plaza Zabala. Plates are fresh, inspired, and expertly prepared, from the soup of the day to desserts like panna cotta with red grapes and a sweet orange sauce. Jacinto is a favorite among the city's foodie crowd and stylish set.

This small and smartly designed restaurant facing Teatro Solís inhabits a building that dates to 1844 and attracts a young, hip crowd. The owner takes special care in preparing the excellent salads, such as the Bacacay (spinach, raisins, carrots, nuts, grilled eggplant) or the Sarandí (celery, chicken, apples, carrots).

The bookshop is classic, with floor to ceiling books, and a nifty rolling platform to browse the upper shelves. The café, though, is airy and serves innovative dishes such as beet and goat cheese pie, and grilled polenta and veggie gratin, along with fresh baked breads and sinfully delicious desserts. If the weather is unkind, dine inside, but the sunny, vine-covered outdoor patio is the place to be.

Located in a wing of the Teatro Solis theater building, Rara Avís is one of Montevideo's best restaurants. Both the food—such as a black oyster risotto with smoked salmon or duck magret in baby greens with a pepper sauce—and the setting are sophisticated. It's a great option for the pre- and posttheater crowds.

The painted white brick helps make the café bigger than it is, but the food and vibe are so good that size hardly matters. Open for lunch on Thursday through Sunday, and breakfast on the weekend, Sometimes serves up super sandwiches, such as brisket, pulled pork or avocado, salads and other dishes with international influences, along with freshly baked breads and great coffee. Tasty veggie options can be made vegan.