Montevideo

ESCARAMUZA

Don’t think the ‘library’ element here is a gimmick — if anything, the focus is more on literature than food. And yet, the brilliant courtyard restaurant at the back of the bookshop is no slouch. One of the most popular lunch spots anywhere in the city, it prepares some of the freshest salads in town and some heftier mains (including steak), too, but has really made its name with its great cakes, pastries and desserts. The coffee is predictably excellent, too. Mains from 290 pesos

(£5.30). escaramuza.com.uy

MONTEVIDEO WINE EXPERIENCE Transport from the city centre to the surrounding vineyards can be tricky to organise. With that in mind, why not sample vintages from the finest cellar in all of the city via the Montevideo Wine Experience. Armed with bottles from all over the country, staff from the wine bar can offer a crash course in the nation’s wine, from meaty Tannnats to the coolest new kid on the block, the increasingly popular Uruguayan Albariño. Glasses from 120 pesos (£2.20). T: 00 598 92 939 992.

SIN PRETENSIONES

Based inside a vintage furniture store, Sin Pretensiones walks the fine line between kitsch and cool. Whatever you think of the decor, though, the food is excellent. Specialising in tartas (savoury pies) it also has a nearpermanently blazing pizza oven and some of the city’s best coffee. It’s the gourmet chivito, though, that’s the true star. Mains from 320 pesos (£5.85). sinpretensiones.com.uy

TANNNAT

These heavy, full-bodied wines originally came from France in 1870 but have proved far more popular in Uruguay. Too dense to be a sipping wine, they’re an ideal

pairing when ordering asado.