8 Best Restaurants in Vitacura, Santiago

Concept meets Chilean ingredients (many of which are foraged from the Andes and the length of the coast) at this award-winning establishment, where diners enjoy a 15- to 18-step tasting menu that has sustainability at its core. One of Chef Rodolfo Guzmán's signature dishes is a spin on the curanto clambake from Chiloé, made with Patagonian rainwater and served in what looks like a small clearing in a tiny thicket. Naturally, such fine dining comes at a price; the tasting menu costs about 90,000 pesos. Add on 55,000 pesos for wine pairings.

Opened by Peruvian culinary legend Gastón Acurio, this restaurant with a busy roadside location is bright and airy, with turquoise chairs and a white canvas roof over the terrace that mimics a boat's sails. For your palatable delight, tuck into Peru's emblematic ceviches—you're spoiled with choices due to the seven different varieties that you can enjoy at the fish counter. Note that the pisco sours here are among the best in Santiago.

Small sharing plates with Asian flair plus a fantastic cocktail list make for a fun and tasty experience at Demencia. Chef Benja Nast plays with colors and flavors (think: scallops in a fresh herb salsa with a chili pepper kick). Sister project to the fine dining restaurant De Patio upstairs, the restaurant's location on the main avenue means it can be noisy, but the music covers much of the traffic.

Seafood receives top billing at this trendy yet relaxed eatery on Santiago's swankiest shopping avenue. Try the shellfish risotto topped with a fish stock foam or wild game, such as venison ragout. Even though it's frequented by the wealthiest Chileans, it has a set lunch that's a steal at 18,000 pesos. Dinner can be à la carte, or choose a tasting menu with wine pairings for a hefty (but most say worth it) 87,000 pesos.

This restaurant features Mediterranean fare and is a great place for a carry-out breakfast or a light quiche and salad lunch. Le Fournil also offers a unique version of pizza, known as tartine, which uses its own homemade bread as a base. Unusual for Chile, the restaurant includes a children's menu. There are four other branches of Le Fournil around Santiago, including at the Parque Arauco shopping mall and Patio Bellavista, as well as at the international arrivals area in the airport.

Santiago's first Indian restaurant, Majestic is considered by some to be the best. Whether you order a simple lentil dahl or sophisticated curries, you're in for an authentic meal surrounded by tapestries and shiny adornments. Try the Ginga Biryani with prawns but don't forget that, as with all Indian restaurants in Chile, rice and naan cost extra.

Sporting views over Parque Bicentenario, this is a great spot for a leisurely lunch or a generous pisco sour as the sun sets between the hills in summer. The eclectic menu brings together some of the best of Chilean and Peruvian cuisine, with an emphasis on fish, as well as plateada, a slow-cooked cut of beef on a bed of mashed potatoes and basil.

The decor here is fun, if a bit over-the-top. Tables are fanciful, with designs made from pistachio nuts, red peppers, and beans; and bright mosaic floors and dozens of silver lanterns create a sensual ambience and conjure up an exotic atmosphere for dishes taking origin from Africa and Asia, such as the flavorful Szechuan shrimp and Indonesian satay.