Rapa Nui
Rapa Nui is in an excellent location on Bariloche’s main shopping street, and is primarily a chocolatería. While the chocolate shop is well worth a visit, the adjoining café is where visitors can sample some tasty sweet recipes made with the shop’s own produce. Ideal for brunch, visitors can enjoy a chocolate fondue with fruit, traditional alfajores (biscuit with dulce de leche), or less sweet options such as sandwiches and paninis. Rapa Nui is a family run establishment and is a favourite of locals, which says a lot about it reputation and quality.
La Esquina
In the centre of Centro Cívico, Bariloche’s most picturesque zone, is La Esquina, a simple café serving a basic but tasty menu of light meals and drinks. The interior is fitted out with wooden beams and furnishings, which fits in well with the chalet-style architecture of the area. The menu is quite extensive, and includes savoury brunch items such as empanadas, as well as full lunches. The coffee is highly rated, and the portions are very generous for the price. A great spot for a light meal while exploring the area.
Lacus Café
Just a couple of blocks away from Bariloche’s main drag, Mitre street, is Lacus Café. The café has comfortable indoor seating as well as a small but pretty outdoor deck area, which looks out over the Alpine chalet architecture of the street. It mainly serves sweet treats, but also offers lunch deals too; the menu includes items such as chocolate mousse cake, fruit tarts, as well as homemade pasta. Given its location a couple of blocks from the main tourist shopping street, the atmosphere is a little calmer and quieter, making Locus Café a great spot for a relaxed morning in Bariloche.
Covita
For a change from the heavy steak meals that are so common throughout Argentina, Covita offers a much appreciated alternative. Covita is a vegetarian and vegan café that serves main meals as well as lighter dishes, perfect for brunch. It also serves a number of desserts- all of which are vegetarian, and most are also vegan- which when accompanied by a cup of coffee or delicious fruit juice make for the perfect brunch offering.
Mamuschka
Another one of Bariloche’s chocolate shops to be found in the town centre, Mamuschka is hard to miss with its bold red shopfront and Russian dolls on the roof. Similarly to Rapa Nui, it is a chocolatería with its own café, which serves cakes, pastries and other chocolate-related goodies. The atmosphere is always vibrant, since it’s always busy, so it’s not recommended for a peaceful brunch but rather a lively one. To really experience Bariloche’s famous chocolate culture, Mamushcka it a great place to stop for a coffee and a cake.
La Picara
La Picara is a tearoom and delicatessen, offering light meals and snacks as well as regional deli cheeses and meats. It offers an array of cakes that go perfectly with a choice of their teas, which are served in unique teapots. Also available are sharing platters of meats and cheeses which are perfect for an early or light lunch. The décor is simple, with wood that has been painted white and cream walls, with modern, minimalist table settings.
Lukay Café and Co
Found in a quieter end of town away from Centro Cívico is Lukay Café, an unusual-looking café from the outside. With its green outer walls, and multicoloured wood interior, the café has a lovely quirky vibe. It serves a classic coffee shop menu, including alfajores, cakes, sweet pies and a number of sandwiches, as well as hot drinks. It also has a sunny garden with tables for visitors to sit outside. A perfect spot for when exploring Bariloche’s quieter end of town and more peaceful lakeside area.
Punto Panorámico
Punto Panorámico is a family run restaurant found along one of the main routes going through Bariloche’s nearby Nahuel Huapi National Park. It is surrounded by amazing panoramic views of the park, with the vibrant blue lake down below and the snow capped mountains in the distance. The owner and staff are extremely friendly and welcoming, and are happy to give any travel tips. Punto Panorámico is the ideal stop for an light lunch while exploring the outstanding natural scenery.
Ruta Provincial 77 Km 23,000, San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
Helados Jauja
For a sweet morning treat, Helados Jauja is an alternative kind of brunch spot. Offering arguably the best ice cream in Bariloche (some say in all of Argentina), Helados Jauja has a mind blowingly extensive list of flavours, ranging from classics such as strawberry or chocolate chip, to cardamom or peanut butter. There is the option of ice creams to take away, or there is a small seating area where visitors can enjoy elaborate sundaes. It also offers a range of chocolates as a lovely treat to save for later.
Chiado
Chiado is a tranquil café and restaurant surrounded by mountain trees and looking over the lake. Located just outside Bariloche, it mixes a traditional tearoom ambiance with the classic Alpine architecture of Bariloche. With artistically mismatched chairs and crockery, visitors can enjoy a cup of tea in a dainty cup and saucer with a homemade cake or other patisserie item. An array of antiques from the 1930s and a matching soundtrack add to the atmosphere. The perfect place to stop for a break while exploring Bariloche’s wider lakeside zone.