You'll find everything and anything along Bariloche's main street, Mitre, including shops selling souvenirs and Argentine products such as mate (tea), gourds, and leather goods. For the region's famous smoked meats and cheese, and other regional specialties such as trout pâté, try the renowned Familia Weiss, Mitre 360 (tel. 02944/424829), or Del Turista, Av. San Martín 252 or Mitre 239 (tel. 02944/422124). Del Turista also has an enormous array of chocolates and candy, as do other confectioneries up and down Calle Mitre, such as Abuela Goye, Mitre 258 (tel. 02944/433861) and Quaglia 221 (tel. 02944/422276); Bonifacio, Mitre 171(tel. 02944/425240); Mexicana, Mitre 288 (tel. 02944/422505); and Mamuschka, Mitre 298 (tel. 02944/423294). Stop by the visitor center for a map of Avenida Bustillo and the Llao Llao Peninsula, which are lined with dozens of shops selling regional specialties. One of the nicest for lovely home furnishings and accents is Orígen Arte y Artesanía, at Bustillo 3.850 (tel. 02944/442640). Note that generally you are not allowed to take food items such as smoked meats wrapped in plastic outside Argentina.
For local handicrafts predominantly made of wood and wool, stroll the outdoor artisan market behind the Centro Civico, held each afternoon except Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from noon to 8 pm (depending on the time of year). It's also worth checking out the indoor artisan market on Moreno between Quaglia and Villegas, which is open daily from 11am to 8pm. There is a small shop of all-natural wool products run by a local Mapuche indigenous group. All the vendors are friendly.
What's with All the Chocolate?
Bariloche is a chocolate-lovers heaven. Within 3 blocks on the main drag, Calle Mitre, dozens of chocolate shops offer tasty little morsels of artisan chocolate. The industry sprang from early Swiss pioneers who settled at the nearby village of Colonia Suiza and saw the potential in all those healthy cows. Classic local flavors include dulce de leche, chocolate with lemon, and chocolate with local berries. All the shops are good and produce high-quality chocolate, but the constant lines in Mamushchka, Mitre 298 (tel. 02944/423294), attest to the fact that this shop sells the absolute best chocolate in town. It's worth waiting your turn for the cute red boxes of delicious treats. Mamushcka also has a nice smoke-free cafe inside, and a branch at the base of Cerro Catedral ski resort. (Take note of the colorful tile work, by a local artist, on the sidewalk when you walk into Mamuschka).
