Restaurants in Castro

Several palafitos on the south side of downtown offer hearty local cuisine and a good way to view one from the inside. They're readily identifiable when they're serving meals. For a quick snack, on the corner across from the Cruz del Sur bus station, there is a small stand with a handful of women selling empanadas and milcaos (potato pancakes). For your comfort food fix, La Piazza (no phone), just off the square at the corner of Blanco and Esmeralda, is a decent option for pizza, pasta, and steaks.