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Authentic Food Quest Authentic Food Quest
  • About
    • What is Authentic Food Quest
    • Work With Us / Media
    • Contact Us
  • Destinations
  • Eat
    • Dishes
    • Desserts
    • Street Food
    • Restaurants
  • Drink
  • Recipes
  • Shop
    • Food Itineraries
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    • International Food
    • Cookbooks
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Oct 20
Uruguay Authentic sandwich chivito

Discovering The Chivito Sandwich: The Pride Of Uruguay

  • Rosemary
  • 22 Comments
  • Uruguay, Dishes
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Our journey discovering authentic food across South America continues and now has us in Uruguay.

More specifically we are in Colonia del Sacramento, a picturesque town and the Barrio Historico (historic quarter) was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1995.

In case you may be wondering, Uruguay is South America’s smallest country with a population of about 3.3 million. The capital is Montevideo and that is our next stop on this adventure in Uruguay.

Our trip to Uruguay was both practical and also to discover the famous Chivito sandwich. On the practical end, we needed to leave Argentina before the expiration of our tourist visas so that we would be able to come back into the country on a new tourist visa and continue our travel adventure to the south of Argentina.

Colonia in Uruguay is conveniently located literally across Buenos Aires and is easily reached by ferry by crossing the Rio De La Plata. There are two main companies that provide ferry service to Colonia from Buenos Aires;  Buquebus and Colonia Express.  

We took Colonia Express, and in just about one hour we landed in Colonia. Easy and convenient to get to, Colonia is also visited by many porteños (locals from Argentina) for a day trip.  Now, onto the sandwich.

Chivito sandwich

Being a national speciality, there was no shortage of places with Chivito Sandwich on the menu. It took us a little time to find a restaurant that we liked. As we were touring the old city of Colonia, we spotted El Drugstore, a quaint restaurant with live music, serving the speciality. Once we settled down at El Drugstore restaurant, we ordered the chivito al plato (chivito as a platter).

This is a serious dish filled with meat. It is made up of a thin slice of churrasco (filet mignon beef), topped with bacon, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, mayonnaise, ham, olives and a fried egg. It is mentioned on the menu as a meal for one or two. We highly recommend to take it for two as it is very filling. When it is served as the platter, it comes without the sandwich bread and it is usually served with french fries or baked potatoes.

Incredibly delicious is how we both described our first bite of the Chivito Sandwich. Rich, heavy and something about all the flavors together, works very well. Decadent and a carnivores fantasy, it is actually surprisingly good. We were overly stuffed and can now understand intimately why the Chivito Sandwich is the national Uruguay dish.

Apparently, legend has it that a female tourist from Argentina stopped by a restaurant in Punta Del Este (Southern part of Uruguay) and ordered “chivito” (baby goat meat) like the ones she had in Argentina. The restaurateur not wanting to lose a client, accepted the order and proceeded to make her a churrasco (steak, not goat) sandwich topped with everything but the kitchen sink. She ends up loving it and the sandwich earns a permanent place on his menu under the name Chivito, going on to become Uruguay’s national sandwich.

We had tried the Chivito platter, and now needed to try the sandwich. The opportunity presented itself the next day after we took a 5km walk over the Rambla de las Americas, along the water to Real de San Carlos.

This is worth noting because there you will find the largest bullring (where bullfighting is performed) in South America. It was built at the beginning of the 20th century by Nicolás Mihanovich, an Argentine business man. The Plaza de Toros (bullring) opened in 1910 and could hold up to 10,000 people. It was only opened for 2 years and held 8 bullfights in total. Bullfighting was finally outlawed in 1912.  Legend has it that the President of Uruguay at the time, Jose Batlle y Ordóñez once attended a bullfight with his daughter and upon seeing how the bulls were treated and finally killed in front of everyone, she cried and complained so much to her father that the sport was finally banned.

So, while we were in the Plaza de Toros area, and after a walked that prepped our stomach for some consequent food, we stopped at at a clean looking shack called Lo De Pedro on ave. Mihanovich leading to Plaza de Toros and this time ordered the Chivito Sandwich. As you can see, it closely resembles the chivito al plato just with the addition of the bread.

Plaza de Toros
Uruguay Authentic sandwich chivito
Claire about to dig in

Claire described the experience as…”huge sandwich, more than enough for two. It really looks like two sandwiches together…one sandwich of meat and the other of vegetables. The meat is delicious and tender. The bacon is really good and not fatty…thank goodness for all the veggies which cut the fat and make it slightly healthy.”

Overall, the two different type of preparations of the chivito – al plato or with bread as a sandwich were pretty much the same.

After all the Chivito, and if you are looking for a break be sure to check out Buen Suspiro, a cozy spot specializing in picadas (finger foods to nibble on) on the most emblematic street of Colonia, Calle de los Suspiros. Here we enjoyed 4 different types of cheeses, chorizo sausage and slices of two different types of tartas (quiche-like). We downed this with amazing Tannat wine, a speciality from Uruguay that we also discovered in Cafayate, Argentina.

AFQ at Buen Suspiro
Picadas at Buen Suspiro
Authentic Food Quest Page_Break

Colonia Del Sacramento in Pictures

If you’ve never considered visiting Uruguay, we encourage you to put it on your radar. Colonia Del Sacramento is only a short distance away from Buenos Aires in Argentina and it has an entirely different feel.  Here is more about Colonia in pictures.

Authentic Food Quest Page_Break

Follow our quest as we continue onwards to Montevideo, the capital and we will share more about our experience and the authentic foods of the region. Tannat is already on our list and we can’t wait to go visit the farmers market in Montevideo. Based on our experience thus far in Colonia, it is worth visiting Uruguay especially for the “Chivito Sandwich.”

Savor The Adventure!

Rosemary

Rosemary, ex-marketing and advertising strategist, is a digital nomad and content creator at Authentic Food Quest. Since 2015, with her partner, Claire, they travel the world in search of the best local food experiences. Their mission is to help you enjoy the best local specialties on your travels or via recipes in your home kitchen. Favorite country for food: Peru. Favorite local dish: Bacalhau. Favorite way to keep fit: Running. Rosemary is the chief content writer and strategist on Authentic Food Quest. She is also co-author of Authentic Food Quest Argentina and Authentic Food Quest Peru, available on Amazon.

22 Comments

  1. ColoniaExpress
    October 20, 2015 at 9:28 am · Reply

    Es un placer contar con tu preferencia. ??¡Buen Viaje • Bon Voyage • Boa Viagem! 🙂 ► https://bitly.com/FacebookCoEx ??

    Aguardamos tus fotos con la etiqueta #ColoniaExpress en tus redes sociales 🙂

  2. Arzo Travels
    March 5, 2016 at 1:18 pm · Reply

    It is always interesting to me to find out about the eating habits of other cultures etc. I think, Uruguay might be a tough place for me though as I don’t eat any meat and don’t like cheese 🙂

    • Authentic Food Quest
      March 5, 2016 at 9:49 pm · Reply

      Thanks for your comments. The good news is that the people of Uruguay are very friendly and accommodating. They can always leave out the meat and cheese and they can make vegetarian versions of meals 🙂

  3. Laura
    March 5, 2016 at 7:03 pm · Reply

    You found what looks like the best places to eat there! I’ve heard about this sandwich and even seen some pictures, but these versions look the best of any I’ve seen. I already like El Drugstore, just for the name, but that platter definitely wins me over. The sandwich version looks even better!

    • Authentic Food Quest
      March 5, 2016 at 9:53 pm · Reply

      Thanks so much Laura for your comments. This sandwich is incredible – both in size and taste. Grab any chance you can to sink your teeth into a Chivito. Glad you like the pictures 🙂 Cheers!

  4. Lesley
    March 5, 2016 at 11:22 pm · Reply

    Buen Suspiro sounds delicious. I love snack foods, especially cheeses.

  5. Maja - Traveling Rockhopper
    March 6, 2016 at 3:23 am · Reply

    Looks delicious, just for me a vegetarian version, please 🙂

    • Authentic Food Quest
      March 6, 2016 at 9:07 pm · Reply

      Thanks Maja for your comments. Indeed you can always have the sandwich made “vegetarian style” 🙂

  6. Karla (Karla Around The World)
    March 6, 2016 at 8:29 am · Reply

    I really love learning about different food culture! This is truly something worth reading. Love your share! I hope to read more from your food adventures.

    • Authentic Food Quest
      March 6, 2016 at 9:10 pm · Reply

      Thanks so much Karla. Love that you found this interesting . We do believe that when people travel through food, they have a deeper connection with the local people, food and culture. Do join and follow our adventure. Thanks for your comments!

  7. Heather
    March 6, 2016 at 11:20 am · Reply

    I had visited Colonia del Sacramento last year and can’t believe I didn’t try the Chivito sandwich, it looks delicious! I know what I’ll be eating on my next visit. Such an interesting legend about the dish at El Drugstore restaurant. The historic quarter there is so picturesque, perfect for dining al fresco 😉

    • Authentic Food Quest
      March 6, 2016 at 9:14 pm · Reply

      OMG! Heather, so sorry to hear that you missed trying out The Chivito sandwich when you were in Colonia last year. That’s a bummer as this is the “one” dish not to miss out on. If you do go back…please try it. Truly El Drugstore is well located. Go there for the Chivito. So glad to hear you enjoyed reading the post 🙂

  8. Travelwith2ofus
    March 6, 2016 at 11:37 am · Reply

    I have never heard about the Chivito sandwich, but I must say it looks like the perfect combination of meat and vegetables that will make it a great tasting sandwich. Uruguay is one of the South American countries I will be visiting in the future, so I will continue reading your articles to get the 411 on the place.

    • Authentic Food Quest
      March 6, 2016 at 9:16 pm · Reply

      Thanks so much and glad that you will stay engaged to understand the local specialties in Uruguay. Don’t hesitate to reach out via email as well for additional questions as you get closer to your trip. Join us and stay engaged and see the dishes not to miss out on in Argentina, Chile and Peru, especially if your travels go beyond Uruguay. Happy to help!!

  9. Melissa Jones
    March 6, 2016 at 1:09 pm · Reply

    I always try local food wherever I’m travelling to, I love the fact that you guys are on a mission to get the true experience. You can find out so much about a place because of the food, the way they prepare it, the way it’s cooked and presented, where the ingredients come from, just everything!

    • Authentic Food Quest
      March 6, 2016 at 9:18 pm · Reply

      You nailed it Melissa. Our mission is inspire travelers to travel through food for a deeper connection to the local people, place and culture. Through food we can learn so much 🙂 Thanks so much your feedback.

  10. Wendy Dakroub
    March 6, 2016 at 5:27 pm · Reply

    Your entire blog makes me hungry… 🙂

    • Authentic Food Quest
      March 6, 2016 at 9:19 pm · Reply

      Glad to hear Wendy. Happy to inspire you through food 🙂

  11. Jennifer
    March 6, 2016 at 10:28 pm · Reply

    That sandwich looks yummy. I really want to visit Uruguay. It looks interesting and I now know the food scene is amazing. I am a huge fan of eggs on sandwiches.

    • Authentic Food Quest
      March 6, 2016 at 11:20 pm · Reply

      Hi Jennifer, Uruguay is a very beautiful country and quite surprising. Do make a point to visit. In terms of the food scene, beside the Chivito, which is the national sandwich. The other huge local speciality are Parillas (barbecues). Amazing food, though not much diversity. Be sure to check out the farmers markets.

  12. Tori
    January 23, 2020 at 2:31 am · Reply

    I like to experience “culinary shock” while traveling, trying new dishes. I have not tried Uruguayan cuisine, but I will mean Chivito Sandwich. Thanks for sharing!

    • Authentic Food Quest
      January 25, 2020 at 10:40 am · Reply

      If your travels take you to Uruguay, don’t miss the Chivito Sandwich. Our recommendation is not to eat beforehand as the sandwich is huge. Or better yet, share the sandwich and enjoy the full flavors. Cheers.

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Claire and Rosemary Hi! Welcome to Authentic Food Quest. We are Claire and Rosemary. Our goal is to help you explore local culture through food. As digital nomads, we travel to share authentic food recipes and food guides from around the world so you can savor them during your travels or in your home kitchen. Learn More

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