Top 10 Food & Wine Destinations in Central & South America

TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel site has recently  announced the winners of its 2011 Travelers' Choice Food and Wine Destinations awards. Seventy outstanding destinations across the globe have been honored in the inaugural awards, with Top 10 lists named for the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, Central and South America, South Pacific, and India.

The Top !0  Food & Wine Destinations in Central and South America are:-

1 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Meat, meat and more meat are on the menu in Buenos Aires. Argentinean beef is world-famous, and local chefs take advantage of it in many delicious ways. Visit a parrilla restaurant for grilled steaks and, if you’re daring, kidneys, intestines and morcilla (blood sausage). Foodies flock to the city’s many closed-door restaurants, where chefs craft unique menus for small, select groups of diners.

2 Cuyo, Argentina

Most Argentinean wine is produced in the mountainous Cuyo region, and visiting oenophiles rave about their experiences here. Whether you take a packaged tour of vineyards or explore on your own (some TripAdvisor travellers recommend renting a bike!), you’re sure to come home with amazing memories… and probably a new favourite Malbec

3 Lima, Peru

If you like to eat like the locals do—and aren’t afraid of organ meats—the street food in Lima will blow your mind. Among other things, you could sample anticuchos (beef heart kabobs) and pancita (tripe), as well as all kinds of empanadas. Alfajores, cookies sandwiched together with caramel, are a sweet treat, as is the classic combination of hot chocolate and churros.

4 San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina

What pubs are to Dublin, chocolate shops are to San Carlos de Bariloche. So what better way to spend an afternoon than tasting your way through town in search of the perfect bonbon? And as you might expect in Argentina, many restaurants specialise in meats—try the wild Patagonian game.

5 Santiago, Chile

Santiago’s food scene has gone from virtually nonexistent to vibrant over the past few years, and now is a great time for foodies to visit. Menus often feature fresh seafood—any type of seafood stew is bound to be delicious. Try a pisco sour (the hands-down favourite local cocktail) or a glass of fine Chilean wine with your meal. Wine enthusiasts will also enjoy touring nearby vineyards.

6 Cusco, Peru

Adventurous eaters will have a ball in Cuzco. Visit picanterías and chicherías for the best local dishes and drinks, including chicha, a fermented corn beverage. If you’re visiting during the Feast of Corpus Christi, try chiriuchu, a cold dish made of corn, cheese, eggs, sausage, chicken, seaweed, fish eggs and… wait for it… roasted guinea pig

7 Cartagena, Colombia

This fishing village is becoming an increasingly popular destination for foodie travellers. Local chefs make good use of seafood (ceviche is always a good bet here) and tropical fruits (arroz con coco, rice with coconut milk, is a common side dish that’s uncommonly delicious). Cafes are known for excellent pastries.

8 Bogota, Colombia

If there’s one thing you have to try in Bogota, it’s chocolate santafereño, the local spin on hot chocolate. A steaming cup of hot chocolate is served with a chunk of cheese. You drop the cheese into your drink; it melts; then you eat the cheese with a spoon and drink the chocolate. Another standout local dish: Ajiaco, a creamy chicken, potato and corn soup.

9 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Bring your appetite to Rio de Janeiro! Anyone who likes a great steak will enjoy visiting a churrascaria, a quintessentially Brazilian all-you-can-eat meat and seafood restaurant. Feijoada, black turtle beans cooked with jerk beef, is the national dish of Brazil, and it’s worth seeking out in restaurants (some places only serve it on Saturdays). And after a long day at the beach, nothing beats an ice-cold beer from a tiny boteco.

10 Panama City, Panama

The seafood in Panama City is superb—after all, chefs have their pick of the best from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Try Panamanian ceviche, typically made with corvina fish, lime juice, onions, celery and a touch of hot pepper. Sancocho, chicken stew made with yucca and yams, is another local specialty.