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Restaurante Garzón

Garzón, Uruguay

Rustic, flame-cooked food from a maverick chef

On the Pass

Francis Mallman

Renowned for his wood fire cooking, much-lauded South American chef Francis Mallman opened this rustic restaurant and diminutive five-room hotel in Uruguay nearly 20 years ago. The atmosphere is one of refined elegance: heritage interiors make use of hand-carved furniture and pristine table settings. If arriving by horseback, you’ll find a handy hitching post outside.

True to Mallman’s reputation, Patagonian barbecue shapes the menu. Flames coax sweetness from buttery octopus bathed in a chilli olive oil and chunky cara sucia bread arrives with gently charred oranges. Flame-grilled bife is a highlight, although since opening in 2003, the restaurant ethos has curved towards an increasingly vegetable-focused output.

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