Hiking, cycling, sandboarding, horseback riding – visitors to the Atacama usually work up a ravenous appetite. Classic Chilean comfort foods from empanadas to pastel de papas (potato casserole) are on offer at overpriced-for-tourists restaurants in town. Catering more to locals are a handful of restaurants and outdoor food stalls featuring regional specialities like pataska (a hearty cornbased stew with vegetables and meat). At night, look for the rica rica sour, a delicious twist on the pisco sour made with an aromatic herb that’s native to the desert.
By Bridget Gleeson