Santiago has many international restaurants; waiter service is usual. The evening will often include floor shows and dancing.
National specialities:
• Empanada is a combination of meat, chicken or fish, with onions, eggs, raisins and olives inside a flour pastry.
• Humitas is a seasoned corn paste, wrapped in corn husks and boiled.
• Cazuela de ave is a soup with rice, vegetables, chicken and herbs.
• Bife a lo pobre is a steak with french fries, onions and eggs.
• Parrillada is selection of meat grilled over hot coals, often including delicacies such as intestines, udders and blood sausages.
• Seafood is good. Best known are the huge lobsters from Juan Fernández Islands. Abalone, sea urchins, clams, prawns and giant choros (mussels) are also common.
National drinks:
• Chile is famous for its wine.
• Pisco is a powerful liqueur distilled from grapes after wine pressing.
• Grapes are also used to make the sweet brown chicha as well as aguardiente, similar to brandy.
• Beer is drunk throughout the country.
Tipping: Restaurants and bars add 10 per cent to the bill. However, waiters will expect a 10 per cent cash tip in addition.

While many restaurants and hotels offer entertainment, there are also a number of independent discos and nightclubs. Casinos: The Municipal Casino in Viña del Mar offers large gambling salons, full cabaret and boîte with Chile’s best dance bands. A casino operates in Gran Hotel in Puerto Varas between September and March. Arica also has a casino operating throughout the year with baccarat, roulette, black jack, a restaurant and late-night cabaret.

Special purchases include textiles such as colourful handwoven ponchos, vicuna rugs and copper work. Chilean stones such as lapis lazuli, jade, amethyst, agate and onyx are all good buys. Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 1000-2000, Sat 1000-1400. Large shopping malls are open daily 1000-2100.