Mercado Del Puerto

Entre Mercado del Puerto

This is Montevideo!

Mercado Del Puerto is about one thing:  beef.  Great big slabs of beef steak grilling over an open fire.  Pictures do not do this place justice.  You have to smell the aroma of grilling steaks.  Dozens of steaks at a time.  In over a dozen restaurants.  Feeding masses of people.  This is truly carnivore heaven.

Steaks on the grill!

I don't know if there are any variations among the restaurants.  Some are eat-at-the-counter only.  Some are sitdown.  Some are a mix of both.  But every restaurant is a parrilla (pronounced "paRR-EE-zha" with the Uruguayan accent).

An Uruguayan parrilla is a steakhouse.  It is not a churrascaria.  Steakhouse rules apply.  You order your steak.  And that's all you get.  Side dishes are separate.  But, judging from aroma and reputation, oh what steaks!

Steaks, sausages and birds cooking on the girll

Unfortunately/stupidly, I had eaten a big breakfast before coming here.  I didn't realize this place would be so awsome.  It's recommended in all the tourist books.  And it does get tourists.  So I was expecting something touristy.

Another restaurant, counter service only

I was not expecting carnivore heaven.


Before the carnivore hordes arrive

It was too early in the day.  And the place is only open for lunch business.  It's also in a part of town that is perfectly safe when the sun is up, but is not a good place to be at the South American supper hour (which is about 9:00PM in Montevideo) (not quite as late as Buenos Aires).  So it will be my lunch destination Monday.

I will eat a light breakfast.