Digital Nomad’s Guide to Santiago, Chile

Verdant aerial shot of Santiago, Chile with mountains in background.

Santiago is a large and vibrant city with many diverse and interesting neighbourhoods to explore, each offering its own unique charm. It also boasts a wide variety of excellent plant-based restaurants.

(Want to know what Chile sounds like? Here’s a playlist of great Chilean bands and artists.)

Coffee Shops

Ocio Cafe

Caupolicán 470, 7501451 Providencia, Región Metropolitana

Perhaps the most hip little cafe in Santiago’s most hip neighbourhood, Barrio Italia.

Hip cafe glass exterior with white lettering.

(Photo: Marc Z. Goldgrub)

Planta Cafe

Maipú 330, 8350478 Santiago, Región Metropolitana

Suave little cafe in another cool neighbourhood, Barrio Yungay. It is not 100% vegan despite the name, though they do have some vegan pastries.

Cafe interior with exposed brick wall and lit sign.

(Photo: Marc Z. Goldgrub)

3841 Coffee Roasters

José Victorino Lastarria 288, Local 11, 8320126 Santiago, Región Metropolitana

Not aesthetically mind-blowing, but a solid shop with solid coffee in yet another attractive neighbourhood, Bellas Artes - which manages to walk the line between being both hip and touristy.

Rust coloured outdoor sign for coffee shop with coffee cup outline.

(Photo: Marc Z. Goldgrub)

Restaurants

Horus Vegan

Dardignac 68, 8420521 Recoleta, Región Metropolitana

Best vegan restaurant in Santiago. Incredible, artisanal food. Friendly staff. Egyptian-inspired aesthetic. Located in Bellavista, the city’s ‘party central’ neighbourhood with graffiti art everywhere.

Restaurant interior with tables and chairs, and some Egyptian illustrations on the walls.

(Photo: Marc Z. Goldgrub)

Vegan Bunker

Fresia 529, 7501520 Providencia, Región Metropolitana

Excellent vegan lunch spot with a large selection of veggie burgers, including their signature Bunker Burger (recommended).

Bright turquoise blue building exterior with door and black awnings.

(Photo: Marc Z. Goldgrub)

Sapiens

Av. Italia 1206, 7501297 Santiago, Providencia, Región Metropolitana

Perhaps my go-to vegan restaurant in Santiago, with a wonderful selection of healthy options.

Restaurant interior with plants, chairs, tables, and wood beams.

(Photo: Marc Z. Goldgrub)

Parks and Recreation

MNBA & MAC

José Miguel de la Barra 650, 8320356 Santiago, Región Metropolitana

Chile’s produced some of the best South American artists of various mediums over the last century. The jointly-connected National Museum of Fine Arts (MNBA) and Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC) showcase the nation’s artistic and political history in a huge, beautiful building.

Slanted view through doorway of red rooms with colourful wall art.

(Photo: Marc Z. Goldgrub)

La Chascona

Fernando Márquez de La Plata 0192, 7520284 Santiago, Providencia, Región Metropolitana

One of Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda’s houses, and perhaps the most historically significant. Neruda wasn’t just a poet, but also a diplomat and a senator. And as this beautiful house illustrates, he had a bit of a quirky aesthetic sense. 

Blue building exterior, with stone wall below.

(Photo: Marc Z. Goldgrub)

Drugs and Alcohol

Alcohol: Legal drinking age in Chile is 18.

Cannabis: With some apparent exceptions, cannabis is illegal.

Psychedelics: Generally illegal.