Chilean food is the South American cuisine that most people in Dubai have never knowingly eaten. The country sits in a long, thin geographic strip along the Pacific — mountains to the east, ocean to the west, desert to the north, Patagonia to the south — and the food reflects exactly that: hearty inland stews, fresh-from-the-Pacific seafood, fruit-driven baking, and one of the world's great wine traditions. Compared to Argentinian beef or Peruvian ceviche, Chilean food has a quieter profile abroad. But the people who know it — including a small Chilean community in Dubai — are passionate about defending its place at the South American table.
Dubai does not yet have a fully dedicated Chilean restaurant. What it does have is four venues where you can eat Chilean dishes properly, a Spinneys Latin section that imports Chilean ingredients well, and a wine market that is exceptionally well-stocked with Chilean labels. This guide covers every dish worth knowing, where to find it in Dubai (or how to make it yourself), and which Chilean wines to order with what.
The 12 Iconic Chilean Dishes
1. Empanada de Pino
The national empanada. A large, oven-baked pastry filled with diced (never minced) beef, onions, hard-boiled egg, an olive, and sometimes a raisin. The crust is thicker and breadier than the Argentinian version. One is a meal. In Dubai: Sabores del Sur Al Quoz (AED 28). Make at home: see our recipe link below.
2. Pastel de Choclo
Chile's national dish. A baked casserole of beef pino topped with a sweet sweetcorn paste, with raisins, olive and hard-boiled egg buried in the middle. Sweet-savoury, ideally served in an individual clay pot. In Dubai: Inca Cocina DIFC has it as a Wednesday special (AED 95). Make at home: Spinneys MOE stocks frozen choclo (Andean sweetcorn) in the international freezer aisle.
3. Completo Italiano
The Chilean hot dog — long bun, sausage, mashed avocado, mayonnaise, chopped tomato. Named "italiano" for the colours of the Italian flag (green, white, red). The most iconic Chilean street food. In Dubai: Sabores del Sur Friday lunch (AED 38). For the full experience, host one at home — all ingredients at any Spinneys.
4. Curanto
A Patagonian shellfish-and-meat stew from Chiloé Island — clams, mussels, sausage, pork, chicken, and chapaleles (potato dumplings), traditionally cooked in a stone-lined pit covered with leaves. Not available in Dubai restaurants. Make at home: achievable with mussels, clams and chorizo from Spinneys.
5. Cazuela de Vacuno
A clear-broth beef stew with chunks of potato, pumpkin, sweetcorn, green bean, and a single piece of beef shin in each bowl. Comfort food, eaten weekly in Chilean homes. In Dubai: available occasionally at Sabores del Sur. Make at home: easy, all ingredients standard supermarket.
6. Chorrillana
A plate of chips topped with beef strips, onions, and a fried egg — the Chilean answer to poutine. Shared, eaten communally, devoured after midnight. In Dubai: Sabores del Sur weekend menu (AED 65). The closest Argentine analog is the chivito Uruguayan plate.
7. Pisco Sour
Chile and Peru both claim the cocktail; the recipes differ slightly. Chilean Pisco Sour uses Chilean pisco, lime juice, sugar, ice, no egg white. The Peruvian version uses Peruvian pisco, lime, sugar, ice, AND egg white. In Dubai: Pisco Bar Marina, Inca Cocina DIFC, Coya DIFC, La Mar Resorts World. All four versions are subtly different.
8. Charquicán
A traditional stew of dried beef (charqui), pumpkin, sweetcorn, potatoes, and green beans, mashed together at the end. Indigenous origins. Hearty, comforting, deeply Chilean. In Dubai: not on any restaurant menu. Make at home: substitute beef stock-poached brisket for charqui.
9. Caldillo de Congrio
Pablo Neruda wrote a poem about this conger eel soup. A clear seafood broth with potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and slices of conger eel. Light, briny, deeply Pacific. In Dubai: not currently available. Make at home: substitute hammour or sea bass for conger eel.
10. Ceviche Chileno
Chilean ceviche differs from Peruvian — usually sea bass or salmon, cured longer in lime, with cilantro, red onion, fresh green chilli, and merken (a smoked chilli spice). In Dubai: Coya DIFC has a Chilean-leaning version. Most Dubai ceviches lean Peruvian.
11. Sopaipilla
A flat, fried pumpkin-flour bread, eaten as a side or in winter with pebre (Chilean salsa) or chancaca (a brown-sugar syrup). Comfort food for rainy days. In Dubai: Sabores del Sur weekend brunch.
12. Mote con Huesillos
A drink-and-dessert hybrid — husked wheat (mote) and a dried peach (huesillo) reconstituted in cinnamon-sweetened syrup, served chilled in a glass with a spoon. Summer staple. In Dubai: not currently available. Make at home: mote available at Spinneys MOE Latin section.
Where to Eat Chilean Food in Dubai
1. Sabores del Sur (Al Quoz)
The closest Dubai has to a Chilean restaurant. A small Latin American spot run by a Santiago-born chef. Empanadas de pino are the city's only proper version. Friday lunch features completos italianos. Weekend brunch sometimes adds sopaipillas and chorrillana. Wine list has six Chilean labels. No alcohol licence, so BYO from MMI is the move (corkage AED 30).
2. Inca Cocina (DIFC)
Primarily Peruvian but with three serious Chilean dishes — pastel de choclo (Wednesday special, AED 95), Chilean Pisco Sour, and a Carmenère-paired beef tasting menu. Licensed bar. Sleek DIFC business-lunch crowd.
3. Coya Dubai (DIFC)
Pan-Latin upmarket with two Chilean-leaning dishes: a salmon ceviche with merken (AED 110) and a Carmenère-paired beef tenderloin (AED 220). The wine list runs Chile deep — six glass-pour Chilean wines, 22 by the bottle. Not specifically Chilean, but the most serious Chilean-wine-by-glass programme in the city.
4. Pisco Bar (Dubai Marina)
Officially Peruvian-themed but does both Peruvian and Chilean pisco sours, with five Chilean piscos by the glass. The Chilean-style pisco sour (without egg white) is on the cocktail menu. Small Chilean-themed bar bites occasionally.
Chilean Wine in Dubai: The 8 Bottles To Know
Chile is the third-largest wine importer to the UAE behind France and Italy. MMI and African + Eastern stock dozens of labels. These are our eight standout bottles:
- Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon — AED 70. The reliable everyday bottle. Pairs with anything beefy.
- Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon — AED 145. The mid-range benchmark. Deep, structured, properly Chilean.
- Errazuriz Max Reserva Carmenère — AED 110. The best-value Carmenère in the city. Peppery, plummy, perfect with grilled lamb.
- Cono Sur 20 Barrels Pinot Noir — AED 165. From the cool-climate Casablanca Valley. Light, fragrant, food-friendly.
- Santa Carolina Reserva Sauvignon Blanc — AED 75. Crisp, citrussy, ideal Dubai summer wine.
- Veramonte Carmenère Reserva — AED 95. The Chilean-import equivalent of a French Beaujolais — light, juicy, unfussy.
- Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon — AED 280. Chile's most prestigious wine. Decant 90 minutes; pair with the best steak you can find.
- Almaviva — AED 750. The Concha y Toro / Mouton Rothschild joint venture. Chile's grand cru. Saved for milestone dinners.
Chilean Ingredients at Dubai Supermarkets
Spinneys MOE's Latin American section is the best stocked in the UAE. The Chilean items they carry as of May 2026:
- Merken (smoked chilli powder) — the signature Chilean spice. AED 28 per jar.
- Aji amarillo paste — not strictly Chilean but used in Chilean recipes. AED 22.
- Frozen choclo (Andean sweetcorn) — the base for pastel de choclo. AED 32 per pack.
- Mote (husked wheat) — for mote con huesillos. AED 18.
- Manjar (Chilean dulce de leche) — thicker than the Argentinian version. AED 38.
- Chuño (freeze-dried potato) — rare; check seasonally. AED 45.
- Chilean wines — Spinneys MOE alcohol section, six Chilean labels.
Explore More Chilean & South American Food in Dubai
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I eat Chilean food in Dubai?
Four venues. Sabores del Sur in Al Quoz has the city's best empanadas de pino. Inca Cocina in DIFC is primarily Peruvian but with three Chilean dishes including pastel de choclo. Coya DIFC has a Chilean-leaning salmon ceviche and a serious Chilean wine list. Pisco Bar in Dubai Marina does excellent Chilean piscos.
What is the difference between Chilean and Argentinian empanadas?
Chilean empanadas de pino are the larger, oven-baked variety filled with hand-cut beef, onions, a hard-boiled egg, an olive, and sometimes a raisin. The pastry is thicker. Argentinian empanadas are smaller, often fried, with minced or shredded beef, more spice, and 12+ regional variations.
Are Chilean wines easy to find in Dubai?
Yes. Chile is one of the top three imported wine countries in the UAE. MMI and African + Eastern stock Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, and Sauvignon Blanc from Concha y Toro, Casillero del Diablo, Montes, Errazuriz, Cono Sur, Santa Carolina. Prices range AED 70 to AED 280. Carmenère is the signature Chilean varietal.
What is a 'completo' and where can I get one in Dubai?
A completo is the Chilean version of a hot dog — bun, sausage, sauerkraut, mashed avocado, mayonnaise, chopped tomato. The 'completo italiano' is named for the colours of the Italian flag — green avocado, white mayonnaise, red tomato. The closest in Dubai is Sabores del Sur Friday lunch (AED 38). The full Chilean experience is at home — all ingredients at Spinneys.
