We travelled to Salta in May of 2026 and loved our time eating and drinking our way throughout the city. Although we didn’t know too much about Salta before our trip, we booked it on a last-minute whim. We were excited to try regional food in Salta and discover the colourful mountains nearby. There are distinct dishes in the Northwestern Region of Argentina that were certainly a highlight for us. We booked an apartment for our 5-day stay and thus had ample time to explore the city and try many amazing eats and drinks! This guide on where to eat in Salta and whether it is worth visiting is geared to help you make a decision if Salta is worth visiting and, if so, where to enjoy the delicious local food it has to offer!
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Where to Eat in Salta – Interactive Map
What to Eat in Salta: My Favourite Must-Try Regional Dishes
Locro
Locro is a hearty potato or squash stew that is especially perfect for the autumn and wintertime.
We had this dish at Doña Salta, and it was truly so good! The portion is actually quite big that we could have even shared it!
Lentejas
Lentejas is a tasty lentil stew comprised of lentils, chorizo, beef, carrot, onion, and topped with cilantro.
This was my favourite local dish that we had! We also had this at Doña Salta, and just like the locro, it was a large portion. We could easily have shared this dish!
Tamales
Tamales in Salta are comprised of a corn dough outside filled with shredded meat (beef/pork), potatoes, onion, and local spices. It is wrapped in a corn husk and is tied on both ends.
We had Tamales while on our Tren Solar Day Trip from Salta and again at Tacita Café.
They were so tasty and truly a highlight of the local dishes that we had while visiting Salta!
Humitas
Humitas are also wrapped in corn husks; they’re wrapped more like a package and tied around with a thin corn husk strip. Inside is a wonderful blend of corn, onion, bell peppers, cheese and spices.
Empanadas Salteñas
Empanadas are very popular throughout all of Argentina, but you must try the Salteñas while visiting Salta.
This empanada is typically a bit smaller and filled with beef, potatoes, spices, and comes with yasgua, which is a spicy tomato and chilli sauce.
Where to Eat in Salta: My Top Spots for Food + Drinks!
Doña Salta – Personal Favourite
Vibe: Authentic, touristy, busy
Price: $$
My Rating: 10/10
Doña Salta is an extremely popular restaurant in Salta – and with good reason. Not only was the food truly excellent, but the customer service was top-notch! We were seated right away, ordered from their regional menu and even added their special of Sangria to our lunch.
Together we ordered the lentegas, locro, and two cheese empanadas. These empanadas were also the best that I had in Salta! I loved that their menu had a section dedicated to this specific region, making it easy to pick out local food to try! It is certainly a MUST when visiting Salta!
Located next to the popular Plaza 9 de Julio, it’s the perfect place to wind down and try amazing food in Salta!
Location: Córdoba 46, A4400 Salta (here)
Ciudad Güemes – Great Food!
Vibe: Touristy, authentic, friendly
Price: $$
My Rating: 9/10
Ciudad Güemes is a popular bar and grill restaurant that features a wide range of local food. We were here for lunch and did not order too much on the menu, but it was delicious and absolutely worth mentioning for this list! We ordered two chorizos, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and a bottle of regional wine.
Ciudad Güemes also gave us some bread for the table as a starter, and overall, everything was so tasty! We were a bit surprised at the sweet potato, as they weren’t fries; instead, they were discs from a sweet potato – no matter, they were very good!
Location: Gral. Martin Güemes 255, A4400 Salta (here)
Pizzeria Popular – Perfect Breakfast Spot
Vibe: Local, friendly, relaxed
Price: $$
My Rating: 9/10
Pizzeria Popular was truly a hidden gem that we simply stumbled upon while walking around the Alto NOA shopping mall in Salta. As we were there in the morning, I ordered a pistachio coffee with two beef empanadas. The empanadas were SO tasty, and the coffee was quite unique! They even offered us sparkling water and small biscuits at no extra cost.
Location: Av. Belgrano 281, A4400 Salta (here)
This particular location is not inside the mall*
SHAWA CLUB – Great Late Night Food
Vibe: Authentic, low-key, friendly
Price: €
My Rating: 9/10
Shawa Club is the perfect place if you are looking for an alternative to local food while visiting Salta. They have big portion sizes at a lower cost compared to other restaurants in the area. It is a small palace with little seating, but we ordered takeaway as we were staying close by. We ordered two shawarma sandwiches and nachos, and I highly recommend!
Location: Vicente López 1118, A4400 Salta (here)
Meta Pué – Perfect Empanada Snack
Vibe: Authentic, local, friendly
Price: $
My Rating: 9/10
Another great place to order some empanadas is certainly Meta Pué! I ordered two empanadas: one cheese and one meat. They have some outdoor seating, which was great for us as the weather was so beautiful that day! The empanadas were so tasty and the perfect snack before a day exploring in the city!
Location: Pueyrredón 569, A4400 Salta (here)
Tacita Café – Not-So-Hidden Gem
Vibe: Authentic, local, busy
Price: $
My Rating: 10/10
We stumbled upon Tacita Café, as it’s located right next to the Basílica Menor y Convento de San Francisco en Salta. It really felt like a hole in the wall, despite its great location. There are only a small number of tables, making it feel very home-like inside. We ordered empanadas, a tamale, and a ¼ bottle of red wine. Everything tasted great, and we couldn’t recommend this place enough!
Location: Caseros 396, A4400 Salta (here)
El Virrey Alfajores – Must Try Local Snack
Vibe: Touristy, friendly, relaxed
Price: $
My Rating: 9/10
El Virrey Alfajores is a great spot to try a variety of alfajores desserts. If you are not familiar with it, alfajores are comprised of two biscuits and attached in the middle with dulce de leche. At El Virrey Alfajores, they have a variety of flavours that you can try, and it’s simply a must-try dessert of a popular local snack!
Location: Pueyrredón 700, A4400 Salta (here)
Antares Salta – Great Live Music
Vibe: Local, lively, friendly
Price: $$
My Rating: 9/10
Antares Salta is a brew pub with a really cool vibe that even plays live music. We were sad that when we arrived, the band was just finishing up their set, but something to keep in mind if you are looking to visit! They had a decent selection of craft beers, and Ru enjoyed the cream stout there. I actually opted for a small bottle of wine, and we both had an amazing time there.
Location: Gral. Martin Güemes 68, A4400 Salta (here)
Aires de Calabria – Best Craft Beer Bar
Vibe: Local, lively, friendly
Price: $$
My Rating: 10/10
Aires de Calabria is a top-notch brew pub that has an excellent selection of craft beers. I personally enjoy sour beers, and this was the only place we found in Salta that offered that! They had a cucumber gose and a berry sour that were amazing! We ordered some sausage & fries, and it tasted great. If you are looking for more of a unique selection of beers, be sure to check this place out!
Location: Av. Hipólito Yrigoyen 118, A4400 Salta (here)
Beyond the Food: What to Do in Salta (Besides Eating)
Although this guide is focused on where to eat in Salta, you’ll also have time between meals to check out some interesting sights. We spent the majority of our time in Salta walking around the city in search of great spots for tasty eats and drinks. Although we didn’t do much sightseeing this time around, we did see some neat spots and got recommendations while speaking to local tour operators.
Plaza 9 de Julio
This park is a popular tourist spot to hang out and enjoy some green space in the middle of the city. It has plenty of benches and areas for seating and is a great place to catch some sun. There are, however, many pigeons, so you can be mindful of that while finding a place to sit.
If you plan to do some shopping while in the region, hold off until you get to Purmamarca. You will find many of the exact same clothing items and artisan goods in Salta, but at nearly double the price.
San Bernardo Hill
A unique thing to do in Salta is to take the cable car up to San Bernardo Station for a beautiful lookout over Salta city. We had thought about doing this; however, the weather wasn’t the greatest at that time, as it was going to rain shortly. It looks like it has neat views and could be something fun to do in Salta!
Head to a Museum
Salta has multiple museums if you are looking for a nice indoor activity to do between meals. The Museum of High Altitude Archaeology (MAAM), the Güemes Museum, and the National University of Salta Museum of Natural Sciences are all great places to visit to learn more about this unique region and the history of Argentina.
Go on a Walking Tour
Want to take the guesswork out of what to see in Salta – go on a free walking tour! We have done plenty of walking tours in different countries and always find them to be very informative and a great way to learn more about the city. I found this walking tour in Salta with great reviews and could be an option if you are looking for a guide to highlight specific spots in the city!
Go Shopping at Alto NOA Shopping Mall
We spent some time here at Alto Noa Shopping Mall and found it to be a nice location to spend a few hours. This is where I found the Pizzeria Popular restaurant, and I loved the empanadas they had there. Inside the mall, they have a number of shops, a Carefour Express for groceries and even a movie theatre on the 2nd level. Although I wouldn’t go out of my way to go here, it was near our accommodation, and we found it convenient to go.
Book a Day Trip
Although Salta is a neat city to explore, if you are in the region of Salta, then you must check out some of the surrounding areas!
Other popular tours from Salta include Salinas Grandes, Cafayete, and Los Cardones National Park!
Head to the Airport Lounge – Post Trip
We were pleasantly surprised and impressed with our lounge experience at Salta Airport. The Salta by AMAE Lounge is actually on the landside (before going through security & check-in), and was a great spot to relax before boarding our flight. We checked in online the night before and didn’t have any additional bags for our flight, so we had lots of time before going through the quick security line (we were travelling to Buenos Aires, so it was a domestic flight).
Travel Tip: We had free access to this lounge through our travel credit card, making it a no-brainer to spend some time in. Check your credit card to see if you have lounge access too!
Final Thoughts on Salta – Is it Worth Visiting?
As you can see, Salta is a very fun city, and we had such a great time exploring around for our 5-day stay. Although we mostly spent our time eating and drinking our way around the city, they do have museums to see, a cable car experience, and parks to explore. I think that it is worth visiting, and that 2-3 days would be plenty of time to take in the city, eat authentic food, and shop around the stores. What are you most looking forward to for your next adventure in Salta? Which food are you most excited to try? Comment below, I’d love to hear about it!
Where to Stay in Salta (Best Location to Join Tours From)
We decided to book an apartment for our stay in Salta, as we were there for 5 days. We stayed a bit farther out of the main square, which we didn’t mind as it felt more local — but it meant that we had to get up extra early for our Tren Solar day trip because the meeting point was downtown.
With that in mind, I highly recommend finding a more central spot for your accommodation. Aim for a couple of blocks east of Plaza 9 de Julio—there are some great local restaurants and bars in that direction without being stuck right in the super touristy hub. It will also save you from an extra early morning wake-up call, should you book a day tour from Salta!
Check out the interactive map to narrow down the perfect accommodation for your needs – whether it’s an apartment for your longer stay or a neat hotel room in the heart of Salta.
Prepare for Your Salta Trip!
Stay Connected: Grab an eSIM from GLOBALYO to stay connected and have data throughout your trip to Argentina! Just make sure to activate it before you land so you have data right away.
Book a Tour: We enjoyed our Tren Solar journey from Salta! The best rate can be found by booking directly from their website!
Rent a Car: If it weren’t for our Tren Solar Train journey, we would have opted to rent a car to see more sites around this region. Renting a car is ideal in order to see amazing places like Salinas Grandes, Parque Nacional los Cardones, and Cafayate on your own schedule!
Money Tip: Spending money with cash is ideal in Argentina. Although places accept credit cards, we noticed that we could be charged 10% more for this convenience. Withdrawing cash from an ATM can also be met with high fees, so it may be best to exchange money before your trip or transfer money to a Western Union while in the country.
