The majority of Uruguayan restaurants are parrilladas (grill-rooms). Table service is usual in restaurants. Cafes or bars have either table and/or counter service.

Things to know: There are no set licensing hours.

National specialities:
• Bife de chorizo (rump steak), asado de tira (short ribs) and other barbecued meats.
• Chivito (steak sandwich with accompaniments including cheese, lettuce, tomato, bacon, ham, olives and pickles).
• Morcilla dulce (sweet black sausage made from blood, orange peel and walnuts) and morcilla salada (salty sausage).
• Dulce de leche (milk sweets).
• Chaja (ball-shaped sponge cake filled with cream and jam).

National drinks:
• Uruguayan wines are of good quality. Popular drinks include clericó (wine mixed with fruit juice) and medio y medio (half dry white wine and half champagne).
• Yerba mate, a bitter tea of Native American origin, is extremely popular with locals.
• Local spirits are caña, grappa and locally distilled whisky and gin.

Tipping: 10% when no service charge is added.

Theatre, ballet and symphonic concerts are staged in Montevideo from March to January. Tango is nearly as popular as in Argentina. There are discos in downtown Montevideo and coastal suburbs such as Pocitos and Carrasco. There are several dinner-dance places in Montevideo. Large Montevideo hotels have good bars. When there is music for dancing, the price of drinks increases quite considerably. There are also several casinos.

Special purchases include suede jackets, amethyst jewellery and paintings. The Tristan Narvaja Market is famous for its antiques and there are many antique shops in the Old Town.

Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1200 and 1400-1900; Sat 0900-1230.