4 Best Restaurants in Santa Cruz, The Central Valley

This stylish restaurant---one of the best in Santa Cruz---features an eclectic range of clay oven–cooked pizzas, as well as scratch-made pastas, salads, and fish and meat dishes, alongside local wines and don't-miss cocktail offerings (try the chili-laced version of a pisco sour). Smooth music, attractive surroundings, and some nice twists on the classics make Vino Bello a taste of la dolce vita in Colchagua.

Surrounded by vineyards, this ever-popular restaurant is a countryside culinary experience serving contemporary Chilean cuisine that celebrates native ingredients: seaweed ceviche, scallop and quinoa risotto, and carne mechada (pulled beef) among them. There's inside seating in a cozy country home, but most diners choose to take advantage of the clement Colchagua weather and the vineyard view from the garden.

One of the most traditional restaurants in town, the social club specializes in simple, hearty Chilean fare like conejo guisada (rabbit stew) and arrollado (rolled roast pork). In summer, the courtyard fills with locals lunching under the shady pergola.

Offering Chilean à la carte and large lunch buffets, this hotel restaurant is an institution in Santa Cruz. The menu features typical Chilean dishes using local ingredients and producers, and boasts an extensive list of Colchagua Valley wines available by glass or bottle. In warmer months, the trellised terrace in back is a great spot for lunch.