Tourists pour into Argentina’s Zuccardi restaurant

Restaurant Zuccardi, located at the Zuccardi family’s winery 30 minutes from Mendoza in Argentina, has reported its most successful year to date with over 12,370 international diners flocking to sample its delights, as well as a further 14,580 diners from Argentina itself.

Opened in 2004 and set in the centre of the Zuccardi’s delightful Maipu vineyards, this is Argentina’s only winery-situated restaurant open 365 days of the year. The venture is now regularly attracting gastronomic and vino-tourists from eighteen different countries. Of these, an impressive 20.5% in 2006 were from six European countries - England, Germany, Spain, Italy, France and Slovenia.

Offering between 70 and 80 covers at any one sitting, the restaurant has surpassed even the enthusiastic predictions of owner José Alberto,

‘I am amazed that nearly one quarter of our international customers came from as far away as central Europe. Like our wines, our menu is the best that Argentina has to offer and we are delighted that so many people have found it to their taste.’

All of the Zuccardi chefs are from local families and so asados (wood-fired grills) and regional foods are key to keeping the focus authentically Argentine - right down to the olive oil produced by José Alberto’s youngest son Miguel.

But the Zuccardis also bring in top chefs from Buenos Aires to teach their own chefs new techniques and new dishes, reflecting their passion for quality and innovation – as practiced in their vineyards. This dedication to developing the skills in their workforce is part of the company’s on-going commitment to education that also inspired the construction of a school for their worker’s children.

Restaurant Zuccardi offers visitors three distinct dining experiences. The Seasonal Menu presently includes dishes such as roast goat terrine with polenta and fresh tomatoes - matched with the estate’s Santa Julia Reserva Malbec. The Regional Menu encompasses the real taste of Mendoza with locally inspired dishes.

Examples include a starter of miniature meat, onion and cheese empanadas (pies) that is quintessentially Argentine; hand-made and baked in the restaurant’s own clay ovens. The Tasting Menu changes according to the season with dishes created to compliment the Zuccardi’s most important wines. Regional salads, vegetables and fruits accompany the locally supplied beef and poultry dishes.

A complete menu can be found on the company’s website familiazuccardi.com, under the tourism link.