Pinpilinpausha

Pinpilinpausha is one of Santiago's oldest restaurants, with genuine Basque roots. It was founded in 1940 by the Sanz-Raab family, and its name means butterfly in Basque. The family's patriarch, Mauricio Sanz Jauregui, had worked in hotels and restaurants and once ran a restaurant called Koxka in San Sebastián, so the Basque roots are real rather than decorative.

For 40 years the restaurant stood on Matías Cousiño street in the centre of Santiago, before moving in 1994 to Isidora Goyenechea in the El Golf district of Las Condes, where it remains today. The Hotel Bidasoa is its sister business.

The menu is Basque and Spanish. Paella is the best-known dish, and other classics include corvina donostiarra, sea bass cooked in the San Sebastián style, chickpeas with prawns, jamón de pata negra, squid in its ink and Spanish tortilla. From May to August, the Chilean winter, the restaurant serves churros with hot chocolate, which are a good reason to drop in on a cold afternoon. There are vegan alternatives as well as daily suggestions based on fresh produce, and the menu suits groups who want to share several plates.

The restaurant opens from Monday to Saturday between 12:30 and 23:00, and on Sundays from 12:30 to 16:30, so it is one of the more reliable choices for a Sunday lunch in this part of town. Reservations can be made by phone on +56 2 3275 4303 or +56 2 3275 4302, or by email at [email protected]. Booking is a good idea for weekday lunch and weekend family meals.

Isidora Goyenechea is the main street of El Golf, a business and hotel district where the W Santiago and the Ritz-Carlton are a short walk away, so the restaurant is convenient if you are staying in the area. El Golf metro station is the nearest. Tiramisú, a long-running Italian restaurant, is on the same street, giving you a second option nearby.

Pinpilinpausha suits families, groups and anyone who enjoys traditional Spanish cooking served by a restaurant with deep roots. It is a comfortable, unpretentious choice when you want a reliable meal rather than a tasting menu.