Mendoza: Make an Argentine Asado BBQ w/ Local Host & Wine Tasting

The best part of this Mendoza experience is that you do not simply sit down to a finished barbecue. Fede puts you to work, from shaping empanadas to building the fire, then serves the asado on his terrace with city and mountain views. It feels closer to joining a local dinner than booking another restaurant meal.

I especially like the hands-on cooking and the chance to meet a very small group of fellow diners. The local wine, homemade dessert, and final Fernet and Coca-Cola toast add useful cultural context, not just extra drinks. The main consideration is the setting: reaching the terrace means climbing two flights of stairs, and the late 8 p.m. start puts dinner well into the evening.

Key points to know

• You help make the empanadas and light the asado fire, so this is a participatory meal rather than a show-and-eat dinner.
• Host Fede leads the evening, sharing practical lessons about Argentine barbecue, wine, food, and daily life in Mendoza.
• The menu is built around classic asado cuts, including morcilla, chorizo, pork matambre, and beef.
• The group has a maximum of five people, which makes conversation easier and suits solo visitors and couples.
• The terrace has views toward Mendoza and the mountains, with the living room available if rain or cold makes outdoor dining unpleasant.
• Vegetarian and some dietary requests can be discussed, including a veggie option and accommodation for gluten intolerance.

What makes this Mendoza asado different

Mendoza is famous for Malbec and winery visits, but wine tasting alone can leave you watching someone else explain the region. This experience gives you a more active evening. You learn how an Argentine asado begins, why the fire matters, and how food becomes a reason for people to sit together for hours.

Fede hosts in his home at Av. Ejército de los Andes 346 1b. The central location is near public transportation, and Uber is easy to find. You arrive at 8 p.m., then settle into an evening that lasts about four hours.

The small group is important. With no more than five people, you can ask questions without fighting for space in a crowd. If you are traveling alone, this format also gives you a natural way to meet people. Couples and families of four fit well too, although the shared nature of the evening means you should be open to conversation with people you have not met before.

This is not a formal cooking school. Fede is the host, cook, and cultural guide, and the tone is personal. You will probably learn through conversation and participation rather than through a step-by-step class with printed recipes.

Starting with empanadas while the fire gets ready

The evening begins with the practical problem at the heart of every good asado: getting the coals ready. While the fire develops, Fede has you help prepare homemade empanadas. This gives the first part of the meal a useful rhythm. You are doing something with your hands instead of waiting for dinner to appear.

The empanadas are served during the wait, along with beer and wine. That small early meal matters because Argentine barbecue takes patience. The fire is not treated as a switch that you turn on when hungry. It is part of the cooking, the conversation, and the social occasion.

You may also learn about the wood used for the fire and the way the coals are handled. One especially appealing detail is that the host explains how to build the asado from the beginning, not just how to eat the meat at the end. If you have always admired Argentine barbecue but never understood its process, this is the part that gives the dinner meaning.

The hands-on work also helps a mixed group connect. Making empanadas is less intimidating than trying to start a conversation with strangers over a formal table. You can talk while folding dough, ask about Mendoza, and get to know the other people before the main course arrives.

The fire and the meaning of an Argentine asado

The asado is more than a list of grilled meats. In Argentina, it is a social ritual built around time, fire, and shared food. Fede explains the process while encouraging you to take part, including helping light the fire.

That participation is one of the strongest reasons to choose this experience over a standard steakhouse. At a restaurant, you can order an excellent cut of beef. Here, you get a better sense of why the meal takes so long and why the person tending the grill is central to the gathering.

The pace is also worth understanding before you book. This is a four-hour evening, not a quick dinner squeezed between sightseeing stops. The late start and leisurely cooking suit Mendoza after a day of wine tasting, but they may not suit young children or anyone who prefers to eat early.

The group setting adds another layer. You might share the evening with a couple from another country, a family, or another solo visitor. The small size gives Fede time to talk with everyone, and the experience has repeatedly been described as friendly and easygoing. Still, it is best for people who enjoy social meals rather than private dining.

What arrives from the grill

The menu begins with empanadas and then moves into the traditional asado selection:

• Morcilla, or blood sausage
• Chorizo
• Pork matambre
• Beef

The menu offers variety in texture and flavor. Chorizo and morcilla provide a classic Argentine starting point, while pork matambre and beef make the meal more substantial. Fede cooks the meat as part of the evening’s slow rhythm, so you should expect several stages rather than one crowded plate arriving all at once.

The portions appear generous. You should arrive hungry, especially since the meal includes empanadas, grilled food, drinks, and dessert. A few dining accounts describe having more food than expected, which is useful to know if you are planning a second meal later that night. You probably will not need one.

Fede is also associated with winemaking, and the wine is a major part of the meal rather than an afterthought. The tasting is designed to show how the wines work with the food. You can expect several local wines and conversation about their character, with red wine receiving particular praise.

This is not presented as a technical wine seminar. If you want vineyard maps, extensive tasting notes, or a formal winery lecture, book a dedicated winery visit instead. If you want to understand wine in the way people often drink it at home, alongside food and conversation, this format makes more sense.

Dessert, Fernet-Cola, and the last toast

The meal finishes with a local dessert made by the host, then a toast with Fernet and Coca-Cola. Fernet-Cola is a classic Argentine combination, and Fede treats it as a must-try part of the evening.

The drink has a strong, bitter herbal flavor. It may be unfamiliar if you have never had it, so approach it as a cultural taste rather than expecting a sweet cocktail. The final toast works because it closes the meal with something distinctly Argentine.

The homemade dessert is worth saving room for. The exact dessert is not specified in the experience details, but it is repeatedly presented as an important part of the meal. That makes it another reason not to judge the value only by the amount of meat on the grill.

Beer, wine, and Fernet are included in the social flow of the evening. If you do not drink alcohol, check the arrangements before booking, since the published experience centers heavily on wine and the final Fernet-Cola toast.

The rooftop setting and bad-weather plan

The terrace is one of the evening’s most attractive features. You sit above the city with views toward Mendoza and the mountains, giving the meal a strong sense of place. The setting is informal rather than polished, which fits the home-hosted format.

You need to climb two flights of stairs to reach the terrace. This is the key physical detail to consider. Most participants can take part, but the rooftop is not step-free. If stairs are difficult for you, contact the host before booking and ask about the indoor setup.

Rain or cold does not automatically cancel the meal. The dinner can move into the living room if the weather turns poor. That protects the main experience, though you will lose the terrace views and outdoor atmosphere.

The home environment may include Fede’s family and dogs. One account warmly noted time spent with his four chihuahuas, while another described meeting his wife Roxanna and their young child. If you enjoy a lived-in local setting, this can make the evening feel especially personal. If you prefer a quiet, restaurant-style meal with a highly polished room, the informality may feel less comfortable.

One piece of feedback points to presentation and upkeep as an area that could be improved. That is fair to keep in mind. This is a home experience built around hospitality, food, and conversation, not a luxury dining room.

Dietary needs and who should ask ahead

A vegetarian option is available by request. You should ask before the evening rather than waiting until you arrive, since the published menu is strongly meat-focused.

There is also an example of Fede accommodating gluten intolerance. That suggests useful flexibility, but you should still state your needs clearly when booking. The information provided does not promise a full allergy-safe kitchen or list every possible substitution.

The experience suits:

• Couples who want a social dinner with local context
• Solo visitors looking for an easy evening with other people
• Families or small groups comfortable in a private home
• Meat eaters curious about the process behind Argentine barbecue
• Wine drinkers who want a meal-based tasting
• Visitors seeking a break from restaurant dining

It is less suitable if you want a private table, an early dinner, a formal cooking lesson, or a fully accessible terrace. It may also be a poor fit for someone who does not eat meat unless the vegetarian request is arranged in advance.

Is $89 a fair price?

At $89 per person, the value depends on how you measure a dinner. If you compare it with the price of a basic restaurant meal, the number may look high. But the fee includes about four hours of hosting, a hands-on cooking activity, empanadas, a multi-part asado, dessert, beer, wine, and Fernet-Cola.

You are also paying for the setting and the host’s time. Fede does not simply deliver food to a table. He explains the fire, helps you make empanadas, talks about Argentine culture, and brings a personal connection to the meal. That makes the experience closer to a private social event with instruction than to dinner alone.

The maximum of five people strengthens the value. You receive more personal attention than you would in a large food tour, and the conversation can move naturally between cooking, wine, travel, and life in Mendoza.

I would consider the price reasonable if you value participation and local contact. If your main goal is simply to eat the largest possible steak at the lowest price, a restaurant may be a better choice. The cost makes sense for the full evening, not just the plate of beef.

Timing, meeting point, and cancellation

The experience begins at 8 p.m. and ends back at the meeting point at Av. Ejército de los Andes 346 1b, in central Mendoza. Public transportation is nearby, and Uber is easy to find, which is useful after an evening involving wine.

Confirmation is provided when you book. The experience is often reserved well ahead of time, with bookings averaging about 57 days in advance, so you should not assume that a preferred evening will remain open at the last minute.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start are not refunded, and late changes are not accepted.

Should you book this Mendoza asado?

Book it if you want to understand Argentine food through participation, conversation, and a long evening around the fire. Fede’s warmth, the small group, and the cooking tasks are the real draw, while the mountain views and wine make the setting memorable.

You should be comfortable with stairs, a late start, a meat-heavy menu, and a home environment that may feel informal rather than polished. Ask ahead about the vegetarian option or dietary restrictions.

For a first visit to Mendoza, this is a strong choice for learning how locals connect barbecue, wine, and friendship. It is not the right pick for a quick dinner or a formal culinary class. If you want to leave with more than a full stomach, and you like the idea of helping build the meal yourself, this is worth booking.

FAQ

Where does the Mendoza asado experience begin?

It begins at Av. Ejército de los Andes 346 1b, M5521JNA Mendoza, Argentina, at 8 p.m. The activity ends back at the same meeting point.

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts approximately four hours.

How many people can join?

The activity has a maximum of five travelers.

What food is served?

The meal includes homemade empanadas, morcilla, chorizo, pork matambre, beef, and a local dessert.

Is there a vegetarian option?

Yes. You should ask for the vegetarian option when booking or before the experience.

What happens if it rains or gets cold?

The dinner moves indoors to the living room if rain or cold weather makes the terrace unsuitable. You must climb two flights of stairs to reach the terrace.