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

Mendoza’s best meal may be the one you help create. At Fede’s home, you learn how to build an Argentine asado fire, fold empanadas, and share a long dinner with wine, mountain views, and the easy company of a small international group. The hands-on cooking makes this far more personal than a restaurant meal.

I like the warm, social setup and the chance to ask Fede about Argentine food, wine, and daily life in Mendoza. I also like the generous menu, which moves from homemade empanadas to morcilla, chorizo, pork matambre, beef, dessert, wine, and Fernet with Coca-Cola. The main consideration is practical: the rooftop terrace requires two flights of stairs, and poor weather can move dinner indoors.

Key things to know before booking

• You help build the asado: Learn how the fire and coals are prepared before the meat reaches the grill.
• Empanadas come first: You make homemade empanadas while the coals get ready, then eat them as an early bite.
• Fede is your local host: He leads the meal and shares ideas about asado culture, Mendoza, wine, and Argentine drinks.
• The menu is meat-heavy: Expect morcilla, chorizo, pork matambre, and beef, with a vegetarian option available by request.
• The setting is intimate: The experience has a maximum of five people and takes place at a central home with a terrace view.
• The evening ends with Fernet: Fernet and Coca-Cola provide the traditional Argentine nightcap.

Why this Mendoza dinner feels different

An Argentine asado is not simply grilled meat served at the table. The fire matters. The waiting matters. So does the conversation that fills the time before the food is ready.

That is the appeal of this four-hour evening with Fede. You are not handed a plate and sent on your way. You take part in the early work, starting the fire and preparing empanadas while the coals develop. The pace gives you time to settle in, meet the other members of the group, and understand why asado is such an important part of social life in Argentina.

The group is limited to five people, which is a real advantage. A small table makes it easier to talk with Fede and with the other diners. Solo visitors can join a couple or family without being swallowed by a large tour group, while couples and friends get a chance to meet people from other countries.

The evening is built around conversation as much as food. Fede’s relaxed hosting style is a major part of the experience. He explains what he is doing, welcomes questions, and gets you involved without turning dinner into a formal cooking class.

Starting with fire, flour, and empanadas

The activity begins at 8:00 p.m. at Av. Ejército de los Andes 346 1b, in central Mendoza. You meet Fede there and remain at the same location for the meal and return.

The first stage is the most useful for anyone who wants more than a standard dinner. You help prepare the asado fire from scratch, learning about the wood and the process of getting the coals ready. The fire is not treated as a quick prelude. It sets the rhythm for the whole evening.

While you wait, you make homemade empanadas. This gives you something active to do and introduces a familiar Argentine food in a direct way. The empanadas are then eaten as part of the meal, so the cooking lesson has an immediate payoff.

You can expect drinks to appear during this opening period, including beer and wine. Fede is also a winemaker, and the wine tasting is woven into dinner rather than presented as a separate, formal tasting flight. That suits the setting. You are tasting wine in a home while learning how it fits with the food.

One useful point: tell Fede about dietary needs before you arrive. A vegetarian option is available if requested, and the host has accommodated gluten intolerance in the past. The published menu is otherwise strongly centered on meat.

The asado menu, from morcilla to beef

Once the coals are ready, the main asado begins. The listed menu includes morcilla, chorizo, pork matambre, and beef. These are not small tasting portions designed to leave you hungry. The meal is meant to be filling, and the amount of food can be more than you expect.

Morcilla is Argentine blood sausage, while chorizo is a familiar grilled sausage with a central place in the country’s barbecue tradition. Pork matambre is a thin, rolled cut of meat often prepared slowly, and the beef provides the centerpiece many people associate with Argentine grilling.

The exact order and presentation may depend on the evening, but the important point is the patient cooking process. You watch the meat take shape over the coals rather than receiving everything at once. That slow pace gives the dinner a friendly, unhurried feel.

The food is paired with local wines selected by Fede. Several meals described in the supplied details included especially well-received red wine, including handmade wine produced by the host. You should not expect a technical wine seminar, but you can expect a personal introduction to Mendoza’s wine culture from someone who makes wine himself.

There is also a local dessert at the end. The dessert is made by Fede, and it is worth saving room for. Since the evening already includes empanadas, several meats, drinks, and dessert, this is not the right choice if you want a light supper.

Rooftop views and an indoor backup

The terrace is one of the evening’s main pleasures. From the rooftop, you can look across Mendoza toward the city and mountains while the meal unfolds. The view gives the asado a sense of place that a steakhouse cannot match.

The terrace is reached by climbing two flights of stairs. That is not a major obstacle for most people, but it matters if anyone in your group has difficulty with stairs. The indoor living room is available in rain or cold weather, so bad conditions do not automatically cancel the dinner.

The indoor option is practical, but it naturally changes the mood. You book this experience partly for the terrace and the view, so a wet or chilly night may mean a more intimate dinner inside instead. One previous evening included rain, yet the meal continued indoors and still worked as a social occasion.

The home setting also means this is not a polished restaurant environment. The focus is on hospitality, cooking, and conversation rather than formal presentation. One piece of feedback appreciated the food and host but wished for more attention to the presentation and maintenance of the space. That is fair advice. You should come expecting a welcoming home, not a luxury dining room.

A social evening for solo visitors and small groups

You do not need to arrive with a full group to enjoy this dinner. The maximum is five people, and the format naturally encourages conversation. Solo visitors can expect to share the table with people they have not met before, while couples and families can enjoy a private-feeling evening without booking an entire restaurant.

The setting has repeatedly worked well for international conversation. People from Canada, Norway, Germany, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, and elsewhere have shared the table on different evenings. The group mix is part of the charm, though it also means the social side depends partly on who books that night.

Fede’s home may include his family and dogs. One account described meeting his wife, young son, and four chihuahuas, while another solo diner especially enjoyed spending time with the dogs. This is not a formal part of the itinerary, and you should not book the activity solely for that reason, but it helps explain the home-style character of the evening.

The host’s personality is central. Fede is described as warm, funny, engaged, and generous with his time. He does more than put food on the grill. He explains the asado, talks about Mendoza, and makes space for shared stories.

Wine, beer, and the Fernet finale

Wine is served throughout the meal, along with beer. The tasting is designed to complement the food and conversation, not to follow a strict professional tasting format. If you want an easy introduction to Mendoza wine in a relaxed setting, this approach works well.

Fernet with Coca-Cola closes the evening. In Argentina, Fernet is a familiar social drink, and the combination is often part of gatherings with friends. Its herbal, bitter taste can surprise first-time drinkers, so the Coca-Cola softens the drink and makes it more approachable.

This final toast gives the dinner a clear ending. After the fire, empanadas, grilled meats, dessert, and wine, you finish with something strongly tied to Argentine drinking culture. It is a small but memorable detail, especially if you have only encountered Mendoza through its Malbec.

Is $89 a good value?

At $89 per person, this is not the cheapest dinner in Mendoza. You can certainly eat grilled meat and drink wine for less at a local restaurant. The price makes more sense when you count the full evening rather than the food alone.

You are paying for roughly four hours, a hands-on introduction to the asado, a home setting, multiple food courses, beer, wine, dessert, and Fernet. You also get direct time with a local host who cooks, teaches, and guides the conversation. For someone interested in food culture, that added contact is the main value.

The small group helps justify the cost. A maximum of five people allows for a more personal exchange than a large culinary tour. It also makes the evening feel closer to being invited into a local home than attending a commercial barbecue show.

Still, the value depends on your priorities. If you mainly want the biggest possible steak at the lowest price, choose a restaurant. If you want to understand how an asado is made and spend a long evening meeting people around the fire, the price is more reasonable.

Timing, transport, and practical details

The official start time is 8:00 p.m., and the activity lasts about four hours. That late start suits Argentine dining habits and leaves your daytime free for wineries, museums, or a walk around Mendoza.

The meeting point is central and near public transportation. Uber is also easy to find in Mendoza, which is useful for returning to your hotel after the Fernet and wine. The activity ends back at the same address.

Confirmation is provided when you book. Most people can participate, but remember the two flights of stairs to the terrace. If you need a vegetarian meal, have a gluten concern, or have any timing issue, contact Fede ahead of time rather than waiting until dinner.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the 8:00 p.m. start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the activity are not accepted for a refund.

Who should book this asado?

I would recommend this experience to food-focused visitors who want participation, not just service. It suits couples, solo visitors, families, and friends who enjoy long meals and conversation.

It is also a strong choice early in a Mendoza visit. You will pick up useful context about local food, wine, drinks, and social customs that can help you understand later restaurant meals and winery visits.

You may want to skip it if you dislike meat, stairs, late dinners, or eating with people you do not know. A vegetarian option exists, but the advertised meal is built around grilled meat. You should also accept that the terrace depends on the weather and that the home setting is informal.

Should you book Fede’s Mendoza asado?

Book it if you want an evening that feels personal, social, and hands-on. The strongest reasons are the small group, Fede’s generous hosting, the chance to make empanadas and build the fire, and the full meal with wine and an Argentine Fernet finale.

The main tradeoffs are the meat-heavy menu, two flights of stairs, possible indoor dining, and a home environment that may be less polished than a restaurant. For most people seeking a genuine food experience in Mendoza, those are reasonable compromises. Ask for dietary accommodations in advance, arrive ready for a long dinner, and save room for dessert.

FAQ

Where does the asado experience begin?

It begins at Av. Ejército de los Andes 346 1b, M5521JNA Mendoza, Argentina.

What time does the activity start?

The scheduled start time is 8:00 p.m.

How long does the experience last?

The activity lasts approximately four hours.

Where does the experience end?

It ends back at the same meeting point where it begins.

How many people can join?

The activity has a maximum of five participants.

What food is included?

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

Are drinks included?

Yes. The experience includes beer, wine, and a final toast with Fernet and Coca-Cola.

Can I request a vegetarian option?

Yes. You should ask for the vegetarian option before the experience.

What happens if it rains or gets cold?

The dinner moves indoors to the living room if the weather is rainy or too cold for the terrace.

Are there stairs to the terrace?

Yes. Reaching the terrace requires climbing two flights of stairs.