What to Eat on the Mountain at Cerro Catedral: A Guide to Lunch at the Refugios
Lunch on the mountain at Cerro Catedral means refugio food: lentil stew, empanadas, grilled sandwiches and hot chocolate. Here is what to order, what it costs and how to avoid the noon rush.
The best lunch at Cerro Catedral is a hot, simple meal at one of the mountain refugios: lentil stew (guiso de lentejas), baked empanadas or a grilled sandwich, with a hot chocolate or a glass of Malbec if you are done for the day. Expect to pay roughly $12-$25 USD per person on the mountain, and eat before 12:00 or after 13:45 to skip the queues. We guide at Catedral every winter and have eaten at nearly every hut on the hill, so this is what we actually recommend.
What do people actually eat for lunch on the mountain at Cerro Catedral?
Most skiers at Catedral eat Argentine comfort food: empanadas, milanesas, lentil stew, pizza and sandwiches de lomo (steak sandwiches). The menu is hearty rather than refined, built for people who have skied 1,000 vertical meters before noon. Catedral spans about 1,200 hectares, so lunch spots are spread across the mountain and you rarely have to ski far to find one.
Typical items you will see on a refugio menu:
- Empanadas: baked beef (carne cortada a cuchillo), ham and cheese, or humita (sweet corn), usually $2-$4 USD each
- Guiso de lentejas: a thick lentil stew with chorizo, the classic ski-day lunch, around $10-$15 USD
- Milanesa with fries: breaded beef or chicken cutlet, around $12-$18 USD
- Sandwich de lomo: grilled steak sandwich with egg and cheese, around $12-$16 USD
- Hot chocolate and submarino: a bar of dark chocolate dropped into steamed milk, around $4-$6 USD
Prices move with the Argentine economy and exchange rate, so treat these as ranges, not promises.
Where should you eat on the mountain?
Eat at the refugio closest to where you are skiing at 12:15 rather than chasing a famous one across the hill. The best lunch is the one you reach with warm legs and a free table. That said, a few habits help.
- Mid-mountain refugios: best for groups, with big terraces and the shortest ski from most lifts
- Base-area restaurants at Villa Catedral: best if you want a sit-down meal, table service and a longer break
- Summit-side huts: best for views, but smaller kitchens and longer waits on busy days
- Packed lunch in the pocket: best for a fast day when snow is perfect
If you want the full mountain layout before choosing, read our first-timer guide to the Cerro Catedral lift map.
When is the best time to have lunch to avoid the queue?
The best time to eat is before 12:00 or after 13:45. Between 12:15 and 13:30 the busiest refugios can have 20-30 minute waits at the counter in peak weeks, mainly the last two weeks of July when Argentine school holidays overlap with international visitors.
Our simple rule: ski hard until 11:45, eat early, and be back on the lift while the mountain is still emptying out. The snow is also usually better on the 13:00 runs once the crowd has gone inside.
- Early lunch (11:30-12:00): short waits, full menu, best choice of tables
- Peak lunch (12:15-13:30): longest lines, sold-out specials by 13:00
- Late lunch (13:45-14:30): quiet terraces, but the stew may be gone
Is it cheaper to bring your own food?
Yes, bringing a sandwich saves $10-$15 USD per person per day, but most guests find the refugio lunch is part of the experience. A pocket snack plus one hot meal every second day is a sensible compromise. On a 7-day trip, that approach saves about $50-$80 USD per person without giving up the culture.
Keep in mind that cash and cards both work at most refugios, but card machines can fail when the wireless signal drops. Carry some pesos or a small amount of dollars, and read our Argentina cash and card guide for skiers before you leave home.
What should vegetarians, celiacs and kids order?
Vegetarians and kids can eat well at the refugios, but you should ask early because menus lean heavily on beef. Cheese empanadas, humita empanadas, pizza and lentil stew without chorizo are the usual safe options. Celiac visitors should carry their own backup snack, because cross-contamination is hard to control in busy mountain kitchens.
Families skiing with younger children will find chicken milanesa with fries is nearly always available. For more on a family day, see our family skiing guide for Bariloche.
What should you drink at lunch?
Hot chocolate is the right answer at 12:00 and a glass of Malbec is the right answer at 15:00. Lunchtime alcohol and a fast black run do not mix, and our guides keep wine for the end of the day. Many refugios also serve cortado coffee, mate hot water and local craft beer.
If you want the after-ski side of the story, start with what to eat and drink after skiing in Bariloche.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is lunch on the mountain at Cerro Catedral? Plan on $12-$25 USD per person for a main course and a drink. Empanadas and sandwiches sit at the lower end, steak and wine at the upper end.
Do I need to book a table at the refugios? Usually no. Most refugios are first come, first served, but groups of 8 or more should ask staff in advance or arrange lunch through us.
Can I skip lunch and keep skiing? You can, but skiing hungry at altitude leads to tired legs and sloppy turns after 14:00. A small hot meal keeps the afternoon safer and more fun.
What is the best lunch for a cold or windy day? Guiso de lentejas and a hot chocolate. On wind days, choose a lower refugio close to a sheltered lift; see our guide to what to do when the lifts close.
This guide was written by the Ski Patagonia Co. team, based on many seasons of guiding at Cerro Catedral and years of eating lunch on its terraces.
Ready to ski Catedral with a team that knows where the best table is? Explore our group experiences or plan your trip with us.
Hero photo by Barney Goodman on Unsplash