Restaurateur and Chef Francis Mallmann has become famous for several of his successful restaurants and one of his most well-known establishments is his Mendoza venue in the heart of Argentina’s wine country.

1884 Restaurante Francis Mallmann was established back in 1996 and is a joint venture between Francis Mallmann and the top wine maker Doctor Nicolás Catena Zapata. The restaurant is located in an old bodega named Escorihuela from 1884 in the Godoy Cruz area and it was founded as a tribute to the wines from Mendoza, and the Andean cuisine. The two owners of 1884 were like a dream duo when they established the restaurant which soon received positive acclaim from all over the world.

Nicolás Catena’s amazing wines and knowledge are well noticed when you have a look in the hefty wine menu. The wine cellar has 600 Argentinean wine labels and 12,000 bottles so welcome to heaven if you are into Malbec and of course a lot of other grapes as well. Mendoza rightfully deserves to be one of the world’s wine hubs and you can easily find local wines to match any dish you order in without going bankrupt.

Francis Mallmann’s mastery of grilling and clay oven cooking techniques are representative of the main part of the cuisine. Mallmann’s “little hell” (infiernillo) cooking style consisting of two fires with meat in between has become famous thanks to him, but the technique has its origin from the Inca. Few ingredients and simplicity are the Chef’s style, but sadly you will not see him in the kitchen. Restaurant Director Vanina Chimeno manages 1884 today and in the kitchen or outside at the garden’s big open oven you will find the chef.

The menu is often changed, and you can always choose dishes from the clay oven, from the barbecue or from the kitchen. We recommend you to skip the lunch and come for dinner instead since the clay oven in the garden will be used then and the atmosphere outside with a glass of wine and perfectly grilled meat can be enchanting during summer time.

Unfortunately, 1884 Restaurante Francis Mallmann is not as great as it used to be. The sparkle and passion are simply not to be found anymore. The restaurant is still good, but nowhere close to how it used to be. It used to be one of the Argentina’s very best, but over time many other restaurants in the country have taken over as the top establishments.

Written by Andy