Chivito

Thin steak is stacked in a roll with ham, cheese, bacon, egg, lettuce and tomato into an overflowing sandwich. It is the unofficial national dish of Uruguay.

Chivito, Uruguay's unofficial national dish, is a towering sandwich of thin steak, ham, cheese, bacon, fried egg, lettuce, and tomato, typically served with a roll and often accompanied by french fries. Its origins are debated, but the most popular story credits a local restaurateur in Punta del Este in the 1940s, who invented it after a customer requested a dish like chivito (baby goat) — which was not available — so he improvised with beef.

Regional variations abound across Uruguay, with some versions adding mayonnaise, olives, or peppers, and others swapping the steak for chicken or mixed meats. The chivito is culturally significant as a symbol of Uruguayan identity, especially in casual dining and street food, where its generous, messy construction reflects a national love for hearty, communal eating.