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A good tip is to take advantage of the great range of fresh fruit and vegetables that sprout from central Chile's sun-drenched, fertile soil. The advice here is not to buy in supermarkets. Take advantage of the many 'ferias' (outdoor markets) in various parts of the city as from these you will find a fresher and better quality product that is not wrapped in layers of plastic. Also available at these markets are dried pulses, beans, nuts and fruits. There's a wonderful feria every Sunday morning (until 2 pm) in La Reina (Tobalaba with Larrain) or you could try La Vega (Avenida La Paz, near Puente Cal and Canto) or el Mercado Central.

Avocados ('paltas' in Spanish) are superb in Chile, very cheap and also very nutritious. They are a good source of fatty acids and vitamin b2. Try them spread like butter on bread or toast, in salads or as guacamole (a Mexican dip). Another must is a regular trip to a Chinese food shop (there's one in Providencia and one on Merced) where you can buy tofu, soy sauce and coconut milk.

Eating Out:

In my experience, Santiago's lively nightlife may once in a while hinder your ability to go to morning markets, but there's no need to despair. The city offers a number of opportunities for those vegetarians who are hungry but have no appetite for the kitchen or have an empty one.

The most exciting feature is the surprising range of meat-free street snacks available. By far the best and most quintessential of these is the humble sopaipilla. Chile's equivalent of the pancake, a sopaipilla is a flour-based round mass with added pumpkin, deep fried and served either sweet (in a syrup) or savoury (with chilli sauce called 'ají' or mustard). The latter after a night out is the perfect remedy to alcohol-induced hunger, as it is filling and slightly greasy. And the chilli sauce is a known aphrodisiac - perfect if you successfully picked someone up while out on the town!

And the great thing is that it will set you back usually just 100 pesos for two. Or you could pick up a cup of 'mote con huesillos', a bizarre but enjoyable combination of a chewy grain ('mote') with dried peaches ('huesillos') soaked in peach juice. This is a nice, cooling treat to savour in the sun of the Plaza de Armas. Another tasty but less interesting option are the roasted nuts that are cooked and sold in stalls all over the centre.

If you are feeling a little more frivolous, Santiago comes into its own with a great range of restaurants. The city alone has numerous specialist vegetarian eateries, the two standouts being El Huerto (Providencia) and El Naturista (in the city centre). The first is a decorative, arty and relaxed restaurant that offers a very tasty international menu. Try the vegetable Thai green curry or the Chinese stir-fried vegetables with tofu. Attached to the restaurant is La Huerta, a tiny café that offers a great lunchtime menu with good soups, salads and juices.

El Naturista is a busy lunchtime stop where you'll find besuited men gobbling down the healthy delights chosen from the extensive buffet. Upstairs is a rather more relaxed sit-down, menu-based place to lunch.

You could also try El Patio (Providencia) which offers imaginative world cuisine but at a price.

If you would prefer a traditional Chilean eatery, look out for the dish of porotos granados. Porotos are a Chilean bean, mixed in this dish with corn, pumpkin and onion. Humitas are a common starter and is simply mashed corn wrapped in the corn leaf and boiled. There are also two Middle Eastern restaurants (on Alameda opposite the national library and on Pio Nono in Bellavista) that serve excellent vegetarian staples such as falafels, hummus, and tabouleh.

And yes, my Chilean friends did think I was a little eccentric, but I did show them that there is more to life (and to Santiago) than a meat filled empanada.