Shelter landed in José Ignacio with a New York accent and settled into the historic space that once belonged to Rex, on Eugenio Sainz Martínez, a few steps from the lighthouse. The concept crosses seasonal Uruguayan produce with a contemporary, pared-back eye: fresh fish, seafood and local vegetables pass through the kitchen with technique but without solemnity, in a warm setting that mixes the rustic with a relaxed kind of elegance.

The result is a gathering-style kitchen, ideal for starting with something to nibble and a glass and stretching the after-dinner talk to the pace of the village. Oven-baked empanadas, fish tacos and seasonal dishes share a menu that changes with what the day brings. It is worth booking in the busiest months, when José Ignacio fills up and the tables on Sainz Martínez go early.