At the southern tip of Patagonia, Buda Express does something no other restaurant in Punta Arenas bothers with: it breaks the local diet of lamb and empanadas. The pad thai adjusts to your heat tolerance, spring rolls arrive crispy and oversized, and the passion fruit pisco sour lands hard enough that travelers compare it to the best they've had anywhere in Chile. The kitchen adapts almost any dish for vegetarians and vegans - rare in a region built on meat. Portions are genuinely generous. The problem is real and consistent: service moves slowly and inattentively, and you have to actively search for staff. The menu also overpromises; noodle dishes and Thai-named plates don't always deliver on what their names suggest. Still, it's worth the detour.
Buda Express does something rare in Punta Arenas: it gives you a real way out of the cordero-and-empanadas circuit, with generous portions, solid vegetarian options, and a maracuyá pisco sour that holds its own against anything in Chile. The service is slow and inattentive, and that is consistent enough to factor in before you go
What to order
Pad thai (customizable heat), spring rolls, passion fruit pisco sour.
Reservations
Not required, but service is slow - plan for 1.5 to 2 hours.
Price range
Mid-range for Punta Arenas. Moderate for the portion sizes.
Vibe
Casual Southeast Asian. Popular with travelers breaking routine; service-challenged.