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[title]Nestled among vineyards in Tunuyán, Mendoza, La Amistad offers a relaxed dining experience with an open kitchen and mountain views. A place designed for sharing small plates and enjoying minimal-intervention wines with friends. Located on the Pielihueso family estate, the restaurant is a partnership between Celina Bartolomé, the driving force behind the winery, and chefs Micaela Najmanovich and Nicolás Arcucci. Micaela and Nicolás are well known on Buenos Aires’ culinary scene as the owners of ANAFE, the acclaimed restaurant in the Colegiales neighborhood.
However, they did not come to Mendoza to replicate that project. Instead, they brought their passion to a concept born on the estate and designed specifically for this landscape. We spoke with Celina Bartolomé about Restaurant La Amistad, the relationship behind the project, the story of Pielihueso, and the idea of creating an experience where food and wine regain a more approachable, direct, and down-to-earth character.
The Origins: From Colegiales to the Andes
“La Amistad is a restaurant that began in our minds three years ago,” says Celina. “At Pielihueso, we always knew that eventually we would want to have our own restaurant on the estate, since our wine project is deeply connected to gastronomy and to the experience of eating and drinking.”
Their relationship began in Buenos Aires when ANAFE was taking its first steps. Celina became their first employee in 2018, and from that professional connection, a personal bond started to grow.
“We built a relationship that turned into a huge friendship,” she recalls. “Besides being excellent chefs, they’re very close friends of mine.”
The restaurant’s name reflects both that friendship and a need they identified while traveling around Mendoza.
“We felt that many experiences here were quite serious or formal, and we wanted to create something friendlier,” Celina explains.
Pielihueso: “Wine Without the Weird Stuff”
To understand La Amistad, you first need to understand its setting. Pielihueso’s estate is located in the heart of Tunuyán, specifically in Los Sauces. The property spans 13 organically farmed hectares where vineyards, the winery, the family home, and now the restaurant coexist.
Pielihueso is a young winery, yet it has carved out its own place in Argentina’s wine scene. Founded in 2017 as a project between Alejandro Bartolomé, Celina’s father and an agronomist by profession, and his daughter, who was just beginning her career at the time, the winery grew into a family endeavor.
“He was retiring, and I was just getting started. Little by little, we all became involved,” she says.
Over time, her sister Carmela, a graphic designer, and her brother Alejandro, an artist, joined the project, shaping the brand’s visual identity. Together, they created playful, colorful, and highly recognizable labels.
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The winery was one of the pioneers of orange wine production in Argentina and is now considered a benchmark for sustainable viticulture in Mendoza. Its Instagram bio describes the project as “Wine without the weird stuff from the Bartolomé family,” a phrase that perfectly captures its philosophy.
“We have an identity rooted in absolute respect for the grapes, the land, and the final product. We don’t add external agents during production; we want it to be fermented grape juice and nothing more,” Celina explains.
All of their wines ferment spontaneously with native yeasts. Depending on the vintage and the wine, they may be lightly filtered or left unfiltered, with minimal use of sulfites. The result is a range of pure, fresh, and expressive wines that reflect their place of origin.
The Food: A Sense of Place
La Amistad’s culinary approach is based on the idea that every dish should make sense within its surroundings. In other words, it asks what people eat, how they eat, and which ingredients belong on a vineyard estate in Tunuyán. Whenever possible, the restaurant prioritizes local produce and ingredients.
The cuisine focuses on simple, comforting, and expertly executed dishes.
“We want the food to be delicious, straightforward, but very well made, using high-quality ingredients,” Celina summarizes.
The menu is designed for sharing and encourages the leisurely pace of a long meal rather than a rigid dining format. Guests can expect dishes such as pickled preserves, empanadas, vegetables cooked over the grill or embers, meats served family-style, and mountain-inspired rice dishes.
The menu does not change dramatically all the time, partly because they also cater to returning guests who want to revisit favorite dishes. However, seasonal ingredients and weather conditions do influence certain offerings.
“Now that the colder months are arriving, we’ve added humita and grilled cabbage instead of a fresh vegetable dish,” Celina says.
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Drinking at La Amistad: An Invitation to Enjoy
As with any restaurant located on a winery estate, wine plays a central role. At La Amistad, the goal is to introduce Pielihueso’s wines in an approachable and unpretentious way.
“We want people to discover them, to be open to tasting and learning about the project. But above all, we want them to eat very well and have a great time,” says Celina. “We’re not trying to teach; we want to create an experience where people feel comfortable and cared for.”
The beverage menu may begin with options such as a Los Sauces vermouth with soda or an Amargo Pielihueso served over ice. For those interested in exploring the winery’s portfolio, one option is a wine flight: three 100 ml pours that showcase different labels and styles. Guests can also order bottles from the Pielihueso range, along with a few wines produced exclusively for La Amistad.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for a relaxed experience, delicious Mendoza-inspired cuisine, and a setting surrounded by vineyards, La Amistad is the place to go. Here, the invitation is simple: sit facing the Andes, share plates across the table, taste minimal-intervention wines, and remember that great gastronomy is, above all, about enjoyment.