Presidente Perón International Airport

Neuquén's airport may be compact, but it punches above its weight when it comes to food. The main terminal building houses a handful of café-style spots where you can grab a proper cortado and a medialunas before your flight — none of that sad, packaged pastry nonsense. The standout is the central café near the departure gates, which keeps things simple but quality: fresh-baked empanadas stuffed with the regional go-to of spiced beef or corn, and a decent slice of humita if the kitchen has been busy that morning.

Patagonia makes its presence felt on the menu in subtle but satisfying ways. Look for dishes featuring local lamb, which occasionally appears in hearty stews or pressed sandwiches at the hot-food counter — a nod to the estancia culture that defines the surrounding countryside. The region's apple and pear orchards feed into the drinks menu too, with chilled juices and small bottles of local cider that make for a far more interesting send-off than a generic soda. It's the kind of detail that reminds you where you actually are.

Don't expect a sprawling food court — NQN keeps its dining footprint tight, which means options thin out quickly during early-morning or late-evening flights. The smart move is to arrive with a little extra time and settle in at whichever café has the shortest queue, order a café con leche, and take in the view of the Andes hovering on the horizon through the terminal windows. It's an unexpectedly pleasant way to close out a Patagonian trip, belly full of empanadas and eyes still on the mountains.