We have just returned from Mendoza having visited multiple times. I believe you will be captivated by the place, the wonderful scenery, the gentility of its people and the fabulous wines! We usually stay at the Park Hyatt Hotel, a truly wonderful hotel with a first class restaurant ($$$)....when we're feeling 'uptown' we dine there, but I can reccomend a couple of other places as well. One, La Florencia (don't bother with Facundo across the street), is a steak place but offers Italian dishes as well (don't ask for fish because it has to travel too far to get to Mendoza). Ask for Roberto as your waiter. If you order steak, ask for it 'al punto' if you like it medium rare or 'jugoso' if you like it rare. Don't be afraid to send it back if it is not cooked to your liking, they will replace it with no problem. Also, don't order too much food, a steak and salad is more that enough as the steaks are huge! Try the 'panqueque de manzana' for desert . If you like crepes and apples, you'll love it! This one is just down the street from the Park Hyatt. Another, La Marchigiana, is a Family owned Italian restaurant that makes the best minestrone I have ever had. They have the ubiquitous steak menu but their Italian menu is ourstanding. They have two restaurants....I'll try to find the address of the one we went to and send it later. As to the wineries: the only ones that I know of that offer food are the Familia Zuccardi winery and the Lopez winery, both in Maipu and the Nieto Senetiner and Bodega Ruca Malen wineries in Lujan de Cuyo. You must reserve 24 hours in advance to partake....or...try just showing up at the appropriate time and tell them you have come all the way from the United States to visit their winery....it will probably work.
