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$$$ | Palermo Botánico |
One of the first Italian restaurants in Palermo Botánico, Bella Italia is the cornerstone of what has become the city's quasi-official Little Italy. The Lena family runs its flagship restaurant and a neighboring café (along with branches in Palermo and Belgrano) with grace, warmth, and elegance. The star of the menu is one of the city's few veal chops, a whopping cut of perfectly cooked meat encrusted with salt and rosemary and served over beautifully roasted potatoes. This dish is easily enough for two, especially if you start with one of the kitchen's stellar pastas. The restaurant also features a well-thought-out and fairly priced wine list.
Republica Arabe Siria 3285, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, 1425, Argentina
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch., Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$$ | Retiro |
Stepping into the wood-paneled dining room, with tables draped in white linens and a ceiling tented with a colorful carpet, you may feel like you've entered a British officers' club from the late 1800s. During the day the clientele seem to be mostly embassy employees and foreign-service workers, which just adds to that atmosphere. At night it changes over to a mix of neighbors and tourists enjoying the offbeat menu that's half Italian and half Indian. For those in the mood for spice, a half-dozen reasonably hot curries are on offer (the fish and prawn curries are the stars). For something milder, pasta is the thing, and the excellent lasagnas are the house specialty. The waitstaff is trained to sell and can sometimes seem a little pushy.
Arenales 837, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, 1061, Argentina
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Sat., Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$ | Recoleta |
A romantic bistro located down a secluded Recoleta alley, chef Gonzalo Aramburu's BIS deals in classy comfort food with contemporary twists. Expect dishes such as rabbit terrine, wood-grilled octopus, and a steak tartare that comes with mustard ice cream. It opens for breakfast at 8 and keeps serving until 11 pm. The outdoor patio is lovely when the weather cooperates.
Vicente López 1661, local 12, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, C1018ABA, Argentina
Known For
- Efficient service
- Great wine list
- Excellent brunch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.
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$$ | San Telmo |
One of the few classic French brasseries in Buenos Aires, Petanque is a place to enjoy hearty French fare accompanied by local wines. The ambience is lively, with marble-topped tables so close to each other that you may find yourself participating in neighboring conversations, though service can be snooty. The best dishes are the most traditional, the confit de pato, or duck confit, is not to be missed.
Defensa 596, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, 1065, Argentina
Known For
- Bistro fare
- Quality wine list
- Lunchtime specials
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed.
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$$$ | Belgrano |
This elegant corner Italian restaurant features wraparound windows overlooking Parque Paseo de las Americas was one of the first spots to bring some life to "Bajo Belgrano." Now, there are a half dozen restaurants within a block, and this area is a dining destination, not only for local Belgrano residents but for visiting gastronomes from across the city and globe. The duo that owns it—restaurateur Fernando Brucco (also owner of Happening in Puerto Madero) and local rocker Fabián "Zorrito" Quintiero (who also owns Soul Café)—have maintained the standards originally set by consulting chef and local food TV personality Donato deSantis. The stars here, other than the owners, are the pastas, made fresh in-house and topped with creative, delicious sauces—don't miss the "Unico," a whopping raviolo filled with spinach and cheese and topped with mushrooms and truffle sauce.
Sucre 696, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, 1428, Argentina
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Credit cards accepted
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$$ | Belgrano |
In the heart of the city's Chinatown, BuddhaBA is part pan-Asian restaurant, part tranquil garden, and part art gallery. The service is understated, but always gracious, and the food is a pleasure to both look at and eat. The tastiest dish on the menu is the paté imperial, a unique twist on the classic Vietnamese banh mi sandwich, reinterpreted as a pair of long, delicate, crispy springrolls. The Chinese sweet-and-sour dishes are always delicious, if sometimes erring a trifle on the sweet side. Finish up with a pot of tea, perhaps out in the garden during nice weather.
Arribeños 2288, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, 1428, Argentina
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch Thurs. and Fri. No dinner Sun.
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$ | Recoleta |
The city's first microbrewery is in a prime position opposite Recoleta Cemetery, and it's a prince among frogs in a saturated craft beer market. There are seven different styles of beer (the Porter is highly recommended), and you can have a sampler of the whole range. Great sandwiches and one of the better burgers in the neighborhood are more reasons to drop in. Head up to the terrace on weekends. There are also storefronts in Villa Crespo and Belgrano.
Junín 1747, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, 1113, Argentina
Known For
- Craft beer
- Pub grub
- Happy hour
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$$$ | Puerto Madero |
The beef and pork are sourced from the owner's own ranch at this well-known—and expensive—steak house that attracts a crowd of mostly international travelers to the docklands. Service is impeccable, as are the steaks; of note are the ojo de bife and bife de lomo, aka the rib eye and the sirloin.
A.M. de Justo 516, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, 1107, Argentina
Known For
- Tender beef
- Impeccable service
- Fantastic wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$$ | San Telmo |
When famed "anti-chef" Leandro Cristóbal decided to return to his roots, he dropped his trademark modern cuisine in favor of huge platters of rustic traditional dishes with little creative twists reflecting his own bad-boy personality. That carries over into the decor and setup—the room has a sort of farmhouse-chic feel with the addition of graffiti and tattoo-covered cooks working the open kitchen. Roast partridge with hazelnut stuffing, sweetbread-and-ricotta cannelloni, and tender wine-braised rabbit are among the stars here. A second location is open nearby at Chile 474 focusing more on pastas.
Av. San Juan 450, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, 1147, Argentina
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon., No credit cards, Reservations essential
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$$ | San Telmo |
Its façade leads into tiny vermouth bar but the back is a huge dining room, where tattooed celebrity chef Lele Cristobal prepares tasty dishes with Spanish and Italian flavors such as lamb meatballs with chickpea mash and ossobuco stew. Start an evening with a glass of the house aperitivo—vermouth comes on tap—with soda at the bar with just eight stools, then move onto the main event for a buzzy evening.
Chile 474, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Known For
- Celebrity chef
- Hearty fare
- Buzzy ambience
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$ | Centro |
Take a seat amid the Tiffany lamps and marble-topped tables, and contemplate the fact that you may be sitting in a chair once occupied by a former president, a renowned tango singer, or a world-famous artist or writer while they nibbled an exquisite pastry. The place and setting are from another age, thankfully well preserved, but you may have to wait for a table at the oldest—and highly popular—café in Buenos Aires. Reservations are a must for the dinner-hour tango show.
Av. de Mayo 825, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, 1084, Argentina
Known For
- Tango
- Blast from the past
- Submarino (hot chocolate) and churros
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$$$$ | Palermo |
In the middle of the chaos of Palermo, Casa Coupage is an oasis of tranquility. Located in a converted home, the beige-on-beige dining area takes up most of the main floor. Decor is simple, mostly wine related, plus the odd choice of postage stamps glued in a swath around the rooms at eye level. Your best bet is the frequently changing tasting menu that lets you sample the full range of chef Pablo Bolzan's creative take on traditional Argentine cooking. A limited selection of à la carte dishes is always available. Sommelier Santiago Mymicopulo knows his stuff, and his great wine-pairing options are usually a much better value than ordering from the somewhat overpriced wine list.
Soler 5518, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, 1425, Argentina
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch. Closed Sun., Mon., and Tues., Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Recoleta |
While puertas cerradas, or closed-door restaurants, have been a part of the Buenos Aires dining scene for decades, they were historically a place you discovered by word-of-mouth. In 2006, that all changed when Dan Perlman and Henry Tapia, the norteamericano and peruano couple behind this 10-seat communal-table home-dining spot, hit the scene. These days scoring a spot to dig in to their Mediterranean-meets-Andean cuisine, five-course menu with paired wines can be hard to do, so book early. You'll meet new friends, swap stories, and enjoy creative home cooking. The exact address is provided with reservation, made via the website only.
Uriburu and Peña, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, 1114, Argentina
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch. Closed Sun.–Tues., Reservations essential
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$$ | Congreso |
Peruvian dishes at bargain prices have made a name for Chan Chan. The deep-fried corn kernels they bring while you wait are almost a meal in themselves.
Hipólito Yrigoyen 1390, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, C1086AAX, Argentina
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$ | Palermo Soho |
Known for its no-frills decor, this Palermo Soho stalwart is where generations of locals have been coming to dine. It's located inside a soccer club of the same name and draws its clientele from club members, neighborhood residents, and pretty much anyone who wants honest cooking that doesn't put a dent in their budget. While the menu features three different pastas and a dozen items off the parrilla (grill), your waiter will tell you what's actually available for the day.
Uriarte 1609, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, 1414, Argentina
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards, Reservations not accepted
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$$$$ | Recoleta |
Dedicated to the cuisines of the Middle East, this sumptuous dining room on the third floor of the Syrian Lebanese Cultural Club serves up one of the city's best all-you-can-eat buffets. For a flat price you get unlimited trips to the cold appetizers bar, unlimited orders of from a palate-pleasing selection of hot dishes, and all the honey-laden pastries you can pack in. Belly dancers entertain on the weekends, when the prices also rise about 20%. If you're in town for an extended stay, Chef Abdala offers a series of classes where he demonstrates how to duplicate his recipes at home.
Ayacucho 1496, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, 1126, Argentina
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch. Closed Sun., Credit cards accepted
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$ | Palermo Hollywood |
This specialty coffee shop, which roasts its own beans, located on a buzzy Hollywood corner is the ideal spot for a flat white or iced coffee, and a little people watching.
Costa Rica 5801, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Known For
- In-house coffee roaster
- Hipster vibe
- Great caffeine
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$ | Barrio Norte |
The hearty stews, steaks, and empanadas at chaotic Cumaná are a far cry from Recoleta's European pretensions. Skip dessert, though (nearby ice-cream parlors are better).
Rodríguez Peña 1149, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, C1020ADW, Argentina
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Daily noon–12:30 am
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$$ | Retiro |
An intimate and artsy setting are the backdrop for a short but creative menu, which includes house specialties like phyllo-wrapped Morbier cheese salad as a starter and the perfectly cooked ojo de bife (rib-eye steak). Relax, enjoy a glass of wine, read the paper, and eat well.
San Martín 941, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, 1004, Argentina
Known For
- Classy bistro fare
- Intimate setting
- Buzzy
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
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$$ | Recoleta |
It's a hard name to live up to, but there's no doubt this casual café pulls it off, with super fresh sandwiches, salads, and smoothies, which you can eat in or pack into your picnic basket. A shot of espresso and a slice of cheesecake provide the perfect dose of caffeine and sugar to get you back in the sightseeing saddle.
Laprida 2015, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, C1425EKU, Argentina
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Tues.–Fri. 9 am–8 pm, Sat.–Sun. 10 am –8 pm, Closed Mon.