Buenos Aires Restaurants

1. Astor, Manduque Porteño

The name—which means, more or less, "the way locals eat"—may be a bit of a misnomer, because this restaurant doesn't serve anything that you'd find in a traditional local restaurant. Chef Antonio Sorano takes those traditional concepts and turns them on their head, creating beautifully plated, perfectly prepared dishes that retain the spirit of the original. The menu changes weekly. A well-curated wine list is under the direction of charming sommelier Pablo Colina. This may not be the way locals have been eating, but they're starting to, and you should, too.

2. Bella Italia

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.

3. Bengal

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.

4. Bruni

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.

5. BuddhaBA

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.

6. Cabaña Las Lilas

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.

7. Café San Juan

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.

8. El Estanciero

This steak house perfectly captures the vibrancy of Las Cañitas—even on weekdays, when you can see couples and groups heading in the door as late as midnight. They come for the juicy cuts of beef and flavorful achuras (organ meats), all of which are grilled over an open fire by a professional staff. Grab one of the tables on the open second floor and you'll get an even better view of the parrilla and the action outside. Ask for your favorite steak vuelta y vuelta (extra rare) for best results.

9. El Federal

An homage to the rugged terrain of the Argentine wilds, every surface in this downtown eatery seems to be rough wood or tanned leather. Chef Paula Comparatore turns out modern twists on classic regional dishes, often making use of rarely seen ingredients. Her tehuelches, a type of Patagonian empanada named after a near-extinct southern tribe, are among the best in the city, and her classic slow braises of lamb, goat, and beef are simply divine. For those with something lighter in mind, there are indigenous fish preparations and even a vegetarian dish or two.

10. El Globo

Much like the neighborhood in which it resides, El Globo is touristy but good. Hearty pucheros (mixed boiled meat dinners), roast suckling pig, squid, and other Spanish-Argentine fare are served in a large dining area, as they have been since the restaurant opened in 1908. The cazuela de mariscos (seafood stew) is another specialty.

11. El Imparcial

This is the city's oldest restaurant, dating back to the 1860s. The name, which translates as "impartial," was meant to offer up neutral territory for various Spanish and Basque factions that emigrated to the city during the mid-19th century. The menu is a mix of local Argentine fare and classic Spanish dishes. You're not necessarily going to be wowed by anything, but you're also never going to be disappointed. The paella and other rice dishes, particularly those with seafood, are the way to go. At lunchtime there's a three-course prix-fixe menu that comes in at less than the price of an à la carte appetizer. Don't miss the natilla madrileña (custard with caramel) for dessert.

12. El Obrero

Big, juicy steaks that are perfectly cooked, massive helpings of side dishes, and more ambience than you can shake a stick at make El Obrero a movie director's dream of an Argentine steak house. The neighborhood is iffy, particularly at night—take a taxi to and from (they'll call one for you).

13. El Palacio de la Papa Frita

14. El Trapiche

This eatery's design aesthetic—a bare, unadorned space illuminated with industrial lighting—doesn't translate to the dishes, which, while not fancy, include hearty portions of grilled and fried Argentine dishes and a smattering of Spanish specialties. At lunch it's packed with Palermo office workers, and at dinner there's a mix of locals and tourists, all tucking into the well-seasoned and properly cooked steaks and chops. Don't miss the boquerones (marinated anchovies) as an appetizer. The entraña, or hanger steak, particularly when accompanied by the excellent papas a la crema (creamed potatoes), are a don't-miss main course perfect for sharing. While the menu might look pricey at first glance, most of the steaks easily serve more than one person. There are also inexpensive prix-fixe lunch options.

15. Green Bamboo

Covered with more knick-knacks than the space comfortably allows, the bar at the city's only Vietnamese restaurant looks like someone bought out a souvenir shop. The barstools are irrelevant, because there's no place to set your drink anyway. But that's fine, because you can just grab a table or relax on a sofa in the dining area and enjoy one of the signature cocktails while you peruse the menu of Vietnamese classics. Perennial favorites include the crispy smoked eggplant dumplings, prawns with rice pasta, chicken curry, and five-spice spareribs. Bowing to local custom, there's little heat in any of the dishes, even if you ask for extra chilies, but ask for a bowl of Sriracha hot sauce to be brought to your table.

16. Kansas

Located alongside the Hipódromo, the city's hottest horse-racing track, this eatery has great views. Boisterous definitely defines the ambience as diners tuck into barbecued ribs, chops, steaks, pastas, and salads, all washed down with copious amounts of beer and iced tea. There are plenty of options for children on the menu. This is the top of the heap for diners searching for a U.S.-style chain, and it attracts local business executives during the day and families at night. Reservations recommended, especially for dinner, and there's almost always a wait for a table.

17. La Baita

Sophisticated, elegant, and cozy all at the same time, this cozy corner spot in Palermo Soho offers a combination of classic dishes and modern creations. A favorite of Italophile locals, it's the perfect location for a romantic night out, perhaps with a reenactment of the famous scene from Lady and the Tramp. Housemade pastas are the stars here, topped with sauces so vibrant you know they were made the same day. The kitchen sometimes has a heavy hand with salt, so if it's an issue let your server know when you order. Service is friendly and efficient. The wine list, while an excellent selection, is a tad on the pricey side, but you're paying for the atmosphere as well.

18. Lelé de Troya

"Somewhere Over the Rainbow" seems to be playing in the background as you enter this boldly colored space. Five rooms—four of them decked out in yellow, red, blue, or green, the fifth in an odd combination of cantaloupe and purple—make up the salas of this converted home. Every surface, right down to painted speaker covers, screams each room's hue. In the yellow salon you'll find the open kitchen, where a variety of breads is baked daily for the great sandwiches, bruschettas, and other dishes. The theme is "Ring Around the Mediterranean," with dishes reflecting the flavors of coastal Spain, France, Italy, and Greece, as well as the Middle East and North Africa. Delicious pastas are favorites, as are the spicy seafood dishes (if you like heat, don't miss the papillote del mar, a fiery shellfish stew in a phyllo pastry nest).

19. María Félix

The porteño aversion to anything spicy means there's just not a lot of demand for authentic Mexican fare. But María Félix probably comes the closest, serving an array of Mexican dishes with a touch of Tex-Mex. The food is fresh and vibrant and the flavors are remarkably varied, if lacking in that hit of heat. Asking for hot sauce doesn't result in anything much stronger on the table. Still, it makes a nice change from the usual local fare, and when you wash it down with a reasonably good margarita you won't leave with any complaints. Thursday through Saturday evenings there's a wandering mariachi band.

20. NCF&F

When you're searching for creative Argentine tapas, look no further than the eclectic selection of dishes off the rambling menu at this longtime favorite. Don't miss the perfectly poached eggs with bacon and grilled cheese, served up in a cocktail glass for dipping, nor the perfectly smoked fresh fish. Formerly Freud & Fahler (the NC stands for Nueva Casa), they took over the space vacated by the much-lamented loss of La Cupertina, everyone's favorite empanada shop. By turns coffee and pastry shop and evening tapas bar, with a few solid main courses thrown in, as well as a selection of prix-fixe and tasting menu options, this is not the place you'll remember if you visited the old location. Best bet, a bottle of wine and a selection of tapas from the ever-changing menu.