Buenos Aires Restaurants

Visitors may flock to Buenos Aires for the steak and malbec, but the food scene goes far beyond those two attractions. Over the last dozen or so years, the city has burst onto the international food scene with gusto.There’s a demand for more and more creative food. Here three things have come together to create a truly modern cu
Visitors may flock to Buenos Aires for the steak and malbec, but the food scene goes far beyond those two attractions. Over the last dozen or so years, the city has burst onto the international food scene with gusto.There’s a demand for more and more creative food. Here
Visitors may flock to Buenos Aires for the steak and malbec, but the food scene goes far beyond those two attractions. O

Visitors may flock to Buenos Aires for the steak and malbec, but the food scene goes far beyond those two attractions. Over the last dozen or so years, the city has burst onto the international food scene with gusto.

There’s a demand for more and more creative food. Here three things have come together to create a truly modern cuisine: diverse cultural influences, high culinary aspirations, and a relentless devotion to aesthetics, from plate garnishes to room décor. Tradition dictates late dining, and the majority of restaurants don’t open until 8 or 9 pm for dinner and don’t get busy until after 10. Dinner is a leisurely affair, and the sobremesa, or after-dinner chat over coffee or digestifs, is nearly obligatory. Rushing from the table is frowned on—anyway, where would you go? Bars and clubs often don’t open until after midnight.

The core of the population is of Italian and Spanish heritage, and pizza, pasta, paella, and puchero (beef boil) are as common as the parrilla (steakhouse). Argentines have taken the classics and made them their own with different techniques and ingredients, but they’re still recognizable to the international traveler. Pizzas and empanadas are the favored local snack food, the former piled high with cheese, the latter typically filled with steak or chicken. And while steak is indisputably king in this town, it’s got fierce competition in tender Patagonian lamb, game meats, fish, and shellfish. In contrast to that of much of Latin America, Argentine cuisine is not known for its spice, and picante dishes are not common.

Cafés, too, are an important part of the culture, and locals will stop in at their favorite for a cafecito at least once a day, not only to knock back a little caffeine, but also to see friends and catch up on the latest news and gossip.

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  • 1. Bardot

    $$$ | Palermo Soho | Peruvian

    Peruvian fusion cuisine is all the rage these days, but not everyone is looking to blend Japanese and Peruvian fare. In Bardot's sizzling lounge...Read More

  • 2. Chira

    $$$ | Palermo Soho | Peruvian

    While Nikkei cuisine is taking Argentina by storm, some chefs have realized that Japanese isn't the only cuisine that pairs with the explosive...Read More

  • 3. Don Julio

    $$$ | Palermo Soho | Steakhouse

    Behind an unassuming facade, one of Palermo's best steak houses features cowhide tablecloths, wagon-wheel lighting fixtures, and rows and rows...Read More

  • 4. Las Pizarras Bistró

    $$$ | Palermo | Eclectic

    Quirky and kitschy, this 40-seat hole-in-the-wall looks like any of hundreds of other neighborhood hangouts throughout the city. But take a...Read More

  • 5. Trattoria Olivetti

    $$ | Palermo Botánico | Italian

    In a city so packed with Italian restaurants that you could spend years visiting all of them, to claim that one or another is the best is...Read More

  • 6. Adentro Dinner Club

    $$$$ | Palermo Soho | Argentine

    Realizing that not every visitor to Buenos Aires has friends or family to invite them to an asado , the traditional backyard barbecue, Colorado...Read More

  • 7. Artemisia

    $$ | Palermo | Vegetarian

    In a city known for its steak and potatoes, vegetarians generally have to make do with salads, pastas, and pizzas to get by. That’s slowly changing...Read More

  • 8. Bella Italia

    $$$ | Palermo Botánico | Italian

    One of the first Italian restaurants in Palermo Botánico, Bella Italia is the cornerstone of what has become the city's quasi-official Little...Read More

  • 9. Casa Coupage

    $$$$ | Palermo | Argentine

    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...Read More

  • 10. Club Eros

    $ | Palermo Soho | Argentine

    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...Read More

  • 11. El Trapiche

    $$$ | Palermo Hollywood | Argentine

    This eatery's design aesthetic—a bare, unadorned space illuminated with industrial lighting—doesn't translate to the dishes, which, while not...Read More

  • 12. Francesco

    $$$$ | Palermo Soho | Peruvian

    With a privileged view of a quiet residential street in Palermo, Francesco was one of the first high-end Peruvian restaurants in Buenos Aires...Read More

  • 13. Green Bamboo

    $$$ | Palermo Hollywood | Vietnamese

    Covered with more knick-knacks than the space comfortably allows, the bar at the city's only Vietnamese restaurant looks like someone bought...Read More

  • 14. Hernán Gipponi

    $$$ | Palermo Hollywood | Eclectic

    This long, narrow room leading to Fierro Hotel's garden patio may not seem like a hot spot for creative cooking, but don't let appearances fool...Read More

  • 15. i Latina

    $$$$ | Villa Crespo | South American

    These charming and handsome Colombian brothers ran a successful restaurant in Patagonia before moving to Buenos Aires, opening a new place,...Read More

  • 16. Kansas

    $$$ | Palermo | American

    Located alongside the Hipódromo, the city's hottest horse-racing track, this eatery has great views. Boisterous definitely defines the ambience...Read More

  • 17. La Baita

    $$$ | Palermo Soho | Italian

    Sophisticated, elegant, and cozy all at the same time, this cozy corner spot in Palermo Soho offers a combination of classic dishes and modern...Read More

  • 18. La Cabrera

    $$$$ | Palermo Soho | Steakhouse

    Spanish may actually be the least common language spoken at this touristy place, but that doesn't mean it's not a great steak house. Generally...Read More

  • 19. Lelé de Troya

    $$$ | Palermo Soho | Mediterranean

    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...Read More

  • 20. María Félix

    $$$ | Palermo Soho | Mexican

    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...Read More

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