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. Aramburu

    $$$$ | San Telmo | Eclectic

    Hidden away on a gritty, graffiti-covered street is one of the most beautiful, intimate, and romantic restaurants in the city. Night after night...Read More

  • 2. El Burladero

    $$$$ | Recoleta | Spanish

    In a city filled with Spanish and Basque restaurants, there's not much of a tapas bar scene in Buenos Aires. El Burladero provides a mix of...Read More

  • 3. La Bourgogne

    $$$$ | Recoleta | French

    You'll be welcomed with a complimentary flute of sparkling wine and a selection of hors d'oeuvres when you take your table in this elegant dining...Read More

  • 4. Oviedo

    $$$$ | Recoleta | Argentine

    A tranquil ambience, soft lighting, and sea-themed artwork adorning the walls greet you in this elegant Spanish-style establishment in the heart...Read More

  • 5. Pura Tierra

    $$$$ | Belgrano | Argentine

    In a charming and creative space that was once a private residence in Belgrano, chef Martín Molteni's dining room offers up a tribute to the...Read More

  • 6. Tarquino

    $$$$ | Recoleta | Argentine

    The city's rock star of molecular gastronomy, Dante Liporace, has reappeared in this sophisticated hotel garden setting, where he's adding touches...Read More

  • 7. 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

  • 8. Cabaña Las Lilas

    $$$$ | Puerto Madero | Steakhouse

    Probably the best-known steak house in all of Argentina, Cabaña Las Lilas draws most of its clientele from the international travelers that...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. Casa SaltShaker

    $$$$ | Recoleta | Eclectic

    While puertas cerradas, or closed-door restaurants, have been a part of the Buenos Aires dining scene for decades, they were historically...Read More

  • 11. Club Sirio Libanés

    $$$$ | Recoleta | Middle Eastern

    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...Read More

  • 12. Duhau Restaurante & Vinoteca

    $$$$ | Recoleta | Argentine

    An oasis of elegance and grace in the heart of Recoleta, the Duhau Restaurante definitely shouldn't be overlooked because it's inside a chain...Read More

  • 13. Elena Restaurante

    $$$$ | Recoleta | Argentine

    With a new name and a new chef, the Four Seasons Hotel's spectacularly renovated dining room serves creative fare that blends the traditions...Read More

  • 14. 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

  • 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. 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

  • 17. La Rosa Náutica

    $$$$ | Puerto Madero | Peruvian

    Aficionados of Nikkei cuisine know the Nautical Compass, a chain that started on the beach in Lima, Peru, and now has outposts as far away as...Read More

  • 18. Lotus Neo Thai

    $$$$ | Belgrano | Thai

    Like the proverbial tortoise, Buenos Aires's first Thai restaurant has kept a slow, steady pace and outlasted all its Southeast Asian competitors...Read More

  • 19. NOLA

    $$$$ | Palermo | American

    New Orleans is where chef Liza Puglia grew up, and she brings her passion for the flavors of her early years to the table at this puertas cerradas...Read More

  • 20. Osaka

    $$$$ | Palermo | Japanese

    Behind a bamboo facade is the first modern Japanese fusion spot in Buenos Aires, this Lima-based chain combines flavors from across Asia with...Read More

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