223 Best Restaurants in Argentina

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.

San Martín wouldn't be a ski town without a fondue restaurant, and this one is particularly appealing. The cheese fondue is smooth and rich, while the meat version comes with cubes of Argentine beef in assorted cuts and up to 12 condiments. (Vegetable fondues are, sadly, a bit limp.) Steaks and pasta are also well represented, and there's a fantastic wine list. The restaurant's two rooms—adorned with wooden panels and rustic tables—are equally suited to children and honeymooners.

A romantic bistro located down a secluded Recoleta alley, the sister restaurant to Aramburu deals in classy comfort food. Expect dishes such as rabbit terrine, Patagonian lamb, wood-grilled octopus, and a steak tartare that comes with mustard ice cream. The outdoor patio is lovely when the weather cooperates. In 2023 it was awarded a Bib Gourmand for great value by the Michelin guide. 

Stop by for a tasting of easy-drinking whites and reds at Bodega Colomé’s sister winery just outside Cafayate, and stay for lunch with beautiful valley views from the foot of Cerro San Isidro. The spacious restaurant and wine bar opened in 2023, a refreshing and contemporary addition to the winery scene, and the solid menu provides several short, paired tasting menus that might include lamb casserole. It’s one of the few wineries to also open for dinner (on weekends). Wine tastings from 10,000 pesos. 

After a bumpy three-hour drive to Cachi, the rounded wining and dining experience at this rural bodega run by fourth-generation vintners at the foot of snow-capped Cerro Cachi is most welcome. Sample the seven wine labels made at extreme elevation, including Sauvignon Blanc, Malbec, and Cabernet Sauvignon, in a tasting under the pink pepper tree or over a barbecue lunch prepared by a champion asador at the old farmhouse a few blocks from Cachi’s main square.

A mustard-yellow pioneer house that lights up the main street, this traditional eatery is driven by its ebullient owner Sergio Otero, a constant presence bustling around the bench seating, making suggestions, and revving up his staff. Sample the picada plate (king crab rolls, Roma-style calamari, marinated rabbit) over an artisanal Beagle Beer—the dark version is the perfect balm on a cold windy day. Lamb dominates the mains, and the emphasis is on hearty rather than fashionable. Tables filled with locals and visitors make for a boisterous atmosphere. 

A popular gathering place for both locals and visitors just one block from Km 0 (the very center of town), Bonafide serves up fresh coffee, sandwiches, cakes, and other goodies for the road. Grab one of the window seats with leather couches and take advantage of the Wi-Fi.

Caffeine fans can get their espresso fix at Bonafide. The Bonafide brand was the first to bring a coffee roasting machine to Argentina in 1917, and it now has locations citywide. On the corner of Sarmiento and 9 de Julio near the central plaza, enjoy a steaming cup of joe with medialunas (sweet croissants) and alfajores (cookies with dulce de leche, sweet caramelized milk jam).

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.

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.

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.

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 pubs in Villa Crespo and Belgrano. 

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.

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.

Its façade leads into a tiny vermouth bar but the back is a huge dining room, where tattooed celebrity chef Lele Cristobal prepares tasty dishes with Spanish and Italian inspiration and Argentine heart, 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 salon for a buzzy evening.

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.

Founded in 1963, photos of visiting Argentine celebrities mingle with the marine-themed doodads that cover the walls at this local favorite. The best bet in town, they are most known for their large portions of fish and seafood dishes, but they also offer traditional Argentine cuisine.

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.

At this adorable spot in Seclantás, Pío Díaz and his family cultivate heritage ingredients in their organic garden then harvest them to create delicious regional dishes. Many recipes, such as charquisillo made from jerky, have been passed down through the generations and are served in this gorgeous 18th-century farmhouse. Try the Díaz’ mistela wine as well as ulpada, a fermented corn beverage.

Picadas—assorted cured meats and local cheeses, accompanied by home-baked breads—are the star attractions here (try the smoked boar and trout). Although this deli and wine bar does get busy, the staff is generally friendly, and you can escape the bustle by retreating to the back terrace.  Wash down your meal with one of the hearty Los Morros-line reds, produced by Casa Moderna’s own small winery.

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.

Exquisitely prepared Argentine plates, from pizzas and pastas to milanesas to vegetarian wraps (and don't miss their desserts!), are served here. It has a cozy, laid-back atmosphere with live blues music for dinner some evenings and an occasional poetry reading.

This restaurant and wine bar boasts a hipper-than-thou interior and modern menu serving such delights as Patagonian lamb with calafate sauce (calafate is a local wild berry). The Casimiro Biguá Parrilla, down the street from the main restaurant, has a similar trendy feel, but you can recognize the parrilla by the cordero al asador (spit-roasted lamb) displayed in the window. A third branch, also on Libertador, offers Italian dishes in a less formal setting. 

Easily one of the best microbreweries in Patagonia, this local Biergarten boasts a hearty German-inspired menu, with standout dishes such as smoked-trout-stuffed pretzels and goulash. The beers run from local IPAs to pilsners to hoppy ales, and there are hefty desserts if you've somehow managed to save room.

This lively beer hall claims it was the first brewpub in Argentina; true or not, its relaxed bustle hits the spot after a day on the slopes. Come in for an après-ski beer sampler, but stay for the pizzas, steak potpies, and other Anglophile dinner options. Don't miss the excellent bock beer, with a toasty coffee flavor, or if you prefer hard cider, the Fruto Prohibido.

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.

An eclectic menu with a mix of seafood, international and Argentine classics, including all manner of beef options, this is a fine stop for a meal. They also have vegetarian and gluten free dishes. The service is excellent, but the prices are steep. 

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.

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.

For decades the Jones family, owners of this stately redbrick corner building, ran a hotel and bar (complete with a boxing ring in the basement) here, but switched to serving steaks, pizzas, and pasta in between the tea cakes. The decision has been a success: on weekends locals pack themselves around the wooden tables to devour the generous parilladas (mixed grills).