116 Best Restaurants in Argentina

This parrilla is so popular that it starts serving dinner at 6 pm—teatime by Argentine custom. The local beef isn't quite up to Buenos Aires standards, but La Rueda's perfectly cooked bife de chorizo is one of the best in town. Locally caught surubí is another house specialty, but skip the traditional Roquefort sauce, which overwhelms the fish's flavor. The surroundings stay true to the restaurant's rustic roots: hefty tree trunks hold up the bamboo-lined roof, and the walls are adorned by a curious wooden frieze carved by a local artist.

It's a couple of extra blocks from downtown and across a little white bridge, but this parrilla is where the locals go for a special night out to watch their food as it's cooking; Patagonian lamb and beef ribs roast gaucho-style on frames hanging over a circular asador, and an enormous grill along the back wall is full of steaks, chorizos, and morcilla (blood sausage). The whole place is filled with a warm glow despite the lackluster decor. It's slightly more expensive than other parillas in the center of town—and almost always fully booked—but has a classier atmosphere that will make you want to linger for dessert, if you have room.

This European-tinged eatery is one of the traditional high-end choices in San Martín, for locals and tourists alike. With tables scattered about the black-stone floor and barrels, shelves, and other surfaces stacked with foodstuffs (think pickled vegetables, smoked meats, cheese rounds, dried herbs, olive oil, and wine bottles), you might think you're in a Patagonian deli. Top choices include braised lamb and local specialties made from fresh-caught game; the La Tasca appetizer platter of smoked salmon, venison, boar, and trout pâté is especially good.

A poetic narrative in the menu describes this place as "a haven for parched travelers," along the lines of the watering holes used for centuries by local shepherds. Top picks include empanadas baked in the clay oven at the entrance and a llama fillet served with orange sauce and colorful tiny Andean potatoes. They also cook up great asado (barbecue).

A 102-year-old converted school building houses one of Cafayate's more ambitious regional food restaurants. Overseen by the friendly owner Matías, it has three dining rooms themed after the Nanni, Domingo Hermanos, and Etchart bodegas, with wine displays and special cutlery. The decoration is from all around the world, but the food is strictly local—llama, quinoa, rabbit, kid, and Andean potatoes lead the menu. A convivial wine bar stays open late to serve vino from every bodega in town. There's live music and dancing some weekends.

Ponchos on the walls, old paintings, native artifacts, stucco archways, and Andean background music are clues that this might be one of the best places to sample authentic Northwestern cuisine. Try the locro: a stew of maize, white beans, beef, chorizo, pancetta, and a wonderful red pepper–oil glaze, all of which come together in a mélange of savory, starchy flavors.  Ask for a table at the back for a more authentic and less-hurried dining experience.

An expansive terrace overlooking the river is the appropriate backdrop for Tigre's best fish dishes. The kitchen favors elaborate preparations: some are so packed with unlikely ingredients that the fish gets lost; others, such as the sole in lemon-infused cream, are spot-on. Land-based offerings like pork belly braised in beer are equally well executed. Both the terrace and the sunny, peach-colored inside room fill up on weekends, when harried waitstaff often take a long time to bring your order or the check.

Opening in 2022, the Carriages Market is seen as Buenos Aires’ answer to Chelsea Market in Manhattan. With more than 40 store fronts housed at this refurbished 19th-century carriage house, this gourmet food and retail marketplace aims to help bring the city center back to life. Stop by for coffee at Martinelli, a quick bite at La Cabrera steak house, or a glass of wine at Vico, and soak up the atmosphere.

The checkered floors and glossy black tables of Museo Evita Restaurante are as stylish as the great lady herself. Sticky and flaky, the medialunas here are some of the best in town.

One of the city's best known and beloved pulperías, Ña Serapia (local slang that means the "Martyred Lady") is tiny, with only a dozen seats wedged into a space big enough for half as many. Grab some cheap eats, including great empanadas, local stews like locro or lentil, or even small pizzas.

For jujeña classics with an eclectic twist, head to Pan de Azucár, where an ample menu offers original concoctions of the local staple, llama—think curry, carpaccio, grilled fillet, or stuffed in ravioli. House specialties also include quinoa, pork, and pasta.

This chic new open-air restaurant with a sleek, sexy bar that turns out great cocktails is most proud of their aged steaks, but everything from the picadas (cured meats and cheeses) to fish and salads is perfectly turned out. The wine list is solid and has some great whites—not common in Iguazú—that pair well with lighter dishes and warm nights, and beer drinkers will enjoy the local craft brews. There's also a well-stocked gourmet market and a wine-and-spirits shop, should you wish to carry something back to your hotel.

Inspired by local ingredients, dynamic young chef Alfredo Morales creates a delicious seasonal menu, cooking out of an upcycled San Juan casona. Order the six- or three-course tasting menus; dishes might include pork empanadas, artichoke ceviche, and flame-grilled pears with ricotta and pak choi.

This place makes the list for its music rather than its food—though the barbecued meats and empanadas are good deals. Singers, musicians, and sometimes dancers bring Peña y Parrillada de la Plaza to life each night.

Homemade comfort food, served in the loveliest lakeside setting imaginable, is the draw at this Villa Traful favorite. As a sign says, the pastas, trout, and milanesas (breaded steaks) may take a while to prepare, but hey, if you're in a rush while sitting on a lawn this sumptuous, you've missed the memo. Don't even think of foregoing dessert.

Looking very much like an old saloon/general store, this restaurant is part of what makes visiting the town like going to a museum. A solid choice for lunch where the fare doesn't try to be anything other than honest and abundant. Very typical comida del campo (country food) ranging from meat, potatoes, and empanadas to picadas (charcuterie and cheeses), that's all served quickly and graciously even during busy lunches. Enjoy the antique curiosities while you're dining, and feel free to ask what they were used for.

Bohemian music, homemade cooking, and colorful patchwork cushions set the tone for this unpretentious, friendly restaurant several blocks from downtown. You'll be surrounded by funky artwork, couples whispering under low-hung lights, and laid-back-but-efficient staff as you try to decide which big-enough-to-share dish you'll order while working your way through a great dome of steaming bread. Choose between soups, pies, and bakes; the lamb stew served inside a calabaza (pumpkin) is the signature dish. They also have vegan and vegetarian options. 

Entering this café on the waterfront puts you in mind of a general store from the earliest frontier years of Ushuaia, which is why locals call it the viejo almacén (old grocery store). Burgers and picada platters are uninspiring; choose fresh-baked bread or scrumptious lemon croissants instead, and try the submarino—a mug of hot milk in which you plunge a bar of dark chocolate (goes well with a panini). As you walk from room to room admiring the relics (like the hand-cranked Victrola phonograph), the hubbub around the bar reminds you that a warehouse like this was not just a store to pick up supplies; it was also a place for isolated pioneers to socialize and gather all the latest news from the port.

Delicious smells from the outdoor grill lure locals off the streets and into this popular and unpretentious restaurant in the center of town. Saffron-yellow tablecloths throughout brighten the low-ceilinged dining room and add a splash of color to the outdoor patio. A variety of typical dishes—including grilled goat, beef, chicken, and vegetables—are served for lunch and dinner.

Traditional grilled meats, homemade pastas, and appetizers featuring locally made cold cuts comprise the hearty fare at this friendly family-style restaurant. On Sunday, you can help yourself to steak, lamb, chicken, and goat at the open grill.

A cozy corner bistro, Roux is a fantastic spot for relaxed lunches and special occasions. Try the Patagonian king crab ravioli or perfectly cooked venison steak, paired with recommendations from the sommelier. Chef-patron Martín Rebaudino used to lead the kitchen at Oviedo, so fish and seafood is always a solid choice.

"Cavernous" may be the first word that comes to mind upon entering this multilevel concrete-and-metal space with a backlit bar taking up an entire wall, an open kitchen dominating the rear, and a hulking glass wine cave smack in the center of the dining area. Sucre was and is the cutting edge of cuisine in Bajo Belgrano, and though it's off the beaten path, it's well worth the trip. Enjoy the delicious and creative appetizers, but save room for a main course straight off the wood-fired grill: spit-roasted bondiola (pork shoulder) and melt-in-your-mouth Patagonian lamb are among the stars, but any meat or fish coming off the parrilla is going to be a winner and be accompanied by something far more creative than the ubiquitous french fry guarnición. Locals and tourists alike fill the room, and with no soft surfaces it can get loud.

On the street that runs right along the Beagle Channel, Tia Elvira is a good place to sample the local catch. Garlicky shellfish appetizers and centolla are delicious; even more memorable is the tender merluza negra (black sea bass). The room is decked out with nautical knickknacks that may seem on the tacky side for such a pricey place. The service is friendly and familial.

A giant king crab sign beckons you into this red-tin-walled restaurant, where the maritime bric-a-brac hanging from the ceiling can be a little distracting. The name means "return," and it succeeds in getting repeat visits on the strength of its seafood; the culinary highlight is the centolla, which comes served with a choice of five different sauces. Newspapers from the 1930s line the walls in this century-old home, and the service is friendly and relaxed.

The warm service, wooden tables and chairs, cane roof, and stone walls all suggest tradition. Yet Yacón's kitchen shows some innovation by serving up llama meat on skewers and a shepherd's pie made with quinoa. It's just a block from the main square, and doubles as a cute lodging as well.