158 Best Restaurants in Argentina

When you hear the term deli, you may think double-decker sandwiches laden with smoked and cured meats, but this place is more California than New York. Look for huge salads with an array of fresh ingredients, inventive sandwiches on excellent housemade breads, delicious pastries, and just-brewed coffee. Sit on the patio outside and you may as well be in a scene from The O.C., right down to the slow service and snooty attitude. Still, this is a great choice for a casual lunch or brunch. The kitchen stays open until early evening, so if you're looking for a quick, casual bite in Palermo Soho, it's a decent choice.

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.

Long before grilled pizza became commonplace elsewhere, it was already part of the local tradition, where pizza dough was tossed on the grill, cooked quickly like a flatbread, and then topped with fresh, favored ingredients. The best place to sample grilled pizza is Morelia, which has a popular branch on the trendy restaurant row of Calle Báez. Choose your favorite combination of toppings, though a perennial favorite is the montecattini with prosciutto and arugula. In nice weather grab a seat on the rooftop terrace, one of the best spots in town to eat pizza.

A cheery spot that has lifted Centro’s dining options, this family-run restaurant serves up delicious and authentic Korean dishes. First-generation migrant Martín Ho cooks while daughter Abi runs front of house, and together they run an efficient K-food ship, serving well-priced soups such as budae jjigae as well as the popular meaty main bulgogi. There’s also a wide and tasty selection of veggie dishes, too. This is an ideal spot for early eaters as dinner starts at 6 pm and ends at 9:30 pm.

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.

Great spot to dine on the waterfront. They have an extensive menu but are most loved for the seafood and pasta dishes; the seafood pizza is a particular favorite. 

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.

This elegant chain was a successful attempt at bringing Argentine food to the U.S. When the first branch opened at in Buenos Aires, it shifted into reverse and focused on North American specialties like burgers, sandwiches, and salads, along with a few local favorites like empanadas, and, of course, meat off the grill. Novecento is known in the expat community for serving up one of the city's best norteamericano brunches around. On weekends crowds flock in looking for a taste of home, mixing it up with neighborhood families checking out dishes from north of the border

Mendocinos have been coming here for years to get their beef fix—lomo and bife de chorizo are grilled to perfection at this comfortable country-style restaurant. Pastas, grilled vegetables, and salads are also on the menu. Their other restaurant in Palmares is more upmarket.

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.

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.

This old-school pizzeria empire, which now has outposts in a dozen countries, made it big by turning out tasty pizzas, one after another. It's not Argentine-style pizza—the crust is too thin, the sauce too plentiful, and the cheese too sparse—more like an echo of the pizza from the chain's home base in Treviso, Italy. It attracts locals looking for something different and visitors from afar who recognize the name. There's a second branch at Gorriti 5751 in Palermo.

The locals crowding the tables at this bustling, family-oriented restaurant are proof of its reputation as the top seafood spot in town. The best dishes are the starters: think oyster platters, a decadent bowl of calamari, or the picada de mariscos, a sampling of hot and cold shellfish dishes. Follow up with the centolla (king crab) or stuffed salmon.

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.

In a beautiful tri-level space overlooking Plaza Armenia, chef Daniel López Martitegui serves up the most creative food in the area—do your best to get a table beside one of the tall windows. In general, the fare tends toward lighter, healthier options, with a good number of vegetarian dishes. The food is delightfully spiced with blends from China, India, and wherever the chef's mind wanders. Cocktails and teas are tasty, but tend to be made on the sweet side unless you ask for them otherwise. The vegetable carpaccio salad and various wraps are the best dishes on the menu.

With its paneled walls, sleek black tables, and vintage photos, this retro Italo-Argentine diner is popular with locals and visitors alike for its pasta specialties. Try the stuffed gnocchi and the good prix-fixe menus.

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.

Tiled walls that look straight out of the Middle East mark the entrance to this eatery, which offers great value Lebanese food. Don't be dismayed by the bright lights. Just order a bottle of Malbec, head for the table of appetizers, and fill your plate with crab brochettes, pickled eggplant, fresh tomatoes, and sliced tongue. Entrées include pastas, chicken, and beef prepared with a Middle Eastern touch.

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.

This venerable steak house has waiters in bow ties and vests who maneuver around the farmhouse-style dining room, serving flavorful, tender cuts of meat including entraña (hanger steak) and matambrito (pork flank). Although the menu appears pricey, portions are massive, and they know it: the steaks are set atop small hibachis to keep them hot. Your best bet is to order one steak for two to share and a platter of the papas rejillas, and thick waffle-cut chips.

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.

Sure, this family-style restaurant can be chaotic, but it's the place to go for great Middle Eastern food. You could easily fill up on several of the small dishes from the expansive selection of mezes, which are the restaurant's best work. The lamb kafta completo is the most memorable item on the menu, but there are also great options for vegetarians. Be sure to leave room for one of the honey and nut pastries. Most nights there are belly dancers and coffee-ground readers wandering through the dining room. Arrive early or expect to wait for a table. The place is technically in Villa Crespo, but it's only about a block from Palermo Soho, across Avenida Córdoba.

This Mediterranean-style bistro is wildly popular at night, and reservations are recommended if you're intent on sampling the creative fare. At lunch, when most of the same menu items are available, it's far easier to snag a table. Enjoy a risotto or pasta dish from the à la carte menu, or opt for the great value two-course lunch special. You can practically sit inside the open kitchen and watch the young cooks work their magic on a range of dishes, including many vegetarian choices. If you prefer dining alfresco, there's a small garden patio with a couple of tables and sidewalk seating out front.

Dedicated to natural foods, this buffet-style restaurant has lots of vegetarian and even vegan options. The atmosphere is laid-back, and your meal—which is priced by weight—can be eaten in or taken out.  Be sure to try the fresh-squeezed fruit and vegetable juices.

"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.

Buenos Aires is home to a large Basque immigrant population, and if there's anywhere in town to turn to for Basque cooking, it's this place. You can expect friendly, efficient service from waiters who know their stuff as they work the antiques-filled dining room. Although the extensive menu may look pricey at first glance, it's really not at all. Most of the plates are big enough to share, and many can be ordered in half-size portions. Top recommendations include the various stews, particularly the spicy cazuela de mariscos (seafood casserole). Another don't-miss option is the gambas al ajillo (large prawns in garlic and chili sauce).