23 Best Restaurants in Argentina

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.

At this single large restaurant with a large patio that's perfect for outdoor dining and with lively folk music, the primary menu includes well-prepared pastas, local fish, and meats. There are separate menu pages for pizza, East Asian, and burgers, all of which they take seriously. The fresh pasta is especially good, maybe because the couple who own the restaurant are from Italy. The children's menu covers a lot of bases, but it's a little pricey.

Don't expect any frills here, just great steaks, and side dishes such as the papas fritas provenzal, golden french fries tossed in fresh parsley and garlic. Take a table in the cavernous dining room, or grab something to go—steak sandwiches and empanadas fly out the door as fast as they can make them. The portions are huge and the prices are reasonable.

Priding itself on cooking dishes like your Italian nonna would make, Fuente y Fonda offers hearty Argentine fare in family size portions that are designed to be shared by at least two people. Expect deep dishes filled with stuffed cannelloni, milanesa napolitana (topped with cheese and ham), or roast meats.

Homemade pastas are the specialty here, but locals also tuck into hearty dishes of grilled steak, pork, and chicken at this lively restaurant with exposed brick, low lighting, wooden booths, and a traditional pub-like atmosphere. Some come just for a beer, while others come to dine.

Located alongside the Hipódromo, the city's hottest horse-racing track, this eatery has great views. Boisterous definitely defines the ambience as diners tuck into barbecued ribs, chops, steaks, pastas, and salads, all washed down with copious amounts of beer and iced tea. There are plenty of options for children on the menu. This is the top of the heap for diners searching for a U.S.-style chain, and it attracts local business executives during the day and families at night. Reservations recommended, especially for dinner, and there's almost always a wait for a table.

The specialty at this lively family eatery is the milanesa napolitana, a gut-busting plate of breaded steak topped with ham, mozzarella, and tomato sauce; tack on an order of papas a la provenzal (garlic-and-parsley fries) and you can easily feed two. The pastas and trucha (trout) are equally recommendable. Go early for both lunch and dinner: lines here can sometimes stretch down the block.

This colorful spot is known for its large dishes of warming pasta, succulent local trout, and king-size milanesas and steaks. Decor is minimal but service is warm, and there are splendid mountain views.

Serving a buffet of salads and starters followed by a main course straight from the grill, La Juntada updates the classic pulperia (tavern) atmosphere with a good wine list and a fresh lick of paint. Go hungry for the typical Argentine fare such as grilled goat kid that's well-prepared.

This bustling spot is where locals go for their pizza joint fix, thanks to the typical Argentine-style pizza of thick crust and layers with stringy cheese. Their empanadas are just as good—pick up a few and you have the perfect pastry pick-me-up during a long day of exploring. With two branches on the main strip (one with a kids' playground and the other for more Patagonian-style dishes), the secret is out, but stick with the original pizzeria, as the locals do. If it's not crowded, you're in the wrong one.

They've been serving homemade pasta at La Marchigiana since 1950, and many of the recipes were passed down from founder Nonna Fernanda; today her descendants carry on the tradition in the kitchen. Popular with Mendocinos looking for a reasonably priced meal (and a great lasagna), there's a second restaurant at Ruta Panamericana 3200 in Godoy Cruz.

A family-run and family-friendly Italian trattoria of the sort you might find in any big city, La Parolaccia stands out for its excellent homemade pastas—particularly good are the hand-rolled fusilli. And don't overlook the three-course lunch specials, which can be a great deal. The staff is happy to prepare half portions of pasta dishes for kids. You'll be greeted with a complimentary cocktail and sent off with a digestif of limoncello at the end of your meal.

While the city's Chinatown is not all that big, it does have its fair share of notable eateries. Lai-Lai stands out for its varied menu, combining not just the more usual Taiwanese cuisine, but also spicier dishes from the Hunan and Szechuan provinces. Not to be missed are the Szechuan dumplings in broth (empanaditas chinas picantes, in Spanish), tofu in a fiery red sauce, and the big-enough-to-share half duck glazed in honey and tea.

Not known for its decor, this simple spot with tightly packed tables and fluorescent lights is filled with locals who love the coal-fired deep-dish pizza—a style you don't find frequently in this city. It's a great place to go on your own, as solo diners aren't uncommon. Not to be missed is the spinach and white-sauce pizza, a neighborhood favorite. For meat eaters there's the española layered with longaniza sausage, the city's answer to pepperoni. It can take awhile to get the staff's attention, and friendliness is not the first order of the day, but the wait and the attitude won't matter once you sink your fork into one of these slices.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Casual style, fantastic service and atmosphere, and a prime location in Palermo Botánico make this a preferred Italian restaurant. Open for lunch and dinner, try the Argentine spin on surf and turf of gamberi e animelle (perfectly grilled prawns and sweetbreads), or guanciale (braised pork cheeks). The multilayered house lasagna is also fantastic. There's a great wine list too.