160 Best Places to Shop in Argentina

"Listen, mortals": so begins Argentina's national anthem, which this ultrahip music store has taken as its name. You may be mortal, but the staff aren't. They subscribe to the High Fidelity school of service—unless you're Bob Dylan, expect to be abused. Avoid their sneers and turn to the unrivaled selection of local folk, rock nacional, and indie, bursting with Argentine artists no one back home has even heard of, let alone heard.

Despite turning out jeans, retro-print tees, and hoodies that rival those of other local brands, Old Bridge has somehow never hit Buenos Aires' most-wanted list. All the better for you: the quality is as good as the competition but prices are much lower.

Wine lovers come to this independent store and bar for a glass of something cheerful and a bite to eat. English-speaking sommeliers are on hand to help you make sense of the wide selection of Argentine wine sourced from all over the country. They also host tastings with guest winemakers to get you closer to local vintages.

A spacious wine store that also includes a café and patio perfect for sipping your purchase, Pain et Vin is run by a savvy husband and-wife team. This recent addition to the Palermo wine scene takes pride in boutique labels and offers tastings, accompanied by house-baked sourdough.

A 15-minute drive south of Mendoza, the Palmares Open Mall has 120 stores, lots of great restaurant options, and 10 movie theaters (including one in 3-D).

Making paper funky, piles of handmade sheets and envelopes, leather-bound diaries, and vintage notebooks are arrayed on simple trestle tables. Writing implements range from old-world pens to chunky pencils. The store often showcases work by top engravers and graphic artists, who return the favor by designing covers for sketchbooks.

If you're a serious shopper with only enough time to visit a single mall, make it this one. Resident fashionistas favor Paseo Alcorta for its mix of high-end local chains and boutiques from some of the city's best designers. Trendsetters such as Jazmín Chebar and Allô Martinez make cool clothes for women, while María Cher and Chocolate offer more classic chic; the men can hold their own at Etiqueta Negra and Félix. The international presence is strong, too, with stores like Swarovski, Lacroix, Cacharel, and Zara, as well as the usual sports brands. There's even a personal-shopper service if it all gets too overwhelming. Complimentary hotel transfers, free Wi-Fi, and a classy food hall give you further reasons to drop in.

The modest Paseo de los Artesanos on Plaza General Belgrano has reasonable prices on all kinds of woven and handcrafted souvenirs. And those coca tea bags, imported from Bolivia, are a curiosity that's hard to resist. The small café at the back is ideal for a quick empanada pitstop.

The city's most upscale mall was once the headquarters for the Bullrich family's meat-auction house, and stone cow heads mounted on pillars still watch over the clientele. A colonnaded front and domed-glass ceiling are further reminders of a past age. Fashion fans can check out international brands such as Salvatore Ferragamo, Cacharel, Lacoste, and Carolina Herrera; on the local design front, urban leather-ware brand Besha has a shop here, as does Ricky Sarkany (the enfant terrible of Argentine footwear, who sells dangerously pointed stilettos in colors that walk the line between exciting and kitsch). The edgy but elegant menswear brand Etiqueta Negra opened its first store outside the snooty northern suburbs here, and La Martina gives it fierce competition. When the bags begin to weigh you down, stop for cake at Nucha, on the Avenida del Libertador side of the building.

Much like his brother Mariano, Juan Patricio Draghi is a master artisan, and his shop is itself a jewelry box from another time where one wouldn't be surprised bumping into Henry James or Edith Wharton. The exquisite craftsmanship of his silverwork and jewelry is breathtaking. Much of his heirloom-quality work is custom made, so you'll need to order well in advance of your visit, but all his items are of the finest quality.

This store's founder hails from a local dynasty and her choice of logo—a little embroidered crown—lets you know that her clothes are for urban princesses. Her take on preppy is tongue-in-cheek, mixing blazers and straight-leg pants with puffed-sleeve shirts and ties, or stripy sailor tees. The candy-stripe onesies and bright corduroy dresses from the kids' line are enough to make even the biggest girls' hearts melt.

Replicating a private home, this classic two-story edifice is filled with eye-catching items sourced from 80 Argentine designers. Browse among the hand-painted penguin wine jugs and chunky woolen rugs; then wander upstairs to discover one-off jewelry pieces in the boudoir or head out back for a well-deserved coffee on the pretty patio.

The young at heart and their kiddy counterparts can thrill together at the quirky use of animals on Pesqueira's signature pieces, including jumpsuits, bags, purses, and accessories. Don't leave without at least picking up a leather bear-face sling purse.

Classic silver trays, cutlery sets, tea sets, and ice buckets have been favorites on porteño high-society wedding lists for more than 125 years. Department stores worldwide stock Lappas silverware, but why pay export prices?

Tucked into an arcade, this tiny shop is filled with delights for both boho chicks and collectors of singular ethnic jewelry. Complex, chunky necklaces with turquoise, amber, and malachite—all based on original Araucanian (ethnic Argentine) pieces—and Mapuche-style silver earrings and brooches are some of the offerings. Happy customers include Sharon Stone, Pedro Almodóvar, and the Textile Museum in Washington, D.C.

Professional women who want work clothes with a feminine touch shop at Portsaid, where satin-ribbon ties and discreet beadwork soften otherwise practical garments. Simply cut suits and twin-sets come in bright pastels to make you stand out in a drab office; woolen winter coats are always a bargain both in terms of quality and style, whether they are classic cuts or fuller '60s-influenced designs.

Among the kitsch offerings at Positivo are button-covered satin handbags, metallic mate vessels, and thermos flasks in enough garish colors to match any outfit.

Trendy design types and bearded literature students frequent this corner store, which shares an entrance with the Miles Discos record shop. Non–Spanish speakers can bridge the language gap with Sin palabras, an illustrated how-to dictionary of Argentine gestures. Quirky gift options include flipbooks like El gol del siglo, depicting Maradona's celebrated goal against England in the 1986 World Cup.

Smart working chicks, busy moms, and older ladies who lunch all adore Prüne's chic yet practical leather bags, with thoughtful compartments and enough room for all your stuff. Colors tend to be rich and dark, while guest collections offer a brighter, quirkier alternative. Details such as studs and steel rings linking bags to straps lend urban touches. Leather jackets, belts, and footwear are also sold at Prüne locations city-wide.

A Willy Wonkaland overflowing with chocolate, sweets, and ice cream, Rapanui has treats to delight adults and children alike. Established in 1939, it's one of Bariloche's preeminent chocolaterías.

Some of the most-sought-after jeans in town have been purchased in Rapsodia—look for the ocher wing design on local girls' back pockets. Buenos Aires' boho princesses worship this store, as they simply can't get enough of owner and model Sol Acuña's floaty, embroidered Indian tops and hippy-chic dresses.

This modern glass-and-steel construction may be smaller than most of its Buenos Aires counterparts, but it's not lacking in stores. Most classic Argentine high-street brands are represented, including Ayres, A.Y. Not Dead, and Delaostia for women and Key Biscayne for men. There’s also an impressive movie theater on-site. Offering fabulous views of the famous Recoleta Cemetery, the mall breathes added life into an area mainly inhabited by corpses.

Soccer players, soap-opera stars, clubbers: everyone seems to be wearing one of Refans' trademark T-shirts. They come in ultrabright colors, emblazoned with quirky Italian phrases like "siamo fuori" ("we are out," a reference to the FIFA World Cup). Lucas Castromán, a local soccer star himself, is behind the brand. Anoraks, hoodies, jeans, and messenger bags round out the offerings.

This cavernous auction warehouse is crammed with furniture, mirrors, statues, rugs, dinner sets, and even salvaged doors and windows. Scores of chandeliers glitter overhead, and glassware is packed into cabinets along the edges. Some pieces are antique, others are simply old—size them up during the week, then return for the auction. Alternatively, you can make an advance offer which opens bidding in your absence.

Top-quality workmanship and classic cuts are what have been bringing distinguished customers such as King Juan Carlos of Spain to Rossi y Caruso since 1878. This flagship store specializes in riding gear (think Marlborough fox-hunt rather than Marlboro man) but also carries luggage, leather jackets, gloves, and shoes. Should you require a saddle, those sold here are the best in town.

For custom-made, haute-couture tango wear and accessories (including fabulous feather hairpieces), visit the family-run Segunda Generación.

Despite being crammed with furniture, this corner store looks extravagant rather than chaotic. It's probably due to the alluring European collectibles, ranging from terracotta amphoras and gilt-wood church candles to Louis XV–style chairs reupholstered in buttercup-yellow silk.

This spot has a great stock of wines and gourmet food. Handicrafts and other local items are sold as well.

This spot specializes in funky fabric toys; heavy stitching gives their dolls an appealingly punky look. Crates are filled with an ark-worthy selection of button-eyed calico animals, including some that can be worn as scarves and backpacks. Check out the fun zebras and pigs, too.