ARGENTINA – Buenos Aires

StoriesSightsEatsMilongas

foods and drinks to try in argentina:

Empanadas – like little hand pies stuffed with meat, chicken, vegetables…

Argentina - Buenos Aires - Feria de Mataderos - 5 (1024x743)

Medialunas – little croissants, usually served in groups of 3

Argentina - Buenos Aires - Medialunas (1024x764)

Parrilla – literally “grill” – lots of grilled meat

Argentina - Buenos Aires - Parilla (1024x750)

Chimichurri – dipping sauce for grilled meat made with parsley, garlic, oil, red wine vinegar, and chili flake
Asado – a social event sort of like a bbq, but a lot better – especially popular in the countryside
Flan – a custard dessert, typically round-shaped with a caramel sauce topping you get from inverting the dessert onto the plate

Argentina - Buenos Aires - Flan - Chef Juan (1024x706)

Alfajores – cookie sandwiches with dulce de leche in the middle, sometimes rolled in coconut or dipped in chocolate

Argentina - Buenos Aires - Alfajores (1024x741)

Mate – a hot drink you sip out of a filter/straw – like a super earthy green tea

Argentina - Buenos Aires - Mate (1024x765)

Malbec – red wine mostly from Mendoza, Argentina

farmers market

Feria de Mataderos
This one’s got it all: ladies in doily hats hand-making empanadas and frying them on the spot, stalls selling leather products, candied fruit and popcorn kabobs, gauchos (cowboys) in traditional garb with miniature ponies.
Sundays 11am-8pm (March through December).
 
Argentina - Buenos Aires - Feria de Mataderos - 4 (1024x698)

Argentina - Buenos Aires - Feria de Mataderos - 2 (1024x761)
 
Villa Riachuelo, Av. Lisandro de la Torre and Av. de los Corrales (barrio: Mataderos)

cafés

La Poesía
My favorite café. There’s a loft-style upstairs with tables and an exposed brick ceiling.
 
Argentina - Buenos Aires - La Poesia - 1 (1024x716)
 
Chile 502 (barrio: San Telmo)
+54 11 4300-7340
 
Café Tortoni
It’s been around since 1858. Servers wear tuxedos, and the china is emblazoned with the name of the café. You go here for the history.
 
Argentina - Buenos Aires - Cafe Tortoni - 2 (1024x681)
 
Avenida de Mayo 825 (barrio: Monserrat)
+54 11 4342-4328
 
La Pastalinda
A homemade pasta shop with beautiful, old pasta making machines showcased behind the counter. We eat some delicious handmade Italian ravioli here before the Bicentenario.
 
Chacabuco 639 (barrio: San Telmo)
+54 11 4361-0425
 
Origen
A corner café serving healthier fare and breakfast smoothies. A reprieve for all the grilled meat and potatoes.
 
Humberto Primo 599 (barrio: San Telmo)
+54 11 4362-7979
 
Matilda’s
A little American bakery in Buenos Aires.
 
Argentina - Buenos Aires - Matildas - 1.1 (1024x691)
 
It appears that it’s closed now… 🙁

restaurants

La Gran Taberna
Near the National Congress building, a classic Spanish restaurant specializing in seafood. Cured hams hang from the ceiling like chandeliers. I order the salmon topped with a tomato broth, peas, and sliced onions along with crispy, fried potato slices. And we do table side flambé for dessert.
 
Argentina - Buenos Aires - La Gran Taberna - 2 (1024x730)
 
Combate de Los Pozos 95 (barrio: Balvanera)
+54 11 4951-7586
 
Bar El Federal
Another place you go for the history. Since 1864. The coffee comes with a little square of cornbread.
 
Argentina - Buenos Aires - Bar El Federal - 2 (1024x732)
 
Carlos Calvo, 599 (barrio: San Telmo)
+54 11 4300-4313
 
l’Embruix
A Mediterranean restaurant with large open windows overlooking Chile and Piedras streets. I have a café con leche and medialunas.
 
Argentina - Buenos Aires - Embruix - 2 (1024x737)
 
Chile 812 (barrio: San Telmo)
+54 11 4342-5687
 
Las Cuartetas
A good late night place for pizza by the slice and a cold mug of Quilmes beer. Although in BA, every restaurant is sort of a “late night” place, since most Argentines don’t eat til 10pm or so.
 
Argentina - Buenos Aires - Las Cuartetas (1024x768)
 
Av. Corrientes 838 (barrio: San Nicolás)
+54 11 4326-0171

ice cream

Freddo
Famous helado (ice cream) shop. We go to the one by Recoleta Cemetery. There are a few locations in BA.
 
Argentina - Buenos Aires - Freddo (1024x753)
 
Guido 2000 (barrio: Recoleta)

bakery

Lucio Lopez Lanza (panderia + confiteria)
You have to try their alfajores! We come here so much the owner gives us a free bag to take on our plane ride home. Although I have to confess, the cookies don’t make it much past Chacabuco street… The bakery also serves pretty good empanadas and some simple sandwiches.
 
Chacabuco 889 (barrio: San Telmo)
+54 11 4362-0647

 
 


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joey@travelto7.com