Local Bites: the best places to eat and drink in Buenos Aires

Whilst the Argentinian capital is still revered for its impressive number of top-notch parrillas (steakhouses), the food and drink scene in Buenos Aires has boomed over the past decade.

From contemporary bodegones and trendy bistros to new wine joints and award-winning cocktail bars, Buenos Aires is becoming the star of the gastronomy world. Michelin published its first Argentina restaurant guide in November, the same month 14 establishments ranked on Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023.

It’s time to don an elasticated waistband and make some reservations.

Breakfast

Caffeine kickstarts my day and I love to saunter over to La Noire, a café five blocks from home on the cusp of Villa Crespo and Chacarita. This French-owned coffee shop captured my heart during the pandemic thanks to its one tiny bench on the sidewalk, two-for-one cappuccinos and delightfully friendly service.

Though those discount days are long gone, my favorite barista Estefanía still works there, whipping up impeccable latte art. Get there for 9 am, when it’s just opened, and the sunlight falls perfectly on the vintage furniture. There’s usually a photography exhibition adorning the mint-hued walls, and the eclectic soundtrack bounces between electro-pop and jazz. Breakfast for me is light and savory, so I order a flat white and puffy sourdough croissant.

For a more substantial morning meal I will order the delicious ham and cheese toasted sandwich on gluten-free bread from Las Flores in Palermo Hollywood. Tucked away in an urban garden, brunch among 600 blooming plants is a calming way to begin the weekend.

Coffee

There’s a plethora of great specialty coffee shops in Chacarita, my neighborhood of 11 years. Cuervo on Newbery is pretty hipster – they roast beans in-house and the coffee is excellent – it’s also pet-friendly. On the same street is Silvestre, a lovely sunny corner whose caffeine comes from Fuego Tostadores. Staff bring your beverage to the table here, rather than bellowing out your name. Within walking distance is Stracqua, where I go for an uplifting espresso, and Salvaje Bakery, whose lattes come in beautiful handmade mugs. I’ll inevitably pick up a sourdough loaf to take home.

Lunch

From an upcycled industrial bakery in La Paternal, Jazmín Marturet cooks dishes she discovered from traveling across Southeast Asia. I love her pâté bánh mì style (pork liver pate) and larb gai issan, a spicy chicken salad that’s bursts with flavor. Open only at lunch, the MN Santa Inés menu changes each fortnight, and is one of the best priced in town. It’s a legit spot frequented by locals who drop by for a quick lunch. The restaurant packs out at the weekend, so book ahead.

In the same barrio, recently opened Tita La Vedette started out as a takeout-only a vegan pasta diner in Chacarita and proved so successful, it is now a permenant. Its all-female kitchen plays around with ramen and I love the playful trifungi, mushroom-stuffed triangles doused in a dreamy pesto-and-cashew-cream sauce.

Aperitivo

It's the diverse selection available of wine by-the-glass that keeps me coming back to Anchoita Cava in Chacarita. This bijou wine bar has a wealth of Argentine vintages and some superb European styles too, all served in beautiful glassware. Ancohita Cava attracts a cool crowd, some who come only for the 100-plus cheeses on offer. I usually go for a tangy Cheddar for a taste of the UK. If it’s full, head over to Naranjo Bar or Lardito, two trendy alternatives within walking distance.

Dinner

Bib Gourmand-recommended Mengano pairs fantastic cooking and great value. Chef Facundo Kelemen jacked in law books for cooking tomes and now creates contemporary versions of porteño dishes in Palermo, such as revuelto Gramajo, a ham, egg and potato hash.

Depending on who I’m with, I will grab a stool at the kitchen counter to watch the team at work or sink into the comfy sofa at a table for four. For a more intimate experience with friends, I will book the private dining room that doubles as a wine cellar. To start I’ll order the tiny empanadas (dough pockets stuffed with wagyu beef and topped with lemon zest) and devour them in a single bite. They explode in your mouth.

I will then move on to the crunchy seafood rice with scallops and the ñoqui chipá soufflé, dreamy gnocchi served in a delicious black pudding broth. Add a decent vintage and you’ll pay around US$40 at the blue exchange rate (informally bought cash dollars). While it’s best to make a reservation, even more so since the November Bib Gourmand furor, the team always holds back a couple of walk-in tables.

Bar

After an evening dining out, I can be easily tempted to stop by La Uat for a drink and a boogie. Hidden behind the deli counter of Cacho Rotisería (whose vegan hotdogs will fill any late-night hunger pangs), this speakeasy is slap bang in the middle of Palermo Soho. Push through the palm tree-decorated curtains and you will discover two different bars – both sporting plenty of neon. The terrace gets packed out with bright young things dancing to reggaéton but I prefer to release my energy to an 80s and 90s soundtrack downstairs beneath the enormous glitter ball, refreshing lemon champetta cocktail in hand. I'm usually home by 1 am on a school night, but at least I’ve had some fun, even if it’s early by Argentine standards.