Even while in a pandemic, Buenos Aires restaurants rallied to not only keep their doors open and staff paid but supplied locals with unforgettable meals. We’ve eaten at hundreds of establishments, and we have identified the best restaurants in Buenos Aires. In addition to the spots we already know and love (mentioned in former posts), here are 10 best restaurants to incorporate into your dining or take-out repertoire.
Don Julio
This buzzy steakhouse, located in the heart of Palermo district, is worth the hype. All the meat at Don Julio comes from grass-fed Aberdeen Angus and Hereford cattle raised in the fields outside of Buenos Aires. It is stored in a climate controlled refrigerator for at least 21 days to reach optimum maturity. Then, the grill master Bienvenido 'Pepe' Sotelo cooks all the meat on a traditional iron grill in the shape of a "V”.
What to order: The owner Pablo Rivero recommends ordering bife de cuadril (tenderloin steak) and entraña (skirt steak). As a starter, he opts for the deep-fried veal patties and crispy sweetbreads, which are lightly seasoned with just lemon juice and salt. Most plates are shareable and they can be paired with their excellent wine list.
Address: Guatemala 4699, Palermo,Buenos Aires.
Phone #: +54 11 4832-6058
Fervor
Fervor is a classic restaurant in the ritzy old-world Recoleta neighborhood. Frequented by locals as well as tourists, it serves excellent meats and fish accompanied by exceptional service. Chefs dry age all meat, allowing enzymes to break down, resulting in melt-in-your-mouth tenderness and a more concentrated flavor. The fillets are then charcoal-grilled for a smoky flavor and thick crust that pairs nicely with a robust glass of Malbec.
What to order: The "star" cut of meat is undoubtedly the tender loin with rosemary and garlic, and barbecue of vegetables for four people. If you fancy fish, we strongly recommend the “parrillada de mar” which is also a barbecue of fish and seafood, and brochettes of prawns and squid. Address: Posadas 1519
Phone #: +54 11 4804-4944
Fayer
The Fayer experience is based on modern Israeli cuisine, with a strong Mediterranean influence, using the best seasonal products from Argentina. Creative dishes such as beet root hummus, super home cooked bread and even the fries had a very original taste with home-made tomato sauce
What to order: Their pastrami with bone, unique in its way of preparation, is not to be missed.
Address: Cerviño 4417, Buenos Aires
Phone #: +541147743313
Roux
This quaint corner bistro ( only 30-seats) specializes in locally sourced seafood. Seasonal, market-fresh, young, contemporary, the Mediterranean-inspired menu consists of artistic plates that don't lose taste to texture and color. Some favorites: the shrimp risotto, llama carpaccio, couscous salad with seafood, ossobuco ravioli, Patagonian trout.
What to order: Try options like prawns with grilled melon, bok choy and almond sauce, or stick with the classics, which still come with a twist: ossobuco ravioli, for example, or chimichurri-seasoned basmati rice.
Address: Peña 2300
Phone #: +54 11 4805-6794
Casa Cavia
This immaculately restored 1927 mansion is the ideal place for breakfast, lunch, or a pre-dinner aperitif. Designed by London-based architecture studio Kallos Turin, it features white marble with green accents, antique mirrors, and mid-century Bertoia chairs; it all feels like you are a guest in a very elegant home. The mansion is a kind of store concept: the various rooms house a bookstore, a perfumery, a florist, a cocktail bar and a restaurant, La Cocina. It also serves as a social club - you'll see locals networking over coffee or mingling at independent film screenings and literary gatherings.
What to order: Grilled prawn sandwich, grilled flank steak and leek (with chorizo crumbs and caramelized onions) and Dulce de leche ice-cream, salted nuts and lemon. Drinks are varied and really good.
Address: Cavia 2985
Phone #: +54 11 4809-8600
Chila
Argentine gastronomy has found its highest representative in front of the docks of the port of Buenos Aires. Chila. Chef Pedro Bargero is responsible for innovation in the kitchen. His task begins by going to the Central Market to select the best products and producers, an absolute guarantee of the taste exploration of this vast country. The menus, both the tasting and the vegetarian, change every month. The key to success: traceability. Choosing between refined dishes will seem easy when they are presented in a way that is as wise as it is original: leeks, wild papaya or hake with pataca.
Address: Alicia Moreau de Justo 1160, Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires, C1107 AAT
Phone #: 54 11 4343 6067
Aramburu
Hidden away on a gritty, graffiti-covered street is one of the most beautiful, intimate, and romantic restaurants in the city. Night after night Gonzalo Aramburu turns out his exquisite 12-course tasting menu of seasonal dishes, each reinterpreted through the lens of what here is called cocina vanguardia, or cutting-edge cooking. Aramburu is the undisputed star of the nascent local molecular gastronomy scene.
Address: Salta 1050
Phone #: 11-4305–0439
Elena
Finally, last week Elena returned, the most successful hotel restaurant in recent times. When something works, you don't have to change too much, so the proposal continues to have the same concept.
Under the paradigm "from farm to table", this emblematic restaurant in the downtown area offers charcuterie and cheese tables - a tribute to the Argentine picada - within its extensive menu, which come from different producers, selected from the best of the country. The beef, part of the main spirit of the menu, uses the ancestral dry aged method, it is aged to concentrate its flavors and achieve the perfect texture.
Address: Posadas 1086, Buenos Aires. (Inside Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires).
Phone #: +54 11 4321-1200
Tegui
Its owner is Germán Martitegui, former Master Chef jury. It is one of the most expensive places in Buenos Aires. The proposal consists of choosing between two menus, one with 5 steps and the other with 10 steps. The way of treating vegetables is one of the strengths of Tegui: raw, in juice, pureed, among others. The way they are made is the purpose: to preserve the natural potential of vegetables on the table.
Address: Costa Rica 5852
Phone #: +54 11 4770-9500
Niño Gordo
The bar is one of the best places to sit, as it allows you to witness the show that takes place in the kitchen on the front line. From here come Asian delicacies inspired by Vietnam, Japan, China, Thailand and Korea, but with a Buenos Aires touch. Its star dishes include prawns with bacon, cauliflower and coconut, although the sweetbreads are also tempting. In addition, the menu can be washed down with an elegant cocktail served in peculiar glasses, including one with the face of a panda bear. There is no shortage of liquors and distillates from Asia such as Sake, Soshu, liquor with bamboo extract, Ginseng root distillate, makgeolli and Japanese whiskey.
Address: Thames 1810, Buenos Aires
Phone #: 54 11 2129-5028
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