Buenos Aires is arguably Latin America's
gastronomic capital
. As well as the excellent and ubiquitous
pizza
and
pasta
restaurants common to the country as a whole, the capital offers an ever increasing number of
cosmopolitan
cuisines, ranging from Turkish through Basque to Japanese. The city's crowning glory, however, for meat eaters at least, are its
parrillas
. At the top end of the range, there are restaurants offering the country's choicest beef cooked on an
asador criollo
, that is staked around an open fire. There are plenty of humbler places, too, where you can enjoy a succulent parrillada in a lively atmosphere. There are excellent restaurants throughout the city but, with a few exceptions, the centre and the south are best for the city's most traditional restaurants whilst the north is the place to head for if you're looking for more innovative or exotic cooking.
Puerto Madero
, the recently renovated port area, is knee-deep in big, glitzy themed restaurants, though - a couple of decent places notwithstanding - these are hardly the capital's most exciting eating options. You'll find a far more original crop of restaurants around the hugely popular and trendy
Las Cañitas
area in Palermo (subte station Ministro Carranza or buses #29 and #60 bajo) and, increasingly, in
Palermo Viejo
, where restaurants are given added charm by being located in elegant late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century constructions.
Though most restaurants open in the evening at around 8pm, it's worth bearing in mind that most Porteños don't go out to eat much before 10pm, so unless you want a restaurant to yourself, you should probably do the same. Most restaurant kitchens close around midnight during the week, though at weekends many keep serving till the small hours. There are also plenty of confiterías and pizzerias that open all night, so you shouldn't have trouble satisfying your hunger at any time
Vegetarian restaurants
It's not impossible to be a
vegetarian
in Buenos Aires, but it's not easy. There are a few vegetarian restaurants, but only a few, and most
platos del día
at cheaper restaurants include meat of some variety. Nonetheless, the...
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The centre
Arturito
, Corrientes 1124 (tel 011/4382-0227). An old-fashioned oasis reigned over by courteous white-jacketed waiters, Arturito is a Corrientes landmark, and its
bife de chorizo con papas
(rump steak and chips) is an unquestionably good...
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The south
Almacén y Bar
, Cochabamba 1701, Constitución; subte station Entre Ríos or buses #6, #12 and #37. Upmarket
picadas
comprising Argentinian and imported cheeses, cured ham and shellfish, plus an excellent wine list. Closed Sat evening and...
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The north
Afrodita
, Báez 121, Palermo (tel 011/4772-6527). This newly opened restaurant in the phenomenally successful Las Cañitas area offers imaginative pasta dishes such as
ravioles de calabaza
(pumpkin ravioli) at moderate prices in a stylish...
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The west
El Mirasol
, Boedo 136 (tel 011/4864-5890); subte Castro Barros or bus #86. Pretty restaurant serving superior parrillada (including
entraña
and
colita de cuadril
, two of the tenderest and tastiest cuts) with a good selection...
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Cafés, confiterías and snacks
Abuela Pan
, Bolívar 707, San Telmo. Homely vegetarian café and wholefood store offering a daily two-course menu for $6 with options such as wholemeal pasta, aubergine omelette and vegetarian
locro
. Open Mon-Fri 8am-6pm.
La...
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