Buenos Aires Food: Feast Your Taste Buds With Great Treats

As the capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires food is influenced by the country’s immigration history. You’ll taste a diverse cuisine from Italian- and Mediterranean-inspired dishes. 

High-quality meats, traditional grilling, and a fusion of European and indigenous flavors characterize Argentine cuisine. Going on a food trip around Buenos Aires is a memorable experience, especially if you enjoy shared meals and hearty dishes. 

Experience Buenos Aires Food 

The Buenos Aires food scene is part of the city’s identity. From its savory Argentine dishes to cuisine with international influences, check out these food experiences I recommend you try when you visit.

1. Beef-Centric and Grill-Heavy Cuisine

You might notice two things when you ask for food recommendations from porteños (what Buenos Aires locals are called, translated as “people of the port”). 

First, many savory Buenos Aires meals are cooked by grill. Second, beef-based dishes are a cornerstone of Argentine cuisine. You can see these in traditional dishes such as:

• Asados: Uses various cuts of beef, slow-cooked in an open flame and served with chimichurri sauce.
• Mollejas: Referred to as sweetbread, but it is not a bread or sweet. Mollegas is made from beef’s thymus or pancreas glands, usually grilled or fried until crispy. 
• Bife de Chorizo: Classic Argentine sirloin steak, grilled to perfection. 
• Chinchulines: Beef intestines, cleaned thoroughly, then grilled until super-crispy.
• Ojo de Bife: Grilled ribeye steak.

2. Go International: Italian and Spanish-Inspired Food

Argentines embraced their Italian and Spanish influences and merged their cuisine to make it their own with a Buenos Aires spin. 

Italian immigrants have shaped modern Argentine cuisine, evident in local pizzas and pasta, “Cotoletta alla Milanese” (breaded and deep-fried meat cutlets), and simple dishes like faina (chickpea flatbread).

If you’re craving Colombian snacks or food, head to Restaurante Santa Marta Tiene Tren at Raul Scalabrini Ortiz Avenue for affordable, generously-portioned meals like their Stuffed Arepa. Visit La Fábrica del Taco for good Mexican food, while Parador Instinto serves authentic Jamaican Food.

3. Argentine Bodegon

Argentine Bodegon (traditional Argentine canteen) is a great option if you’re on a budget or want to mingle with the locals. 

Bodegone (translated as “still life”) eateries are characterized by quirky and homey decor, such as a wall full of photos, sports jerseys, flags, wine bottles, and mismatched trinkets. 

Thousands of bodegons are around the neighborhoods of Buenos Aires, but visit these if you’re after the best-of-the-best: 

• Super-tender milanesas at El Antojo
• Puchero at Bar Sur, San Telmo
• Asados of El Ferroviario Parrilla
• Homemade Argentina tagliatelle cooked by two soulful grandmas at El Pasaje Cantina
• Milanesas de bife de chorizo at El Preferido de Palermo

4. Tenedor Libre (All-You-Can-Eat) Restaurants

If you come here hungry and ready to eat, head to one of Buenos Aires’ famous all-you-can-eat “tenedor libre” restaurants or buffets. 

Depending on what you’re looking for, you might enjoy buffets from Siga La Vaca (all-you-can-eat beef), Parrilla La Escondida (steaks), Buenos Aires Verde (vegan), and Azorín (Spanish fare), among others.

Many steakhouses offer all-you-can-eat promos now and then. Remember the phrase “tenedor libre” when checking out parrilla menus. 

5. Marisquerías (Shellfish Bars or Seafood Restaurants)

Since Buenos Aires is located near the coast, the capital has no shortage of seafood restaurants. 

If you’re craving seafood, I recommend you check out:

• Oviedo in Recoleta (one of the oldest seafood spots around).
• La Mar in Palermo Hollywood for their ceviche.
• Tanta for their Peruvian seafood dishes like ceviche or Fervor for their shellfish. Both are located in the Retiro neighborhood.

6. Buenos Aires Minutas (Snacks)

If you like to eat light while traveling, you’ll find minutas the perfect on-the-go “meal” for you.

You have a lot of options like matambre a la pizza (BBQ flank steak topped with cheese and tomato sauce ala-pizza), tostado (grilled ham and cheese sandwich), and papas bravas (fried potato wedges with spicy sauce).

Of course, the all-time favorite empanadas (savory pastries filled with ground meat, ham, veggies, and cheese) are everywhere in Buenos Aires.

7. Menú Ejecutivo or Menú del Día (Lunch Special, “Menu of the Day” Set Meals)

If you’re looking for cheap eats in Buenos Aires, your best bet is to look for canteens and restaurants with menú ejecutivo (a fixed-priced menu for lunch). 

What’s great about menú ejecutivos is that they already include an appetizer, the main meal, a drink, and often a dessert. 

8. Heladerias (Ice Cream Parlors)

Argentines have a special place for helado (ice cream) in their hearts. You’ll find many heladerias (ice cream parlors) in Buenos Aires, but a few are on a different level, with dozens of branches around the city. They include: 

• Saverio (lemon-flavored ice cream) 
• Cadore (for their dulce de leche ice cream)
• Freddo (Malbe-flavored cheesecake)

Smaller ice cream parlors like Fratello (dulce de leche cream) and Alchemy (delicious gelato flavors) can also compete. 

9. Dulce de Leche, Alfajores, and Other Argentine sweets

Buenos Aires food isn’t just about savory cuisine. They also have sweets, many made with dulce de leche, the country’s famous caramel-like spread.

• Try alfajores (a pair of cookies sandwiched with dulce de leche filling and coated in powdered sugar or chocolate). Get them at Cachafaz in either their Recoleto or centro branch.

• Pionono (a sponge cake usually made with dulce de leche filling) 

• The yummiest torta rogel (a crispy cake layer alternating dulce de leche filling) is available at Dos Escudos.

• Salgado Alimentos is home to the most tasty chocotorta (a no-bake cake made of layers of dulce de leche, cream cheese, and chocolate cookies).

You’ll start craving dulce de leche once you return home. Most of these Argentina desserts and sweets are sold in confiterías (cafe/bakery/pastry shops). 

10. Tango Dinner Shows

No Buenos Aires visit would be complete without witnessing live tango performances. But if you have limited time, I recommend you try tango dinners. Everyone needs to eat, right? 

Places renowned for their tango dinner shows are: 

• Rojo Tango (Faena Hotel): Ideal for a romantic dinner, watch traditional tango dancers perform while dining European food at this low-lit, swanky venue.
• Senor Tango (Barracas neighborhood): This place is one of the most famous tango houses in Buenos Aires. Senor Tango has options for tango lessons and all-inclusive packages.
• El Querandí (San Telmo): Being in the culturally rich San Telmo neighborhood is a unique experience. Finishing your day off with a tango dinner show at El Querandí makes it all the more memorable. If the place is full, you can also try the nearby La Ventana, a rustic historic building. 
• Madero Tango (Puerto Madero): Madero Tango is in a waterfront setting with gorgeous views of the Buenos Aires skyline. It is famous for combining contemporary and classic tango performances.

Note that a typical 75-minute tango show costs around ARS 26,000 or $60. The food and drinks you order would be on top of the show fee. 

11. Buenos Aires Street Food and Food Markets

Buenos Aires is home to some of the best food markets. When making an itinerary, squeeze in any of these markets: 

• Feria de Mataderos (Mataderos)
• Feria de San Telmo (San Telmo Market) 
• Feria de Mataderos (Mataderos neighborhood)
• Mercado de Abasto (Abasto neighborhood)

In any of these food markets, you’ll get to sample some of the most popular street foods like the famous empanadas, parrillas, choripáns, and milanesa (a sandwich meal with breaded-and-fried meat cutlets sold for ARS 320 or $0.90 per piece). 

If you can only visit one spot, go to Parrilla el Chorimovil (located in the Puerto Madero neighborhood near the old docks). 

Parilla el Chorimovil’s food cart sells “the best sandwich in the world” — the “Bondiola Completo” (a sandwich filled with slow-cooked pork, lettuce, tomato, and a blend of salsa criolla, mayo, or chimichurri). It costs ARS 700 (2 USD) per sandwich.

12. What to Drink in Buenos Aires 

Buenos Aires has a growing craft beer scene, where you can try Quilmes (a famous local beer) and other locally brewed beers at bars like Antares Palermo and Peñón del Aguila. 

If you’re adventurous, make sure to try Clara (a beer cocktail blended with lemon soda), Chinotto (a bittersweet Argentine soft drink), and cola combined with Fernet (a minty herbal liqueur). 

Buenos Aires’ cafe culture is alive and well. If you can visit Café Cortázar, try café con medialunas (coffee with croissants) for breakfast. Other drinks you might want to check out at cafes include: 

• Mate (made from the leaves of the yerba mate plant) 
• Café con Leche (1 part espresso, 1 part steamed milk)
• Submarino (Chocolate bar melted into a cup of hot milk) 
• Carajillo (coffee with a shot of brandy or whiskey, YUM!)

Argentina is also one of the world’s major wine-producing countries. If you’re a wine drinker, try the internationally acclaimed Argentine wine Malbec, produced in the Mendoza region. 

Try Malbec, Torrontés, and other local wines at the tasting rooms of Lo de Joaquin Alberdi (Joaquín Alberdi’s Place) in Palermo Soho. 

When in Buenos Aires

Meal Times Are Different Here

Don’t call it “late” because lunch is between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., while dinner starts at 8 p.m. and extends late into the night. These dining hours are normal in Buenos Aires.

Enjoy Sobremesa (“Upon the Table”)

Locals spend time relaxing at the table after a meal. This Spanish tradition is expected, whether you’re dining out at restaurants or eating at a friend’s house. 

Accept a Mate Graciously

Sharing a mate is a huge part of enjoying this traditional caffeine-rich infused herbal drink. Even if you’re not a tea drinker, try it. There is also some etiquette involved in mate sharing, such as not stirring the straw and waiting for the next round before handing it back.

Frequently Asked Questions – Buenos Aires Food 

What Are 3 Traditional Foods in Argentina?

Asado is a cherished Argentinian barbecue tradition, often prepared at gatherings and shared during events. Accompanying this beloved grilled feast is chimichurri, a memorable and classic Argentine sauce that perfectly complements the meat’s flavor. 

Additionally, Argentinians savor locro, a hearty stew made with corn and meat. While enjoyed throughout the year, locro is particularly cherished during the colder months in Buenos Aires.

What Is the Most Popular Dish in Buenos Aires?

Empanadas (ARS 200 or $1 per piece) are always a hit. You can enjoy it for a fast breakfast or snack, as a main meal addition, or even as a dessert. Both kids and adults really like eating empanadas. 

What Is the Best Street Food in Buenos Aires?

Choripán (ARS 500 or $1.50 per piece) is a sandwich meal, similar to our hotdogs or burgers. This Argentine street food uses grilled chorizo (sausage), chimichurri sauce, and other condiments, then placed inside a small baguette or any crusty bread. 

Conclusion – Buenos Aires Food 

Buenos Aires serves up tasty treats that make your taste buds happy. The city’s food is a delicious adventure for everyone, whether it’s juicy steaks, the iconic empanadas, or the rich and diverse flavors that characterize Argentina’s food.

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