Where to Eat in Buenos Aires City Guide & Map of the Best Restaurants

Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina, a vast metropolis with lots of different areas to explore. (We did our best to cover as much of the city as possible in a short time, but felt like we just barely scratched the surface!) Buenos Aires feels more like a European city compared to other destinations we’ve visited in South America – there are lots of Italian and Spanish influences in the architecture, the culture, and the food. These were our favorite spots during our first visit to Argentina – and we hope to return again soon to keep exploring more.

In this foodie map, we have gathered all our Buenos Aires favorites. You’ll find everything from empanadas, to medialunas, to natural wine bars, and, of course, the world-famous parrilla, Don Julio. Navigate the map easily either by scrolling through the list on the right or by clicking the points on the map. Places are listed in a geographical order.

In a land famous for its meat, there’s one parrilla to rule them all. Don Julio (no. 14 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2022) is the pride and joy of Buenos Aires, a cozy neighborhood restaurant that has become internationally famous for their high-quality beef. Owner Pablo Rivero says the four pillars that define his restaurant are 1) the meat, 2) the wine, 3) the seasons, and 4) sustainability. Beef in Argentina is more than a piece of meat - it’s a way of life. Rivero sources the highest quality of beef possible, Angus and Hereford cattle, from local farms on the countryside of Buenos Aires where the cows roam free. It goes without saying that all of the steaks here are cooked to perfection – it’s a meat mecca, a true paradise for carnivores. Don’t leave without trying one of their beef empanadas!

El Preferido de Palermo, the casual spot from the Don Julio team, is a charming neighborhood restaurant located just one block from the flagship. There’s always a buzzy atmosphere here, full all day with locals and tourists alike. On the menu you’ll find seasonal produce and simple housemade food like charcuterie, mezze, Spanish omelettes, black pudding, and Italian Milanesa (beef schnitzel). Thirsty? Tap into Pablo Rivero’s extensive wine cellar. You won’t be disappointed!

Our favorite specialty coffee shop in Buenos Aires is Fruto Café in the Palermo Soho neighborhood. We started every day of our trip here – they serve delicious, light-roasted coffees from South America as well as Africa. V60, Aeropress, and espresso drinks are all available.

Pain et Vin is a hip wine bar, bottle shop, and sourdough bakery in the Palermo Soho neighborhood of Buenos Aires. We loved the vibe here, with tables spilling out into the streets and a large selection of natural wine. We enjoyed a floral and fun orange wine from Casa Tano in Mendoza, Argentina.

ApuNena is a fun, casual spot for tapas and natural wine. They describe their menu as having an “Asian soul,” but they use local produce to craft their dishes. We loved their curry chickpea empanada, the bola bola steam bun, the pork dumplings, the chicken satay, and the pork neck sandwich. We washed it all down with a local pet nat from Bodega Santa Julia.

Enter through a NYC subway station, walk through the turnstile, hop on board the metro, and step into Uptown. This is, hands down, the coolest bar entrance we’ve ever seen, with an impressive level of detail that really sets the scene for this underground bar. Once inside, it’s a high volume, party place – but we were impressed by the high level of drinks they’re churning out.

Café Mishiguene (the casual spot from chef Tomás Kalika of fine dining restaurant Mishiguene) is a cute all-day breakfast and lunch spot. The vibe reminded us a lot of Russ & Daughters in New York, with food inspired by Argentina’s Jewish immigrant heritage. The menu includes deli items like laffa and lox, pastrami sandwiches, and mezze. We enjoyed an assortment of spreads like hummus, tahini, and baba ghanoush alongside pita and their take on latkes (fried potato cubes). Walk-in only.

Some of the best empanadas we had in Argentina were at Coffee Bar Roma, a piece of Italy in Argentina that has been around for a century. The “carne picante” was our favorite empanada, filled with saucy beef, egg, and lots of spices. Here we also enjoyed the super cheesy Argentinian pizza, which is more fluffy and focaccia-like in style, served in a cast iron skillet and topped with lots of cheese and seasonal veggies. They also serve their own label of vermouth, La Fuerza, which is made locally in Buenos Aires.

Our favorite things to eat in Argentina were the empanadas, the medialunas (croissants), and the alfajores (dulce de leche cookie sandwiches). You can pretty much find all of these items on every corner, at every kiosk, at every coffee shop – but obviously some are better than others. The best medialunas and alfajores we had in Buenos Aires were at Los Galgos, a traditional Argentinian café that’s been open since 1930. If you’re a sweet tooth, you can get your medialuna filled with cream or dulce de leche, or you can go for sweet and salty and get it toasted with ham and cheese.

Our favorite cocktail bar in Buenos Aires was Presidente (no. 61 on The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022). The second we walked into the bar we knew it was our kind of place – the staff was so welcoming, and it had such a fun vibe! Presidente’s riff on a daiquiri came with a smoke-filled bubble that popped as it hit the beverage, diffusing an aroma over the drink. Thirsty for more? Behind the bookshelves, you’ll find a library-themed speakeasy within the bar. Now, Presidente has a second location in San Isidro.

Hidden beneath a flower shop in Buenos Aires is Florería Atlántico, a basement bar with a worldwide reputation. Mixologist Renato ‘Tato’ Giovannoni’s legendary bar has been a mainstay on the 50 Best Bars list since they opened a decade ago, and is ranked no. 18 on The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022. We loved the Colonia Luján cocktail, with sake, gin, kombucha, honey, and mandarin.