BUENOS AIRES
General Info
Currency: Argentine Peso (ARP)
Tipping: Not necessary, most round up when paying taxis, vendors, nicer restaurants collect a 10% service charge
Transportation: metro (subte) , uber
Weather: highs in the 80s and lows in the 60s
Attire: summer city attire (men should wear pants in the evening), bring a light sweater and jacket for any unexpected chilly weather
Food - you must try:
Mate: caffeine-rich tea
Italian Food: Buenos Aires was built by European immigrants, predominantly Italian, so Italian food is a must!
Empanadas & Tamales: common across South America, each city/country has a different style
Choripan: bread + chorizo
Locro & Carbonada: heavy, hearty Argentine stews
Picadas: charcuterie-style foods (ham, cheese, etc)
Provoleta: grilled provolone
Malbec & Torrontés: Malbec - self explanatory! Torrontés is the only wine variety native to Argentina, a great fresh white perfect for hot summer days
Stay
1828 SMART HOTEL
1828 is located in the fashionable sub-neighborhood of Palermo Soho, home to many of the city’s better restaurants, bars, and cafés. The 14-room boutique hotel is designed in a Deco-influenced contemporary style. Rooms are equipped with all the modern necessities, from soundproof windows and Nespresso machines. Guests have access to the heated pool on the patio, as well as the rooftop terrace — and a small spa completes the luxury-boutique package. And while there’s no shortage of drinking and dining options in the surrounding neighborhood, if you’d prefer a night in you’ll find the hotel’s own restaurant and bar are great.
You can access your hotel confirmation below. Note: your room rate includes breakfast at the hotel :)
Eat + Drink
Cafes + Light Bites
brunch: SALVAJE
Tucked away in a space that was formerly a mechanic shop in the Palermo Hollywood neighborhood is Salvaje Bakery. The casual indoor-outdoor space serves up some of the best bread in the city (try the sourdough) at all hours of the day,. Brunch is also excellent. Whether you stay for a meal or stop by for a snack, be sure to try the spicy Bloody Mary or Aperol Spritz.
classic cafe: TORTONI
Cafe Tortoni is touristy but beautiful and worth a visit (kind of like Cafe de Flore in Paris). As one of the oldest cafes in Argentina, Tortoni was once the spot for the city's artists, poets, singers and intellectuals to convene over a glass of wine or espresso. The atmosphere is electric pretty much any time you visit the cafe, but it is particularly crowded at lunch time and tea time (around 5 o'clock). *La Biela is another great old-school, traditional BA Cafe :)
wine + all-day: UCO
Located in the boutique Fierro Hotel, Uco is a wine-centric restaurant (over 300 labels available) serving a farm-to-fork menu with everything down to the charcuterie prepped in-house daily. If you need a break meat, try one of their vegetarian or fish paellas (or don’t and order the eighteen-hour shoulder of Patagonian lamb). Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Lunch + Dinner
italian: LA ALACENA
La Alacena serves up fabulous homemade Italian dishes in a light and sunny corner café in Palermo. The bistro covers all bases - brunch, lunch, and dinner. Food here is rustic - choose from toasted sandwiches, homemade pasta, or antipasti. I recommend going for lunch!
Another fabulous non-Argentinian spot is Gran Dabbang - Indian fusion. Kind of like a Win-Son, but Indian-South American.
latin american: iLATINA
iLatina is located in a beautifully refurbished house in residential Villa Crespo, and is known for great Latin American food, a beautiful space, and attentive service. The place used to be a “closed-door” restaurant experience - something that has become increasingly popular in BA in recent years (essentially a secret suppler club). Now that it has formally become a restaurant, iLatina is no secret to locals and foreigners, so you can expect an international crowd. If you want a closed door experience, ask your concierge for the best new spots.
jewish: MISHIGUENE
Mishiguene is a city-wide favorite, specializing in Israeli and Jewish cooking. Apart from the menu, the restaurant is known for the high-energy, hip crowd and live music (on Friday nights). You can order a la carte, do the full tasting menu, or opt for the chef's table menu inside the kitchen.
Steak (!)
modern parilla: LA CARNICERIA
There’s a new breed of design-focused parrillas (steak houses) in Buenos Aires, and currently the hottest is La Carnicería. Everything is sourced from a family farm in the Pampas, and is served in traditionally enormous Argentinian portions. Start your meal with the peach-topped grilled provolone, served sizzling on a cast-iron skillet.
local favorite: EL POBRE LUIS
Fútbol jerseys line the walls at El Pobre Luis, a bustling Chinatown parrilla. Locals pack the house to order salchicha parrilleras and Uruguayan pamplonas, either beef, chicken, or pork stuffed with cheese, ham, and roasted red peppers, rolled up, and cooked on the parrilla. Head to the bar for the best seat in the house, which overlooks head parrillero Beto Niz on the grill. The crispy sweetbreads, also referred to as the caviar of the parrilla, are a must-order.
upscale: PATAGONIA SUR
Bringing the gaucho tradition to La Boca, famed pampa chef Francis Mallman set up his grill at this renovated Italianate town house not far from the brightly painted houses and tango dances on Caminito. The menu, as meat-centric as any, is a three-course sampler (there’s no a la carte) centering on Argentine specialties like succulent roasted Patagonian lamb and ojo de bife, aka rib eye, with chimichurri, as well as soulful plays on empanadas and veggies. As is the menu, the wine list is quite pricey, offering up bottles from top Argentine bodegas.
See + Do
Neighborhoods
PALERMO
Palermo is the largest neighborhood in BA, and a hub for foodies, art fans, and shoppers. See the map below for our favorite restaurants and shops in the area. Be sure to check out:
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RECOLETA
Recoleta is BA’s traditional, classic-style neighborhood. Many consider it a place for high end locals / ladies who lunch, but it does offer a wide array of experiences that BA’s hip enclaves can’t match. It mixes fine dining with street food, fine arts with craft cocktails, and it is home to one of the world’s most oft-visited cemeteries. The cemetery sounds grim, but is very interesting & worth a visit. I suggest getting an audio guide or reading up online prior to visiting!
LA BOCA / CAMINITO
The La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires has a reputation for being a little sketchy, however considering it's home to the Boca Juniors stadium, and many of the city’s best restaurants (Don Carlos, Patagonia Sur), the charming street is well worth the trip (and is walkable from quaint San Telmo). The area’s charm lies in the mish-mash of brightly painted houses situated along the cobbled streets lined with artists and craftspeople.
Sights
TEATRO COLON
Without question, Teatro Colón is one of the world’s most breathtaking opera houses. The building itself has gone through many incarnations amidst plenty of turmoil (an anarchist bombing in 1910, the murder of one of its architects) - the latest refurbishment was completed in 2010. Take a tour—which includes the deep catacombs beneath the building—or dress up and attend a performance :)
FAENA ART CENTER
A non-profit with a second location in Miami, the Faena Art Center provides a platform for local and new artists. The center in Puerto Madero is a converted flour mill, and retains many of the unique turn-of-the-century industrial details. There are tons of museums in BA, but considering how much traveling you’ve done (and museums you’ve seen), I think it’s worth seeing something more unique to BA (like the Faena)!
SAN TELMO MARKET
This market has served locals since 1897, when it was originally founded as a marketplace for the waves of European immigrants. Most of the stalls—selling all manner of knick-knacks, antiques, records, and crafts—are open daily. A separate Sunday flea market happens every weekend in the same quaint plaza, oftentimes with live tango as an accompaniment. Stop by the charming Bar Plaza Dorrego for a post-flea pick-me-up.
Activities
TANGO + SALSA
If you’re interesting in seeing or learning tango, go to a real tango milonga, not a tango show (tango shows are staged & overpriced). You can either go to a tango milonga on your own, watch the amateurs and aficionados dance while you enjoy some (good) cheap wine or you can hire someone to take you to the milongas and have a lesson. La Catedral is in an old flour warehouse, has lots of lessons and is pretty laid back. Another great option is Parakultural at Salon Canning.
FUTBOL
In BA, the two big teams are River and Boca. If there’s a home game available, you should definitely get tickets and go. The games can get pretty rowdy, so if you want to feel more safe / have a guided experience, get tickets through Landingpadba (a local agency). You go in a “VIP” section that is generally all tourists, you have a halftime “lounge” with some soda and little snacks and they provide transportation to and from.
FOOD TOUR
Pick Up the Fork is a favorite among friends - founder Allie has a great instagram site and runs customized food tours. She also posts a ton of info on all things food in BA (click the image to see her site). If you’re interested in booking, she can be contacted at feedme@pickupthefork.com, or I would be happy to book for you!