my love 13 th edition

buenos aires

2

Very often friends or people I come across who realize my extensive travel experi-

ence they ask me Which city in the world is your favorite one

Well I have been blessed and lucky to have seen so many cities around the globe

and yet the answer comes almost spontaneously in my mouth Buenos Aires

The cosmopolitan metropolis has it all Parisian allure New Yorkrsquos night life Amster-

damrsquos bohemian atmosphere Londonrsquos frenzy shopping and the mentality of Barce-

lona

Donrsquot think of it too much Yoursquove been planning it long enough Come to Buenos

Aires and yoursquoll understand why so many people have fallen in love with this incredi-

ble city and even decided to stay Therersquos

a good chance yoursquoll be one of them

After having spent quite a few time over

there the last 15 years Irsquoll try to give you an

insiderrsquos view

of the cityrsquos best spots the view of a

umlportentildeouml

aka the attractive resident of Buenos Aires

intro

2

Very often friends or people I come across who realize my extensive travel experi-

ence they ask me Which city in the world is your favorite one

Well I have been blessed and lucky to have seen so many cities around the globe

and yet the answer comes almost spontaneously in my mouth Buenos Aires

The cosmopolitan metropolis has it all Parisian allure New Yorkrsquos night life Amster-

damrsquos bohemian atmosphere Londonrsquos frenzy shopping and the mentality of Barce-

lona

Donrsquot think of it too much Yoursquove been planning it long enough Come to Buenos

Aires and yoursquoll understand why so many people have fallen in love with this incredi-

ble city and even decided to stay Therersquos

a good chance yoursquoll be one of them

After having spent quite a few time over

there the last 15 years Irsquoll try to give you an

insiderrsquos view

of the cityrsquos best spots the view of a

umlportentildeouml

aka the attractive resident of Buenos Aires

intro

3

food

4

Desnivel

The most casual of all yet

with awesome meat

Defensa 855 San Telmo

tel 4300 9081

El Primo

Cosy and the highlight

being the fact that they

bring you a mini-grill to do

your own cooking

Baez 302 Las Canitas

Gran Parrilla del Plata

Classical but elegant and

with a local charm

Chile 594 y Peruacute San Telmo

tel 4300 8858

La Cabrera

The most famous steak-

house of Buenos Aires

lives up to its fame and

even more Reserve well

ahead Cabrera 51275099 Palermo

SoHo tel 4832 5754

Don Julio

Top parrilla with excellent

wine list where they let

you even sign your name

in the bottle Guatemala 4691 Palermo

SoHo tel 4831 9564

Calden Del Soho

A comfortable atmos-

phere for dining great

steaks and service keep it

at the top of the list of the

best steak houses in Bue-

nos Honduras 4701 - Paler-

mo Soho 4833 - 2221

PARRILLAS

In a land where beef is sacred and the grilling of the meat (asado) is almost a

religious ceremony it is exceptionally hard to pinpoint the best spots In my short

list however are

There are 3 distinct types

of restaurants in the city

Parrillas (Steakhouses)

Bodegones ( Taverns)

and Modern restaurants

4

Desnivel

The most casual of all yet

with awesome meat

Defensa 855 San Telmo

tel 4300 9081

El Primo

Cosy and the highlight

being the fact that they

bring you a mini-grill to do

your own cooking

Baez 302 Las Canitas

Gran Parrilla del Plata

Classical but elegant and

with a local charm

Chile 594 y Peruacute San Telmo

tel 4300 8858

La Cabrera

The most famous steak-

house of Buenos Aires

lives up to its fame and

even more Reserve well

ahead Cabrera 51275099 Palermo

SoHo tel 4832 5754

Don Julio

Top parrilla with excellent

wine list where they let

you even sign your name

in the bottle Guatemala 4691 Palermo

SoHo tel 4831 9564

Calden Del Soho

A comfortable atmos-

phere for dining great

steaks and service keep it

at the top of the list of the

best steak houses in Bue-

nos Honduras 4701 - Paler-

mo Soho 4833 - 2221

PARRILLAS

In a land where beef is sacred and the grilling of the meat (asado) is almost a

religious ceremony it is exceptionally hard to pinpoint the best spots In my short

list however are

There are 3 distinct types

of restaurants in the city

Parrillas (Steakhouses)

Bodegones ( Taverns)

and Modern restaurants

5

BODEGONES

Most of those places have been in the hands of todayrsquos owners for generations

Usually immigrants from Italy or Spain the hosts keep their recipes intact from

influences and tradition is sacred The atmosphere in those places is truly unique

and the majority of them have been declared by the municipality of Buenos Aires

as Cultural Monuments

El Preferido de Palermo

Grab your camera

because the clock will go

at least 100 years back

An old grocery now serves

some food

Borges 2108 Palermo

SoHo tel 4774 6585

La Coruntildea

Unique atmosphere and

original recipes I love the

soda siphonshellip

Boliacutevar 994 San Telmo tel

4362 7637

Lo de Jesuacutes

Every day at 11am the 92

year owner visits his place

at grabs his favorite spot

ordering a vermouth with

a ham platter Do the

same

Gurruchaga 1406 Palermo

SoHo tel 4831 1961

Social La Lechuza

Orange walls with portrait

pictures and a great

homey cuisine by Sandra

and Lucia will not let you

down at this wonderful

and friendly

establishement Uriarte 1980 Palermo SoHo

tel 4776 2781

Pauliacuten

Not only UFOrsquos fly but the

plates are too in this

amazing joint Try the 3-

storey sandwich Ideal for

lunch when you are at the

center

Sarmiento 635 Microcentro

tel 4325 2280

Margot

It was so famous that

even Peron himself was a

frequent patron of this

picturesque taverna Avenida Boedo 857 Boedo

tel 4957 0001

6

Club Eros

This is a special place in

the center of Palermo So-

ho which with hard work

managed over time to

conquer the hearts and

stomachs of its residents It

is set inside a neighbour-

hood club so well pro-

tected from the tourist

hordeshellip

Uriarte 1609 Palermo SoHo

tel4832 1313

Cafeacute de Garciacutea

It could easily be a muse-

um with all the vintage

items collected by the

owners Great ambience

and a fixed menu of 40

yes 40 plates French fries

are a blast Sanabria 3302 Villa Devoto

tel 4501-5912 Palermo

La Morada More like a cool spot for

lunch this genuine kitch

place is a jewel in BA

near Plaza De Mayo Ex-

cellent empanadas and

guiso de lenteja just like

home and the attention

of Mariana Dont expect

5 star restaurant nor a big

menu but the pictures

and antiques on the walls

is pure art on display

C1117ABL CABA tel tel01148216349 Palermo

La Esperanza de los As-

cura Belongs to the kind

of Bodegones I would call

Neo-Bodegones one that

has been restored in the

original place or has been

moved there from the

previous location This

one has very nice and

honest traditional food

and adds a lot of plates of

Italian influence Aguirre

526 Villa Crespo tel 2058-

8313 Palermo

Bar El Federal Grab a

buddy and head to El

Federal one of Buenos

Airesrsquo most beautiful and

classic cafes (in operation

since 1864) for a relaxing

afternoon coffee lunch

or dinner Itrsquos a pleasure

to sit in this cafeacute and ad-

mire the vintage ads dec-

orating the walls Peru cor-

ner of C Calvo San Telmo

Tel 4300-4313

La tasca del fosforito

Old neighbourhood bo-

degoacuten with rich portions

typical plates and an air

of urban middle upper

class restaurant with loyal

for life customers Good

service and typical bo-

hemian atmosphere Hip-

olito Yrigoyen 1218- Monser-

rat 4381-1290

7

MODERN RESTAURANTS The scene of restaurants is endlessly diverse with extremely good design tastes

and looks Young chefs are lifting the bar very high and the result is a

drop-dead-gorgeous restaurant scene

Brandon

with a lofty space featur-

ing smooth white marble

counters exposed brick

walls soft refurbished oak

floorings an open kitchen

and a patio with a vertical

garden

Fitz Roy 22 tel

47759785 4776 204

Proper

Located inside an un-

marked mechanic shop

Proper has quickly become

BAs restaurant opening of

the year and No 49 in top

50 Best Latin America

That oven is the heart of

the project by young yet

seasoned chefs Leo

Lanussol and Augusto May-

er Proper is a real cooks

restaurant Theres an in-

dustrial vibe and virtually

no division between the

kitchen and the dining

room

El Salvador 4622 tel 4831-

7176

La Pizarras

A ldquoMarket Cuisine Fresh

simple and amazing

food

Thames 2296 tel

4775-0625

Mengano

This neo-bodegon was

one of the hottest open-

ings of 2018 and will cer-

tainly surprise you how it

executes classical dishes

with a modern twist

Cabrera 5172 tel 4773-1887

The menu skates a culi-

nary journey through East

Asia and Peruvian street

food with signature dishes

such as Panko and coco-

nut langoustines with may-

onnaise siracha

Our HOT PICKS

In Palermo the neighborhood everybody falls

madly in love with yoursquoll encounter the best

restaurants and the sexiest bars

8

Burger Joint

For great cheap burgers

(ranked no 29 top best

burgers in the world) in a

casual environment

Borges 1766 Palermo SoHo

tel48335151

La Fabrica del Taco

Is a casual Mexican canti-

na serving yummy tacos in

a typical and casual envi-

ronment Gorriti 5062 Paler-mo SoHo tel 4832 0815

Nintildeo Gordo

Perhaps the cityrsquos uncon-

ditional love for beef and

recent Asian fusion obses-

sion explain the difficulty

of snagging a reservation

at this pan-Asian

style parrilla where Japa-

nese Korean and Chi-

nese flavors meet Argen-

tine traditions Nintildeo Gor-

do which means ldquoFat

Boyrdquo in English is the new-

est venture from Pedro

Pentildeo and Germaacuten Sitz

the creators of Palermo

favorites La Carniceriacutea

and Chori Sit at the bar

for a great view of the

open kitchen and watch

chefs

(Thames 1810 Palermo) tel 2129-5028

La Panera Rosa

Cafeacute Sandwich Place

and Deli great for break-

fast or afternoon tea Borges 1685 Palermo SoHo

tel 4831-8395

Ninina Bakery

New York style all day din-

ing and also serves

amazing cappuccino

Gorriti 4738 tel4832 0070

Chori

Is hip popular and lova-

ble all day long Week-

ends DJ plays music

Thames 1653 tel 3966-9857

Peroacuten Peroacuten

Not many political-

themed restaurants serve

good food but this is the

exception Polenta with

osso buco and grilled

pacuacute river fish Gorriti 5143 Palermotel

48315105

Birkin

Incredibly beautiful and

chic yard Great food and

coffee Brunch on the

weekends Nicaragua

6025 tel 2086-4036 Paler-

mo

9

Sipan

If you fancy Ceviche and

Sushi then head to Sipan

for the former Uriarte 1648

CABA tel 911 2577 6000

Sushi Pop Izakaya

For the latter (make sure

you book before the

place is tiny) the first Pop

Sushi in Argentina after

NYC LAX Paris Great su-

shi and tapas Soler 5598

Palermo tel 5272-5930

Isabel

Is the Queen of the night

Posh secretive discreet

with great cocktails and

top crowds will seduce

you away Uriarte 1644 tel 48346969

TO

Tocirc is a restaurant located

in the Palermo area that

serves specialties of

French and Japanese

cuisine and stands out for

the quality of sushi This

high-end restaurant is

known for the quality of

its cuisine but especially

for the distinguished at-

mosphere unique and

very warm The house

recommends trying their

specialties of Frapanese

cuisine which applies

French techniques when

preparing Japanese

food Costa rica 6000

Osaka

Here you can expect ex-

quisite presentation and

execution ndash the philosophy

of cooking as art The

menu emphasizes both

ceviche and sushi but

youll also find dishes like

ishiyaki spicy sour shrimp

udon and seaweed salad

The deacutecor at Osaka is sleek

and chic and destined to

impress Advance booking

is essential Besides the Pa-

lermo location you can

get another helping of

Osaka in Puerto Madero Soler 5608 tel 4775-6964

La Mar Cebicheriacutea

The Lima legend that adds

BA to its Miami Sao Paulo

Bogotaacute and San Francisco

portfolio Amazing

fusion Peruvian cuisine by

Gaston Acurio the top

chef in Latin America and

a

fantastic garden to dine in

the summer time Areacutevalo 2024 tel 4776-5543

Peruvian Cuisine is at its tops so the three new additions that rock the scene

are

10

Il Ballo del Mattone

First class trattoria which

serves the hungry crowds

for the last 15 years Origi-

nal dishes and excellent

service at a coszy environ-

ment

Gorriti 5737 tel 4776-4247

Siamo Nel Forno

Di Gattorna

For original authentic

Italian oven pizza Thin

crisoy and not with 1kg of

cheese No miss here The

best If you like the au-

thentic Italian thin pizza

Costa Rica 5886 tel 4775-

For the Italian food lovers

San Paolo Pizzeria

Truly difficult to find thin

crust pizza in Buenos

Aires Here you will and it

tastes yummyhellip

Uriarte 1616 tel 4831-

9181

Cucina Paradiso

Celebrity chef Donato De Santisrsquo take on a

classic Italian trattoria features a market

that sells ingredients and tools required to

produce Italian cuisine at home and itrsquos

one the few places you can actually pur-

chase imported semolina flour rice and

pasta Naturally if they sell the good stuff

they also use it in their restaurant kitchen hellip

Arevalo 1538 tel 4770-9406

11

La Hormiga

Is an all day joint in

Palermo SoHo with great

atmosphere and food

Armenia 1680

tel 4831-1611

For the Tapas lovers

Enfundaacute la Madolina

Will push your stomach to

the limits with the huge

portions great variety of

plates and the incredible

deacutecor full of colors

Jeroacutenimo Salguero 1440-

4822-4479 Palermo

Comiteacute

Bistro cafeacute bodega sleek

and cozy at a nice

corner of Palermo

Hollywood

Good ambiance music

great coffee

and deserts Gorriti 5902

tel 4870-0280

12

Tegui

The gourmet choice top

chef top flavors and now

9th in the list of top 50 best

restaurants in Latin America Costa Rica 5852 tel 52913333

El Catalino

Technically not a restau-

rant but a Closed Door

place in an old mansion

Exceptionally good dishes

with local organic ingredi-

ents carefully selected

from small producers

Maure 3126 tel 6384-6461

For Gourmet Dinning in Palermo

Bistro Dario Gualtieri

From an outstanding recy-

cled house in the Palermo

district the renowned

chef Dariacuteo Gualtieri gets

to work to give life to a

personal gastronomic ex-

perience such as Dariacuteo

Gualtieri (DG) Bistro With

a capacity for a little

more than twenty diners

the space maintains origi-

nal aspects of the Ca-

sona A sober and ele-

gant room with a warm

and cozy atmosphere

with a serene lighting DG

Bistros cuisine uses fresh

market produce and has

a French inspiration

Armenia 1378 Palermo 4773-7790

13

Milioacuten

Eat and party in a hip

mansion in Recoleta this

quintessential Buenos

Airesrsquo getaway attracts

fashionable young

socialites and an

international jet-set

crowd especially after

being named by

Newsweek as one of

South Americarsquos six top

bars and lsquoone of the

worldrsquos 21 secret

hideawaysrsquo by Elle

magazine Paranaacute 1048

tel48159925

Sucre

Glam crowds and

celebrities in Belgrano the

place not to miss Mariscal

Antonio Joseacute de Sucre 676

tel 47829082

El Baqueano

Super friendly and re-

laxed the dining room is

flanked by a traditional

wooden bar The wine list

is also accessible but var-

ied in style Chile 499 tel 4342-0802

Gourmet Dinning In other parts of the town

I Latina

Is technically a puerta

cerrada (closed door res-

taurant) but brings a to-

tally new style cuisine to

Buenos Aires as it puts a

modern spin on Colombi-

an cooking Inventive

Caribbean flavors are

matched with a beautiful

setting and top notch ser-

vice Reservations only Murrillo 725 tel 48579095

Tanta

Gaston Acurio created

this chic affordable pe-

ruvian-parilla hybrid which

is perfect for lunch or din-

ner Trendy and casual-

chic is the hit of 2019 Esmeralda 938 tel 5530-3000

Dada Bistro

Dada Bistro is a quaint

neighborhood spot that

serves large portions of

Argentine classics and

offers a fine selection of

Malbecs If yoursquore loo-

king for a casual place

to enjoy traditional Ar-

gentine food among

locals then Dada is the

best bet but be warned ndash itrsquos a small space

that fills up quickly

San Martiacuten 941 C1004AAS

CABA tel 4314-4787

14

Roux

Roux is our hands-down

our favorite restaurant for

a formal or upscale dining

experience in Buenos

Aires We donrsquot think

therersquos really anything in

its class Sophisticated yet

comfortable ambiance

Tables are bathed with

sunlight during the lunch

service and twinkling

candlelight at night

Presentation and plating

are unequaled in Buenos

Aires Ifyour wanting to

see a modern interpreta-

tion of classic European

dishes in a smart and

sophisticated restaurant

Roux is the clear choice in

Buenos Aires

Pentildea 2300 Recoleta - CABA

tel 4805 6794

Brassero Atlantico

There are no tables Just a

long bar with stools seat-

ing approximately 15 pa-

trons and a bar with stools

facing the front window of

the restaurant seating an-

other ten or so customers

The menu is ultra-simple

They usually have two or

three beef cuts chicken

and pork grilled on the

parilla potatoes squash

leeks and cabbage

grilled on the parilla and

chorizo sausage pate

sweetbreads and grilled

provoleta cheese for ap-

petizers Itrsquos a scaled

down version of a typical

Argentine steakhouse

with a sort of trendy loft-

style deacutecor and close in-

teraction with the waiters

and cooks who are en-

couraged to interact with

the staff

Arroyo 882 Retiro Distrito

Federal Argentina 1007

tel 4393-7450

GOURMET Dinning In other parts of the town

Aramburu

Haute cuisine and mole-

cular gastronomy in the

31th place of top 50 best

restos in Latin America

An intimate space with

just 16 seats diners can

watch the chef and his

teamrsquos flamboyant gas-

tronomic techniques in

action through the strate-

gically placed kitchen

window Opt for the

paired menu as Arambu-

rursquos wine list is second to

none

Vicente Lopez 1661 tel

4811-1414

15

VEGETARIAN OPTIONS Being Vegan in Buenos Aires Is Now Much Easier than Ever

The boom in health food restaurants started about three years ago in Buenos

Aires There are now many options available in both Recoleta and Palermo for

vegetarians and health food

aficionados

Another popular Portentildeo culinary trend is gourmet fast food Epicurean burg-

ers hotdogs and fries made from high quality ingredients with emphasis on

health are now on the menu in Buenos Aires fast food restaurants

Environmental consciousness and sustainable natural resources are increasingly

being considered important factors in the Buenos Aires foodie scene The new-

est foodie concept ldquoglocalrdquo has come to BA

Spring

Great for a lunch break to

grab some decent

healthy options with great

juices (with no water)

smoothies and

sandwiches Guatemala 4450 Palermo

Soho tel 4831-8877

Green Eat

Founded by the same

people that started the

very popular Tea Connec-

tion this new health food

chain specializes in locally

produced high quality in-

gredients The menu at

Green Eat features

homemade bread and

cereal bars sandwiches

sushi salads and vegeta-

ble entrees All three

meals breakfast lunch

and dinner are served

daily Reconquista 690 Uru-guay 703 Santa Fe 1661

Galeriacuteas Paciacutefico and DOT

Tiendas Naturales

Great gastronomical

healthy and yummy op-

tions at this place Locat-

ed in a very chic part of

the city with great service

and nice crowds

Repuacuteblica Arabe Siria

3001 4843-7407 Palermo

Botanico

16

Picnic

Picnic thinks of itself as a

vegetarianrsquos para-

dise They even try to se-

duce meat loving Portentilde-

os with vegetarian entrees

prepared to taste and

look like meat Picnic uses

organic ingredients in all

its dishes Their menu is

large and varied The res-

taurant is big with three

floors with escalators Lo-

cated in Microcentro it is

a perfect stop for vege-

tarians shopping for sou-

venirs on Florida Street Florida 102 Microcentro tel

43270003

Smooothway

Smooothway (yes with 3

orsquos) is the newest addition

to Palermorsquos health food

scene Smooothway

offers breakfast lunch

and dinner with a focus

on high quality nutritious

products They even in-

vite you to ride your bike

to the restaurant and offer

a bike rack to park your

bike As their name

implies their specialty is

smoothies which are 100

natural Soler 6036 Palermo

Holywood tel 4771-4120

Dean amp Dennyrsquos

Artemisias original branch

(has long been a classic

stop for any vegetarian or

pescatarian working their

way around BA With de-

cor that includes deliber-

ately mismatched crock-

ery and a pantry-style

counter laden with tempt-

ing home-made breads

and muffins the eatery

has become an instant hit

with Palermos brunch

set

Costa Rica 4893

entre Ravignani y Areacutevalo

Palermo Hollywood tel 4773-2641

Bonjour

Build your own salad is the

theme at Bonjour Their

salads feature home-

made toppings and salad

dressings But they donrsquot

stop at salads they also

offer healthy sandwiches

cookies muffins and

cakesTres Sargentos 443 Microcentro tel 4311-0698

Arevalito

Is a small diner warmly af-

fectionate to enjoy a fam-

ily restaurant With a pro-

posed organic and vege-

tarian cuisine you get to

taste its mouth watering

aromas soaked worldhellip

Excellent service Areacutevalo 1478 Phone +54 11

4776-4252 Palermo Hollywood

Ohsawa

Is a macrobiotic resto with

excellent options and real

cozy and nice to sit in and

enjoy a healthy kitchen Honduras 5900 Palermo

Hollywood T +5411 4772-0022

17

PIZZAS and morehellip

Argentines eat a lot of meat They also consume a huge amount of pizza and

theyrsquoll quickly tell you that Argentine pizza is the best In fact when wandering

the streets of Buenos Aires yoursquoll probably see as many pizzerias as you will parril-

las and cafes Pizza in Argentina is another of the nationrsquos customs brought and

adapted by Italian immigrants Today yoursquoll find a ton of varieties from wood-

fired-oven pizza and pizza a la parrilla (barbecued pizza) to gourmet and cheap

El Cuartito

El Cuartito (Talcahuano

937 Retiro) Established in

1934 this is one of the city

classics The pizza al

molde and media masa

are firm favorites as are

the homemade fried em-

panadas The atmosphere

is great too and you can

spend hours looking at the

sport music and film

memorabilia that adorn

the walls Order at the

counter or sit down for

waiter service

Guumlerriacuten

(Corrientes 1368 Centro)

The classic of all classics

Since being founded by

two Genovese immigrants

in 1931 Guumlerriacuten has be-

come a Corrientes institu-

tion popular with thea-

tergoers and workers on

their lunch break The sig-

nature pizza is the mozza-

rella which arrives over-

flowing with melted

cheese plus toppings of

your choice Itrsquos busy and

rowdy but yoursquoll find

some quiet in the upstairs

salon

La Mezzetta

(Aacutelvarez Thomas 1321

Chacarita) Arguably the

best takeout pizza in Cha-

carita The menu is simple

but customers wait eager-

ly for the fugazzeta

Therersquos no seating but

yoursquore welcome to stand

at the bar with your pizza

and a cold beer

Amazing empanadas too

Order your pizza like the

portentildeos With Moscat

wine and soda It was

awrded for the best em-

panadas in Buenos Aires

in 2018

Try the fugazzetta a slice of pizza with a cheese-filled crust topped with cara-

melized onions

18

ICE CREAM (HELADERIAS) COFFEE and morehellip

Argentineans have a true affection for ice-cream and the truth is although the

learned the art of ice cream from the Italians it is here where the saying ldquothe

apprentice surpassed his masterrdquo is so utterly true Our favorites

Luccianorsquos

One of the top heladerias

Honduras 4881

and in various locations

5181-5547

Volta

Probably the best ice

cream in town Avenida Del

Libertador 3060 Tel 0810-

88 and in various locations

Filippo

Not fancy but with great

ice cream Borges 1804 Palermo SoHo

Tel 48117629

The list is long so try ice cream in any Heladeria shop round the corner yoursquoll

find

Of course Dulce de Leche (toffee cream) flavor is king but there is a huge vari-

ety of all sorts of flavors Careful even with the small cone the servings are

huge A tip when order say your favorite flavor second because the second

scoop gets more quantityhellip

19

Last but not least there are two local snacks not to be missed

EMPANADAS and ALFAJORES

The hunting for the best

Empanadas is a never-

ending challenge by itself

I let you draw your own

conclusionshellip but defi-

nitely try the ones at Trigal

Gorriti 4721 Palermo a sim-

ple Hole-In-the-Wall joint

but with INCREDIBLE

fresh yummy juicy empa-

nadas

Empanadas are the hand-held stuffed pastry

pockets In Argentina the

traditional empanada features chopped or ground

beef combined with onion green olive hard-boiled

egg and sometimes potato seasoned with cumin

or paprika Argentinean empanadas may be either

baked or fried with the

former being the predominant style in more cosmo-

politan settings

Alfajores are the shortbread-like sandwich cookies

filled with sweet dulce de leche (toffee cream)

and trust me one is never enough Do not return

back home without a box of ithellip

My favorite brands

Havanna and Cachafaz

BA doesnt do eggs in the

morning Instead

the Medialunas (like a

small croissant) and

a cortado make up the

local breakfast of cham-

pions Luciacuteo a neighbor-

hood spot in Palermo

makes is your place Av

Rauacutel Scalabrini Ortiz 2402 Pa-

lermo

20

CAFES BsAs Cafeacute culture is something of a paradox there are charming cafes on

every street corner and two meals a day are dedicated to coffee and sweet

treats and yet the coffee is terrible

But the last year a handful of Coffee Shops invested in money and skills by train-

ing people to become certified baristas and now you can get top class cap-

puccinos macchiatos and lattes in this city

Our top choices are (our favorites with )

Tomate

Great spot with commu-

nal table and a hidden

backyard this is a secret

gem El Salvador 4678 Palermo

Full City Coffee House

Coffee is the star here but

also fresh juices from exot-

ic fruits paninis arepas

and salads Thames 1535 ndash Palermo

SoHo Tel +54 11 4833-6774

Lattente

Argentinarsquos champion

barista Daniel Cifuentes

whips up the cityrsquos best

coffee from this bright little

cafeacute Great homey

alfajores too Tiny but

mightyhellip Thames 1891- Pa-

lermo SoHo Tel 48331676

Birkin

The best spot in the neigh-

borhood for a morning of

work WiFi breakfast cof-

fee I love the vibe here

The people watching is

fun

Repuacuteblica Arabe Siria 3061

ndash Palermo Botanico Tel4843

Oui oui

This gorgeous French style

cafeacute is one of the nicest

places for breakfast lunch

coffee and tea Nicaragua 6068 - Palermo

Hollywood Tel 4778-9614

Ninina Bakery

This stunning bakery uses

minimalistic NY style deacutecor

and fresh ingredients Al-

ways packedhellip Gorriti 4738- Palermo SoHo

21

CAFES BsAs Cafeacute culture is something of a paradox there are charming cafes on

every street corner and two meals a day are dedicated to coffee and sweet

treats and yet the coffee is terrible

But the last year a handful of Coffee Shops invested in money and skills by train-

ing people to become certified baristas and now you can get top class cap-

puccinos macchiatos and lattes in this city

Our top choices are

Vive Cafe

A tiny unpretentious place

that serves amazing cof-

fee and great sandwich-

es Quiet and cozy Costa Rica 5722 Palermo

Tel 4774-5461

Cuervo

Coffee is the star here but

also fresh juices from exot-

ic fruits paninis arepas

and salads El Salvador 4580 ndash Palermo

SoHo

Lab

One of the few experts in

coffee in BA they provide

the grains for most of the

other respected coffee

shops in Palermo They

serve a fantastic cappuc-

cino and also good toasts

Humboldt 1542 - Palermo

Hollywood Tel 6465-7008

22

Finally these below are very unique cafes that definitely worth a visit even if

their cappuccino is not 100 Italian stylehellip

Paul French Gallery

In Palermo SoHo a secret

garden a gallery and a

vintage store host a cozy

coffee shop Gorriti 4865 Palermo SoHo

Tel 4833-2209

Juan Pablo Repetto

Artist designer and

magazine owner Juan

Pablo has created a nice

cafeacute drawn from the

fairytales Passionate

about his work his

porcelains and his

charming personality this

is a place where you will

go again and again Av Niceto Vega 4977

Palermo Tel 4776-3292

23

BRUNCHES The brunch is becoming the new trend and craze in BsAs and everybody is competing to offer the best Competition is keen and sometimes the difference is on the variety or the set up So are you ready ldquopara brunchearrdquo (with our favorites

Uco

At UCO in the Fierro Hotel

(formerly Hernaacuten Gipponi

Restaurant) the mega

brunch starts with juice

coffee fruit yogurt and a

selection of pastries

(GREAT croissants) and

sweets continues with a

prime fiambre spread

glass of sparkling wine

and features a choice of

main egg course like a

little lovinrsquo from the chefrsquos

hometown with a com-

plete Irish breakfast fry up

blood sausage sausage

bacon grilled tomato

fried egg and beans Fierro Hotel Soler 5862

Palermo Hollywood Tel 3220-6820

Mooi

Technically not

considered a brunch by

itself ndash they call it a break-

fast ndash but trendy Mooi gets

our vote because for un-

der $150 (pesos) you can

eat a nice breakfast and

choose between 4

different menus Costa Rica 5468 Palermo

Hollywood Tel 4773-7246

Malvon

Saturdays Sundays amp

Holidays 10am ndash 430pm

Malvoacuten makes a special

brunch menu which

comes with a whole gang

of sides and drinks Service

can be slow and the wait

long so make sure to get

there early or arrive late

If you are a weekday

bruncher they also serve

breakfast every morning

Serrano 789 Villa Crespo

Tel 4774-2563

24

Alacena

La Alacena has a total-

ly inviting space

with modern open kitch-

en friendly staff outskirts

of Palermo location and

a breakfast menu that will

make you wake up with a

smile The pastries are

made everyday in house

with some of the best

breads focaccia and

croissants in the barrio Gascon 1409 Palermo tel

48672549

Blanch

It always gives me a nice

feeling to walk into

Blanch A super welcom-

ing space the walls are

filled with wine cook-

books and kitchen uten-

sils while the rooftop ter-

race might be the best in

the city The brunch is def-

initely eclectic The chef

spent lots of time traveling

through Asia which can

explain the Asiany kick to

the menu My all-time

favorite for the scrambled

eggs with cured salmon Carranza 2181 Palermo

Hollywood Tel 4771-4440

Pani

Back in the day in the

mid 2000s before the

brunch craze invaded

Buenos Aires Olsen

reigned on top for THE

place to brunch Cool

sleek modern atmos-

phere minimal decor

beautifully presented

food extremely accessi-

ble prices trendy clientele

and a one-of-a-kind

menu Things have not

changed much since

then (expect of the

priceshellip)

El Salvador 4827 Palermo Soho Tel 4833-2156

Le Pain Quotidien

LPQ might be a worldwide

cafeacute but it definitely de-

serves our respect They

use all local quality prod-

ucts a rarity in the chain

world make their own

bread daily and

have good coffee Plus

each of the locations

have a good rustic feel

most with great outdoor

spaces Try this one in Pa-

lermo Soho Armenia 1641

Palermo Soho Tel 4831-5709

Oui Oui

A pioneer in the Buenos

Aires brunch scene Oui

Oui has been honoring

brunching foreigners for

years One of the only

brunch menu thatrsquos avail-

able every day anytime Nicaragua 6068 Nicaragua

6099 Palermo Hollywood

25

bars amp clubs

26

Le Bar

A reason to party down-

townNtra Sra de Buen Viaje

998 Moroacuten tel 4483-4565

878

Too good to be kept a

secret for such long time

in Villa Crespo Thames 878

tel 4773 1098

DeBar

If you like rock and cheap

drinks Defensa 502 tel 4342

2089

Asia de Cuba

Wannabe actors and

modelsPierina Dealessi 750

tel 48941329

Niceto Club

Always in fashion for late

partying always with hap-

peningsAv Cnel Niceto

Vega 5510 tel 4779 9396

Casa Cruz

Stylish and sexy Palermo SoHo Uriarte 1658

tel 4833 1112

Isabel

Posh dark design and ul-

tra trendy Uriarte 1664

Tel +54 11 4834-6969

Gran Bar Danzoacuten

Is undoubtedly one of the

kings of the BA bar scene Libertad 1161 tel +54 11 4811-

1108

Crobar

Hosts always good DJ sets

Av Cnel Marcelino E Freyre

tel +54 11 4778-1500

Our choices with an

26

Le Bar

A reason to party down-

townNtra Sra de Buen Viaje

998 Moroacuten tel 4483-4565

878

Too good to be kept a

secret for such long time

in Villa Crespo Thames 878

tel 4773 1098

DeBar

If you like rock and cheap

drinks Defensa 502 tel 4342

2089

Asia de Cuba

Wannabe actors and

modelsPierina Dealessi 750

tel 48941329

Niceto Club

Always in fashion for late

partying always with hap-

peningsAv Cnel Niceto

Vega 5510 tel 4779 9396

Casa Cruz

Stylish and sexy Palermo SoHo Uriarte 1658

tel 4833 1112

Isabel

Posh dark design and ul-

tra trendy Uriarte 1664

Tel +54 11 4834-6969

Gran Bar Danzoacuten

Is undoubtedly one of the

kings of the BA bar scene Libertad 1161 tel +54 11 4811-

1108

Crobar

Hosts always good DJ sets

Av Cnel Marcelino E Freyre

tel +54 11 4778-1500

Our choices with an

27

Doppelganger Doppelgaumlnger Bar is kinda

hot shit Drink aficionados

alcohol snobs and plain old

borrachos ndash this place was

made just for you creating

and drinking the perfect

cocktail 500 Juan de Garay

San Telmo T 4300 0201

Frankrsquos bar

Do you know the secret

code to dial in your way

through A 1920 style bar

with excellent cocktails Areacutevalo 14 tel +54 11 4777-6541

Floreria Atlantico

In Retiro though opened

in January 2016 this little

hotspot due its original

concept (hidden inside a

flower shop) is at the

top50 best in the world Arroyo 872 tel +54 11 4313-

6093

Leitmotiv

A bar designed to please

on rainy windy cold and

also sunny summer days

The artyold-fashioned

decoration takes retro to

a whole new level and

the yummy platters fea-

ture options for vegetari-

ans and meat eaters and

look pretty enough to bat

eyes and kiss over The

new venue is not only a

restaurant but also a bar

and so stopping by for

drinks is equally nice Joseacute Antonio Cabrera 5700 tel +54 11 4777-0743

Basa

Fabulous cocktails with

great music to match in

Retiro Basavilbaso 1328 tel +54 11 4893-9444

MilionmdashThe famous Por-

trait of Hector Yepez in

Milion Parana 1048 tel

481559925

The Harrison Speakeasy

The makers of Frankrsquos Pa-

lermorsquos favorite (and on-

ly) speakeasy are back

at it again with another

Prohibition Era 1920s in-

spired bar Malabia 1764 1414

28

Victoria Brown

Palermo Bar with Cheer-

ing Interiors Beautiful vic-

torian style bar Great ser-

vice The music is just

perfect not so loud

not so low Costa Rica 4827 Tel 4831 0831

Sheldon

Visitors arrive to to a lively

gastro-bar and terrace

lounge in Palermo with a

colorful painted-tile

courtyard that flanks the

entrance Honduras 4969

tel 4832-6195

Rey de Copas

Drinks that would do any

mixologist proud - nicely

crafted refreshing artisan-

style cocktails Gorriti 5176 tel 2068-5220

Plaza Serrano

Finally for those enjoying a

cool unpretentious late

drinking vibrant atmos-

phere then head to at

Plaza Serrano area open

till early morning for

cheap drinks munch a

juicy pancho (hot dog) a

choripan or just chilling

out Every weekend a

huge local and artisan

market takes placehellip

Puro Bistro

Cigar aficionados buy or

enjoy your cigar here

with a nice Malbec Port

and a tray of cheeses

and charcuterie Thames 1920 tel 4 11 2068-5220

3 New Inspired Bars In Palermo These three Palermo watering holes to be so very interesting

Innovative interiors which create a unique sense of place make all three of

these Portentildeo saloons an interesting environment for relaxing and enjoying a

drink with friends in Buenos Aires

29

shopping

30

Alto Palermo

Popular with families and

gaggles of giggling mall

rats this consumer mecca

contains most of Argen-

tinas top chains such as

Las Pepas Ricky Sarkany

Mariacutea Vazquez and

more Avenida Santa Fe 3253

Galeriacuteas Paciacutefico

This mall is housed in a turn

-of-the-century building

with superb frescoes

painted by five Argentini-

an muralists Youll find fa-

mous brand names such

as Christian Dior and

more Florida 737

Paseo Alcorta

Paseo Alcorta considered

by many shopping buffs

to be the best mall in BA

contains the gigantic Car-

refour hypermarket as well

as plenty of local clothing

brands from local design-

ers like Ona Saez till top

international brands Salguero 3172

Abasto de Buenos Aires

This former fruit market is

one of the finest examples

of art deco architecture in

BA and also the citys most

mainstream mall with

stores for all ages and

tastes Avenida Corrientes 3247

Patio Bullrich

This the oldest and most lux-

urious of all BAs malls was

once the citys meat auction

house The elegance it now

displays extends from the

shiny marble floors to the

smartly

Avenida del Libertador 750

Districto Arcos

Distrito Arcos is the first

open-air mall located in

the heart of the city Not

only that but it is also a

premium brand shopping

mall at outlet prices

Paraguay 4979

There are at least 5 nice shopping malls in Buenos Aires

30

Alto Palermo

Popular with families and

gaggles of giggling mall

rats this consumer mecca

contains most of Argen-

tinas top chains such as

Las Pepas Ricky Sarkany

Mariacutea Vazquez and

more Avenida Santa Fe 3253

Galeriacuteas Paciacutefico

This mall is housed in a turn

-of-the-century building

with superb frescoes

painted by five Argentini-

an muralists Youll find fa-

mous brand names such

as Christian Dior and

more Florida 737

Paseo Alcorta

Paseo Alcorta considered

by many shopping buffs

to be the best mall in BA

contains the gigantic Car-

refour hypermarket as well

as plenty of local clothing

brands from local design-

ers like Ona Saez till top

international brands Salguero 3172

Abasto de Buenos Aires

This former fruit market is

one of the finest examples

of art deco architecture in

BA and also the citys most

mainstream mall with

stores for all ages and

tastes Avenida Corrientes 3247

Patio Bullrich

This the oldest and most lux-

urious of all BAs malls was

once the citys meat auction

house The elegance it now

displays extends from the

shiny marble floors to the

smartly

Avenida del Libertador 750

Districto Arcos

Distrito Arcos is the first

open-air mall located in

the heart of the city Not

only that but it is also a

premium brand shopping

mall at outlet prices

Paraguay 4979

There are at least 5 nice shopping malls in Buenos Aires

31

PALERMO SOHO

The most amazing shopping experience amidst dozens of deli shops art studi-

os and hip trendy crowds can be done in Palermo SoHo area between the

streets of Gorriti-Gurruchaga-El Salvador-Malabia Please DO NOT leave

Buenos Aires unless visiting this area even if you donrsquot want to shop but only to

walk and fool aroundhellip

Finally for cool discount stores representing all major brands at knock off prices

of 30-70 then head to Palermo Queens between the streets of Araoz-Gurruchaga-Aguirre-Castillo

BOOKSTORES (Librerias)

One of the institutions of Buenos Aires are its bookstores Where else can you

read Pablo Neruda poetry while sipping your coffee in a magnificent classi-

cal bookstore

El Ateneo Grand Splendid

The famous El Ateneo

Grand Splendid ranked

the second most im-

portant bookshop in the

world by the British news-

paperThe Guardian Jazz

sessions at the cafeacute in the

back Av Santa Fe 1860

Libros de Pasaje

If yoursquore looking for a cozy spot

to relax or nourish the brain af-

ter a wild night of partying in

Buenos Aires check out Libros

del Pasaje in Palermo This is a

charming bookstore and cafeacute

with high ceilings and dark

wooden bookshelves displaying

carefully chosen literature

Thames 1762 Palermo tel 4833 6637

32

accommodation

33

HOTELS

Itrsquos no longer enough to throw an expensive rug on

the floor buy some kitsch furniture decorate each

room differently and put the word rsquoboutiquersquo some-

where in the name Thanks to Buenos Aires the term

ldquoboutiquerdquo is renovated and the result is absolutely

amazing Often refurbished old houses the best of

them retaining some of their previous grandeur

Other are true design gems But everybody agrees

that the intimate service and natural politeness of the

staff make a win-win combination

The devalued peso gives you the chance to live a 5

star luxury at 3 star rate so donrsquot miss the chance

Our FAVORITES

Casa Sur

Urban and contemporary

CasaSur Palermo is the

third hotel of CasaSur Ho-

tel Collection contrib-

uting with its own revolu-

tion of good taste and ju-

venile style to one of the

trendiest and more cos-

mopolitan areas of the

city Surrounded by bars

and by many of the best

restaurants of Buenos

Aires CasaSur Palermo

Hotel represents the cool

and hipster spirit of Paler-

mo in its structure and de-

sign

Mine

The latest addition to the

boutique hotel scene of

Buenos Aires is unpreten-

tious and charming Sleek

lines fresh design fantas-

tic location in the best

part of town professional

and friendly staff excel-

lent price-value relation-

ship

Home

Home Hotel is an eco-

design dream of a bou-

tique hotel based in a

simple ivy-entwined struc-

ture in Palermo Holly-

wood Buenos Aires Each

room is kitted out in vin-

tage floral wallpapers and

with retro Scandinavian

furniture Staying here is

an open-air adventure

an outdoor passageway

leads you to the restau-

rant overlooking the gor-

geous grounds Therersquos no

place like it

APARTMENTS With so many options of-

fered many prefer the

coziness of a rented

apartment from a local

Here is a good option Cool and Chic in Palermo

33

HOTELS

Itrsquos no longer enough to throw an expensive rug on

the floor buy some kitsch furniture decorate each

room differently and put the word rsquoboutiquersquo some-

where in the name Thanks to Buenos Aires the term

ldquoboutiquerdquo is renovated and the result is absolutely

amazing Often refurbished old houses the best of

them retaining some of their previous grandeur

Other are true design gems But everybody agrees

that the intimate service and natural politeness of the

staff make a win-win combination

The devalued peso gives you the chance to live a 5

star luxury at 3 star rate so donrsquot miss the chance

Our FAVORITES

Casa Sur

Urban and contemporary

CasaSur Palermo is the

third hotel of CasaSur Ho-

tel Collection contrib-

uting with its own revolu-

tion of good taste and ju-

venile style to one of the

trendiest and more cos-

mopolitan areas of the

city Surrounded by bars

and by many of the best

restaurants of Buenos

Aires CasaSur Palermo

Hotel represents the cool

and hipster spirit of Paler-

mo in its structure and de-

sign

Mine

The latest addition to the

boutique hotel scene of

Buenos Aires is unpreten-

tious and charming Sleek

lines fresh design fantas-

tic location in the best

part of town professional

and friendly staff excel-

lent price-value relation-

ship

Home

Home Hotel is an eco-

design dream of a bou-

tique hotel based in a

simple ivy-entwined struc-

ture in Palermo Holly-

wood Buenos Aires Each

room is kitted out in vin-

tage floral wallpapers and

with retro Scandinavian

furniture Staying here is

an open-air adventure

an outdoor passageway

leads you to the restau-

rant overlooking the gor-

geous grounds Therersquos no

place like it

APARTMENTS With so many options of-

fered many prefer the

coziness of a rented

apartment from a local

Here is a good option Cool and Chic in Palermo

34

Selina

Whether yoursquore a digital

nomad family on vaca-

tion adventurous back-

packer or surfer looking

for paradise yoursquove

come to the right place

Participate in the com-

plete ecosystem of Selina

stay eat work surf ex-

plore and find a deeper

connection with the

world Meet your tribe

when you stay with Selina

Legado Mitico

A gem in Buenos Aires

Concept rooms taken

from Argentinarsquos most

influential people

(mythical legacy is the

actual translation of the

name of the hotel) like

Che Guevara Evita

Peron Borges and others

Breakfasts are delightful

and the common areas

have a huge supply of

books on everything to do

with Argentina so you

may spend time out

reading history and

discovering the cultural

side of the country As

there are only a dozen

rooms sometimes you feel

as if you are the only

quests living in a

beautifully renovated

home

LAST BUT NOT LEAST

Hotel Faena and Universe

Is perhaps one of the most

unique hotels in the world

An unparallel universe of

design and fantasy will

be a crime leaving

Buenos Aires and at least

not having paid a visit to

this incredible hotel

35

epilogue Be sure to visit the sites take amusing perspective shots of the Obeliacutesco and

watch a tango show at Cafeacute de Los Angelitos but also spend hours in coffee

shops visit Cafe Tortoni chat for hours after your steak dinner and stay up until

dawn partying with BsAsrsquos carefree and beautiful young crowd Through its cha-

otic and frenetic exterior you will see that much of the city is beautiful with

grandiose buildings world-class art galleries fine restaurants and a thriving fash-

ion industry

Buenos Aires you see is not a city to visit but a city to live in We say so Prove us

wronghellip

savas kazantzides

travel adviser