Argentina, famous for it’s steaks and malbec wines has more to offer foodies and travelers in the gastronomy scene. This two part article highlights the top 10 Buenos Aires food experiences we discovered on our quest for authentic food in South America.
In Part 1, we recommend the following Buenos Aires food experiences for foodies and travelers to get a more local and authentic feel of Argentina’s capital. We encourage you to:
#1: Discover the unique products at Mercado del Progreso
#2: Try the milanesa
#3: Enjoy sweet facturas
#4: Savor an alfajor
#5: Make your own fresh pasta
Here we talk about 5 other authentic foodie experiences you don’t want to miss in Buenos Aires.
Ready to discover these additional authentic foodie experiences? Let’s go!
Table of Contents
#6: Do Media Tarde (Late Afternoon Snack) At a Bar Notable
Argentineans are known to have their dinner quite late in the day. To tide you over after a day of sightseeing until dinner time which starts at 9pm or later, take advantage of the afternoon snack called media tarde or merienda.
The most typical experience is to order a cafe con leche y medialunas. The coffee with milk comes served with a glass of sparking water. Additionally, it is served with a small sweet cake. Another alternative is to have the cafe con leche y tostadas. Try the tostadas con Jamon y Queso. This comes with four delicious toasted ham and cheese sandwiches.
If you choose to order a beer, you have the choice of artisanal beer, either Rubia, Colorada or Negra (from lighter to darker beer). You are sure to be well treated, as you automatically get peanuts with your beer without having to ask.
Find a bar notable in Buenos Aires to enjoy your Media Tarde. They are 73 bars notables which are known which have historical or cultural significance. These “notables” are an official part of the heritage of Buenos Aires. In Recoleta, you have La Biela located across the cemetery where Eva Peron was buried. There you can seat next to the statue of Jorge Luis Borges the famous Argentinian poet. And in San Telmo, visit Bar El Federal, the second oldest bar in Buenos Aires.
Check out the list of the bars notables and try a few while you visit Buenos Aires. The experience of having a traditional media tarde at a Bar Notable, is one of the most unique Buenos Aires food experiences.
Cafe con leche y tostadas#7: Devour Fugazzeta Pizza and Faina
One of the most unique types of pizza you will find in Buenos Aires is the Fugazzeta. This classic pizza, along with the Milanesa, which we talked about in Part 1, have been listed by the government as foods under “patrimonial value.” This over 100 year old pizza comes from Genoa, Italy and must be enjoyed.
The best place to try fugazzeta is at the restaurant that first started selling it in Buenos Aires. El Cuartito is legendary. However, be prepared to wait in line before getting seated. It’s a huge restaurant with plenty of seating, the line is just an indication of it’s popularity. However, don’t be intimidated by the line as it moves quite rapidly. Standing outside also gives you time to appreciate the ambiance and to look over the menu while waiting.
One of the best things is that they offer pizzas by the slice, so you can sample different types of pizza instead of ordering just one kind.
FugazettaInterestingly, most of the pizza is accompanied with Faina. This is a flat pancake-like bread made with garbanzo beans. It is delicious and has the side benefit of filling you up with your protein intake. This is a food experience not to miss out while in Buenos Aires!
Faina#8: Treat Yourself To Creamy Helado (Ice Cream) Anytime
Helado is ice-cream in Spanish, and Argentinians have mastered the art of making of it. Many have said that the ice cream in Buenos Aires is better than in Italy and we can’t disagree. The ice cream is made with whole milk and is very creamy and thick. The quality is very high using all natural products and very little artificial flavors or preservatives. All over Buenos Aires, you will find artisanal stores as well as well-known chains that can serve you the very best helados.
Dulce de leche ice-creamFor one of the most authentic Buenos Aires food experiences, try an artisanal helado at Cadore. This is one of the oldest heladeria having been established in Buenos Aires in 1957. Today, it is notably distinguished as a landmark by the Cultural Administration of Buenos Aires. This ice cream were first made in Italy before the family moved to Buenos Aires with its highly guarded recipes.
When you order, you will be surprised to learn that you can buy it by the Kilo. You do get your cones or cups, but the 1 or 2 kilo tubs are quite a treat!
#9: Relish Empanadas
A trip to Buenos Aires would not be complete without trying the famous Empanadas. These Argentine staples are small pies with a “croissant” shape, stuffed with different fillings, mostly savory. The best empanadas are baked and these are ones you want to indulge in.
For an authentic foodie experience, one of the best place to try them in Buenos Aires is at Cumana Restaurant, in Recoleta. This tiny little spot offers a great selection of empanadas to choose from.
Try the specialties; lomo picante (spicy, chopped tenderloin), jamon y queso (ham and cheese) and Roquefort cheese empanada. I don’t know if it is due to our love for cheese, but we fell in love and went to empanada heaven. Do not miss out on this Buenos Aires food experience.
Mouthwatering Empanada de Roquefort#10: Experience a Parilla
You can’t go to Argentina and not try the beef. Famous for having some of the best steaks in the world, you want to try one at a Parilla (grill/steak house). This is an authentic foodie experience for a couple of reason. First, the opportunity to try different cuts of beef than you don’t typically find in the U.S. Secondly, enjoy high quality beef from cows are grass-fed and free of antibiotics. And finally, the unique asado cooking technique which seals in the flavors and cooks without the flames touching the beef.
With parillas at every street corner we recommend two to have great Buenos Aires food experiences. Las Cabras in the Palermo neighborhood is a popular and solid choice which is also budget friendly. Here you want to get the gran bife Las Cabras. This is a huge piece of beef and a ridiculous amount of sides including; thick cut fries topped with a fried egg, pumpkin puree, grilled onion, vegetables with rice and a delicious spicy cheese.
El Desnivel, located in the historic San Telmo neighborhood is not fancy and filled with locals. Here, you want to get Chorizo de Bife. This is a delicious thick cut of pure meat goodness. Be sure to order it jugoso, which means red and juicy.
Chorizo de BifeSummary
Beyond steaks and Malbec wines, Buenos Aires has a lot to offer travelers and those seeking authentic foodie experiences. At Authentic Food Quest, our mission is to inspire travelers to travel through food and in particular, authentic food. In this post and the previous one, we have compiled our list of 10 Buenos Aires food experiences for you to enjoy.
Please share with us, which of these authentic foodie experiences have you already tried? Which ones intrigue you the most. Share your comments below.
Locations Mentioned
La Biela, Av. Pres. Manuel Quintana 596, Recoleta, Buenos Aires.
Bar El Federal, Carlos Calvo, 599, San Telmo, Buenos Aires.
El Cuartito, Talcahuano 937, Centro, Buenos Aires.
Cadore, Avenida Corrientes 1695, Centro, Buenos Aires.
Cumana, Rodríguez Peña 1149, Recoleta, Buenos Aires.
Las Cabras, Fitz Roy 1795, Palermo, Buenos Aires.
El Desnivel, Defensa 855, San Telmo, Buenos Aires.
View Authentic Foodie Experiences in Buenos Aires in a full screen map
Savor The Adventure!
Claire is a culinary explorer who travels the world in search of the best local foods. She is always looking for her next culinary adventure to bring you the best bites while exploring new places.
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For a unique foodie experience check out Cumana Restaurant in Recoleta. This local spot offers a great selection of empanadas. Try the specialties;
Thanks Lucas for your recommendations. Yes, we did visit Cumana and agree with you, it is a great spot for empanadas and a truly authentic foodie experience. Cheers.
Hi Claire and Rosemary,
I haven’t visited Buenos Aires but sharing your experience in those 2 blog posts, it definitely makes me want to visit. Empanadas look really interesting, I would love to try them. Keep it up with the great posts on your blog!
Zaria
Thanks so much Zaria for your comments. So glad you enjoyed reading the posts. We really had a great time in South America and would love to inspire people to travel there though food 🙂 Yes, the empanadas are some of the best we’ve ever had. See if you can visit an Argentina restaurant in your area and experience the empanadas for yourself 🙂 Cheers!
Nice photos and also the map. Will definitely try the pizza because Im a pizza person. Everywhere I place I travel to, I always look for a pizza place 🙂
Thanks Carla, so glad you liked reading about the fugazetta and the delicious faina that goes along with it. This is a very interesting pizza and one that you would very much devour. Hope you get to Buenos Aires soon and taste it for yourself. Thanks for your comments.
We are absolutely feigning for Buenos Aires! We’d planned to go there for our honeymoon, but ended up in Sri Lanka/Maldives instead. Now, looking at your photos and descriptions, we are salivating! We can’t wait to visit, plus we love Argentinian wine, and dancing Tango! Fab post!
Hi Eulanda, congrats on your wedding and I’m sure you had a great time in the Maldives. It’s actually a good thing you didn’t go to Buenos Aires earlier, because you would not have had this list 🙂 So glad you enjoyed reading the post, the food and Malbec wine is outstanding. Hope you get to make it there soon 🙂 Please do let us know when you get there. Thanks for your comments.
Oh, I so want some dulce de leche ice cream right now – I am almost drooling. Thank you for sharing the history of food in Buenos Aires, It is really fascinating to read.
Hi Serina, you will find yourself wanting more and more that dulce de leche ice cream. It is so thick and delicious. Glad you enjoyed reading about all the authentic foodie places in Buenos Aires. Thanks for your comments!
Ooooh big claim that ice cream in Buenos Aires is better than in Italy!! I spent two weeks in Italy and came back having devoured so much gelato haha!! Will have to get to Buenos Aires to verify that one personally 😀
Love it…we are off to a great debate…who makes the better gelato, Italy or Argentina. The best would be to swap…you go to Argentina and we go to Italy and then reconvene 🙂 Let’s figure out how to settle this question. Cheers!
This is absolutely amazing. The food looks wonderful. I want to travel more. I’m ready to go back to Guatemala, I traveled there for a few months years ago. I think with my appreciation of food that I have now, I’d appreciate it more
Thanks Krysten for your comments. Glad that you are inspired to travel again through food. It does make the experience much deeper and richer! Cheers.
Koooooool…. I was right about enjoying Media Tarde. 🙂
I love your mission, and now as a regular reader of your blog I do feel totally inspired to travel through food, and authentic food. You guys are amazing.
Hi Anna, that is so wonderful to hear that you are totally inspired!! Mission accomplished 🙂 It’s easy to actually eat an early dinner at Media Tarde. So amazing and delicious. Thanks so much.
Oh wow I’m learning so much from your articles! Why does the Cafe Con Leche gets served with sparkling water though? Are you meant to mix them together?
Hi Tammi, actually the sparkling water just comes in addition to the coffee. It’s a nice thing to have to “clean” the mouth after coffee. The best part is that it is sparkling water. It’s nice added touch 🙂 Thanks for your comments.
The food looks amazing I must say go Argentina. The Chorizo de Bife looks amazing for us meat eaters but pastries also look great. Stuff it just order me one of everything
Thanks Mark, you would be delighted with all the delicious food in Argentina. From snacks, to meals, to dessert and of course meat. Lot’s to choose from and enjoy. Do let us know if you make it to Argentina!
That oozing bit of cheese!! I could have those every day. Cheese has to be one of my favourite foods to indulge in, along with some ice cream. I had gelato every day in Italy, would love to see how Helado compares!
Hi Mar, it’s been too long since we were in Italy to remember how the gelato tastes and compare that with helados. What we do know is that the Argentines claim it is better than Italian gelato. This could be country pride 🙂 The history of helados come with the high Italian population in Argentina, so I would venture to say the taste is probably very similar. You will be able to continue to your love for cheese in Argentina 🙂 Thanks for your comments!
That food looks so delicious! Funnily enough I was watching a movie last night that mentioned Malbec as being the main type of wine served in Buenos Aires. Looks like a great place to visit.
Hi Elissa, that’s great the timing between you watching the movie and reading the post. Malbec is indeed Argentina’s main wine and we did visit Mendoza as well. We wrote about the experience and will be publishing a mini-guide soon. Buenos Aires and Argentina in general is a fun place to visit!!
I can’t wait to read your post about Mendoza! I just posted about our trip but there was so much to take in that more will have to follow! The biggest takeaway was that 4 days was not enough, so I’m dying to go back. Any recommendations on non-spluge spots to stay in Valle de Uco or Chacras de Coria? Thehighwayisgreen.WordPress.com
Hi Courtney, so happy to hear you had a great time in Mendoza. Agree with you 100% 4 days is not enough. We were there for about 6 days and felt the same way as well. So much to see and discover. In terms of non splurge spots, we always like staying with locals via airbnb. This is a great way to get to know the favorite spots from the local perspective. Feel free to use the discount code for Airbnb on our site. We have several posts about Mendoza, and this one is about the area and Maipu valley. https://www.authenticfoodquest.com/discovering-mendoza-and-the-wines/ Did you visit any of these wineries?
Thanks for the foodie advice! The ice cream looks absolutely delicious!
You are so welcome Lauren. It’s actually quite difficult to describe how delicious the helados are in Buenos Aires. You’ve just to try them for yourself 🙂 Thanks for your comments.
It is certainly a place I could easily eat my way around. I love empanada’s, but think they would be even better in Buenos Aires. This is certainly a very authentic food quest, and I have loved reading these. I think I will use this as a starting point when we eventually visit; it will be our go-to food guide, and makes it easy. Thanks ladies for such helpful information. Now I must eat 🙂
Thanks so much Paula. Glad you are enjoying reading about our quest. Our goal is to make it easier for you when you visit Buenos Aires and we appreciate knowing that it is helpful. Let us know when you get to Argentina. Cheers to eating!!
I shouldn’t be reading this early in the morning for breakfast, wow so yummy. I really need to visit this amazing country and try some of these delicious places your recommended.
Hi Noel, there is never a good time to reading about food, don’t you think? So glad you learned about the delicious dishes in Buenos Aires. It’s a great foodie destination and worth visiting. Please let us know when you get there. Thanks for your comments!
What a delicious post! Here it is dinner time and I am actually drooling by looking at those pics.
Argentina has been on my list and I know it has some amazing food to relish. Empanadas and pizza look great. I am so looking forward to tasting them.
When are you planning on traveling to Argentina? If you spend time in Buenos Aires, be sure to check out the restaurants and places we have highlighted. You will be blown away by food. Please let us know what you think after your trip. Thanks for your comments!
I lived in BsAs for quite some time last year and whenever people asked why I stayed, I always pointed out that food is AWESOME! Buenos Aires is so diverse when it comes to food and everything can be delivered at your doorstep (including ice cream!) Your dulce de leche photo brings back a lot of memories in BsAs! Thanks for sharing, Claire! Xx
That’s so wonderful to hear Trisha that the post reminded you of your stay in Buenos Aires. Truly there is so much amazing food in Buenos Aires that people don’t know much about. Missing the ice cream big time. Did you ever make it to Cadore? Thanks for your comments.
That icecream and empanada… it’s mouth watering. I will join you in empanada heaven.
Hi Karla, you are so funny. There is plenty of room in “empanada heaven.” With baked empanadas made from beef, chicken, pork, quinoa, lamb, cheese and more we will all be happy campers. Thanks for your comments!
Hmm, I really wanted to be able to say, “Wow, I’d love to try X” but the truth is I’m a closet foodie and would smash any of these! Seriously, they all look amazing that I don’t know if I could just choose one to pick from. I have heard so many amazing things about food in Argentina. I love trying local foods when traveling, it looks like Argentina just may be a “food trip” for me!!!
You are so right LeAnna, all these experiences are amazing and it’s difficult to pick a favorite. The food in Argentina is truly amazing and for a closet foodie, your “stomach” would have a great time 🙂 Thanks for your comments!
Mmm, this all looks SO delicious! I’d love to visit Buenos Aires. Particularly love the emphasis on mid afternoon snacks 🙂
Hi Dannielle, truly the late afternoon snack or media tarde is an event that must be experienced. It is incredibly popular and the options are so good. Hope you make it to Buenos Aires soon to try it out for yourself 🙂
Yum making me hungry! The pizza looks delicious!
Thanks Tarah, glad to hear you are intrigued by the Fugazetta…it is quite incredible. Hope you do make it to Buenos Aires and try it for yourself. Thanks for your comments.
I would love to learn to make my own fresh pasta and the ice cream looks amazing. How would you rate Buenos Aires for vegetarian food?
Hi Amanda, the good news is that there are a few vegetarian restaurants in Buenos Aires. Also, there are many vegetarian options of popular food items like empanadas. You will also find food stores called “Dietitica” which cater to vegetarians/vegans. One other bonus is the large number of organic farmers markets. Please let us know if you have specific questions, but we would say there are several options for vegetarians. Cheers!
Argentina has been on my list for a while… Now I’ve got more than Patagonia and a path to Antarctica to look forward to! The helados and parillas look so good!
Hi Brittany, you will enjoy Argentina when you get there. In Patagonia be sure to eat the Patagonia lamb which is legendary. In Ushuaia, the gateway to Antartica, we wrote about the seafod food to have. Please let us know what you think when you visit 🙂 Cheers!