Uncover the secrets of the asado and delicious Argentinian recipes with The Real Argentina food guide…
Argentines love to eat and are passionate about their prowess in the kitchen. While Argentina may be most famous for its world-class beef, Argentinian food also incorporates influences from many other distinct cuisines around the world.
Join us on our culinary exploration to discover all the best flavours and tastes that Argentina has to offer. We’ll be reviewing restaurants, checking out local traditions, and trying our hand at some typical recipes.
Argentines are known to drink mate, a tea-like infusion adopted from the Guarani people, but what some visitors may not know is that 19th century British immigrants brought with them the afternoon tea tradition, which developed with a local twist.
It’s a well-known fact that some die-hard vegetarians have returned to the dark side after scenting the meaty whiff of a perfectly seared Argentine steak. Caught between righteous beliefs and the urge to just, try, a, little sliver of lomo (because you’re only in Argentina once, right?), many have fallen at the first hurdle when faced with a parrilla. But for those beef eaters who have no such qualms, how do you choose from the hundreds of steakhouses in Buenos Aires? Here’s our indispensable guide to steaks in the city.
Argentina has a very special amorous relationship with postres (desserts). Sugary, gooey, chocolaty, caramel-y, fruity, and creamy; sweet lovers will sure not be disappointed when it comes to navigating the Buenos Aires post meal sweet-induced food world. Suck on a spoonful of dulce de leche and bite into a cake oozing with a rich chocolate center – it’s time to live la vida dulce and get to know some of Argentina’s most popular desserts.
Given that Latin America recently hosted its own regional version of 50 Best restaurants, the spotlight has fallen on the continent’s finest restaurants and the culinary whizzes behind them. While Peru, land of ceviche, Nikkei fusion and Pisco took several top spots including the coveted number-one ranking with Astrid & Gastón, Argentina also fared well with more eating establishments ranking in the LatAm top 50 than any other country. While some Argentine restaurants (and their chefs) are already household names or top guidebook attractions, we take a look at some of the high-ranking yet lower-profile establishments in Buenos Aires.
Way back when, in 1998, a student on my year abroad in Argentina, I went round to a friend’s house. She cooked, we might have smoked a cigarette, and then she offered me some green leaves, served up in a cup. Hoping it was some new kind of illegal substance I could boast about back home, it made me a little dizzy although I wasn’t hooked from the first sip. And as she patiently explained the origins of this drink to me, I suddenly realised that yerba mate wasn’t some illicit herbal secret, and that all the Argentines were at it…
Two weeks ago, I was walking towards London Bridge after work through Borough Market. People in the pubs spilled out on to the pavements to make the most of the warm air. I’d stopped in a pub on the way home with a couple of friends and we were in no hurry. Then I saw Porteña (tag line: Argentinian Street Food), and I was overwhelmed with memories (it doesn’t take a lot). We perched on one of the stools outside, ordered half a dozen empanadas (dos de carne, dos de pollo y dos de jamon y queso), a bottle of Malbec (Quilmes was on offer – obvio) and I was back in Buenos Aires…
Whether you’re a business luncher, a lady who lunches, a lucky lad of leisure or a late riser who needs to eat your hangover away, whatever your midday circumstance may be, Buenos Aires is heaving with lunch promo specials. Known locally as the menú del día (daily menu) or menus ejecutivos (executive menus), during weekdays restaurants are offering daily set menus, usually including a variation of a starter, main course, dessert and a drink. While many of these restaurants cost a hefty dinner price, lunchtime specials make for the ideal opportunity to visit new, tasty hot spots and eat like a king for a fraction of the price…
Visitors to Mendoza — city and province — tend to have their eye on one pressing matter, and one pressing matter only: fermented grape juice. The reputation of Argentina’s greatest wine-producing province precedes it, however: it’s not just Malbec and its sibling varietals that are hogging the spotlight. A host of restaurants in Mendoza are making waves with their gastronomical and enological offerings, from steak flame-grilled seven ways to closed-door establishments and Asian fusion cuisine…
There’s no denying that many Buenos Aires inhabitants tend to incorporate two food groups into their daily diet: sweets and carbs. Walk down most porteño blocks and you’ll find no shortage of the French boulangerie, panaderías (bakeries) and confiterías (confectioneries), offering a wide variety of the good stuff: fresh baked breads, gooey indulgent pastries, and other diet-ruining snacks that could bring any nutritionist to tears…
Organised by GAJO, a group of young Argentine chefs using local products to take their cuisine to a new level, Masticar was certainly the largest such event Buenos Aires has seen, with producers, food stands and wine tastings in abundance. Although no fixed date has been set for round two, now that summer is drawing to a close it can’t be far off. In the meantime, here’s the lowdown on where to get a farmers’ market experience in BA.