8 unmissable culinary highlights of Buenos Aires, Argentina's capital

One of the biggest beef consumers in the world, Argentinians are masters of the asado — the South American take on a barbecue. But, with young chefs keen to diversify and refine the capital's culinary scene, a Porteño’s diet isn't just limited to steak and Malbec. Use your stomach as a compass to navigate Buenos Aires by visiting these spots.

1. F5 Cantina Atelier Fuerza 

Essentially Argentinian croissants, crescent-shaped medialunas (‘half moons’) are a sweet breakfast staple across the country. Find them stacked on oven-warm baking trays at this brick-walled confiteria (cake, pastry and coffee shop) in the central Villa Crespo neighbourhood. Head a few doors down to watch the bakers at work behind a large glass window, or come back in the evening, when the space turns into a pasta restaurant.

2. Gran Dabbang

Using a combination of Indian, Middle Eastern and Latin American flavours, chef Mariano Ramón approaches the kitchen with the maverick flair of Maradona on a football pitch. His menu of sharing dishes always scores highly: standouts include wood-fired bamboo shoots and sliced mango wrapped in a bamboo leaf, or labne yoghurt and huacatay (Peruvian black mint) mixed with crunchy chickpea crisps. His restaurant is a tiny space spilling onto a street in trendy Palermo Soho, and fills early. 

3. Oli Cafe

Famous for her signature medialunas, tattooed pastry chef Olivia Saal has mastered all sorts of baked specialities at her buzzy and bright bistro in culinary hotspot Palermo Hollywood. Choose from sweet and savoury dishes for a bumper brunch, listening to jazz and watching chefs at work behind a glass wall or cement counter. The indulgent ghee-based French toast, caramelised with a blow torch and served with mascarpone yoghurt, fruit and fresh dill, has the city’s cool crowd jostling for a table.

4. Chui

During the 19th and 20th centuries, around two million Italians moved to Argentina, bringing their culinary traditions with them. The pizzas at this vegetarian restaurant in Villa Crespo could match anything served in the motherland, with toppings ranging from sweet potato and pickled oyster mushrooms to onions and Argentinian reggianito cheese. Along with your pizza, try small plates of charred avocado with kimchi and tiger’s milk marinade, or llanero cheese with fruit vinegar.

5. Elena

Fine cuts of 45-day dry-aged steak dangle from the kitchen ceiling of Elena. Part of the Four Seasons, it sparkles with belle époque-era glamour, with waiters in silk waistcoats serving plates of charcuterie and beef to guests tucked into leather banquettes.

6. Mengano

Chef Facundo Kelemen’s take on empanadas — fried pastry pillows that are a classic South American comfort food — features beef, pepper, spices and a meat broth that bursts with flavour. It’s part of a menu of small sharing plates reinventing time-honoured family recipes for contemporary diners. It’s all served in an early 20th-century former home decorated with black-and-white photographs. Another highlight at this Palermo Soho restaurant is the sandwich with wagyu steak, slow-cooked at 80C for 14 hours.

7. El Preferido de Palermo

Provoleta cheese was created in the 1940s by an Italian immigrant, and it's typically heated in a skillet until crisp on the outside and gooey in the middle. This brasserie, decorated with jars of pickles and herbs hanging above a marble bar, melts it on a chickpea-flour pancake in a wood-fired oven.

8. La Carniceria

This Palermo Viejo grill house serves cuts of Aberdeen Angus reared on co-owner Germán Sitz’s farm in the Pampas. La Carniceria (‘butcher’s shop’) triumphs with honey-laced mollejas (sweetbreads) and melted bone marrow mopped up with bread, ensuring every part of the animal is used.