The Authentic Bars, Cafes and Restaurants of Buenos Aires

Modest prices, generous servings, friendly owners, and a devoted local clientele all define these cafes, bars, restaurants, and pizzerias where you can taste the traditional everyday cuisine of Argentina in authentic settings. New or old, each one of the seventy profiled here has details that make them worth visiting. Many were the settings for clandestine political meetings in the days before the May Revolution; others provided inspiration for the artists and writers, including Jorge Luis Borges, who frequented them. At one bar, the most prestigious young tango musicians of Buenos Aires gather nightly, and, after a few drinks and a few empanadas (made by the owner himself), spontaneously perform. There’s a tiny parrilla–steak house–known not only for the best roasted meat at the best price but for its eternally festive atmosphere and chaotic charm. At another intimate pulperia, simple homemade meals are served communally at a wooden marble-top table. The Authentic Bars and Cafes of Buenos Aires also includes Gabriela Kogan’s recommendations of what to eat at each venue, a map, and a glossary of Argentine food.

Gabriela Kogan is a graphic designer based in Buenos Aires specializing in book design. Her studio has recently published Surtido, 268 Images of the Argentine Soul; Buenos Aires Populares; Surtido P. 233 20th-Century Graphic Advertisements from Argentina; and Viejo Buenos Aires under her imprint Del Nuevo Extremo.