Argentine Restaurants

Eating out in Argentina a be a wonderful yet different experience for many. You should not expect the fast paced service that you find any many restaurants around the globe, especially like in the United States. The environment is often laid back with lunch or dinner sometimes extending way past one hour. However, the servings are plenty and at most time very inexpensive for those who enjoy a great currency exchange rate.

Tip:
Browse through our restaurant review guides on the left to find great establishments found in Argentina's hot spots. We strive to list the best restaurants by category regardless of price.

We here at Planet Argentina want you to have a fantastic dining experience so if you do not find a restaurant listed here that is found in numerous guides it may very well be a tourist trap with high prices and low quality, which is the type of restaurant that we do not want to list.

Dining Times

If you are accustomed to eating dinner at 5-7 pm, when you visit Argentina you'll need to check those times at the door. That isn't to say you can't eat at that time but to fully enjoy the experience and dine at many great restaurants, plan on having dinner past 9 pm. How can I wait that long you might ask? Simple, that is what tea time is for and many cafes offer light snacks and coffee to keep your hunger at bay until later in the evening. Most cafes are open from the early morning till 1-2 am, some can be found to be open 24 hours a day. If you want to enjoy a good steak at a finer restaurant, you will have to wait until 8-9 pm for that is when they open their doors. That's right, many restaurants will remain dark until then. If you enjoy good atmosphere and do not want to be one of the few customers dining in an empty establishment, you should probably plan on going to a restaurant at about 9:30 to 10 pm. It is usually around this time when most go out to eat.

Lunch on the other hand is a little bit more typical to time standards and the times are usually between 1pm to 3pm. Many locals typically enjoy a later lunch on Sunday and it is usually on this day that most have large meals during the day with something light at night.

Service

Service in Argentina is best compared to France if you have ever been there. Do not expect to be served like at a restaurant in the United States where the servers are constantly watching over and checking up on you every five minutes to see if all is ok. However, some of the fancier and newer establishments are somewhat changing to that method. Expect to see the waiter when seating and ordering, at all other times you will most likely have to flag him down for another beverage or other orders. Instead of checking up on patrons they will usually just wait to the side for someone to call them. This is only to inform you of the differences in culture, not to make you think that service is poor, which is most cases it is quite excellent. Even servers at small corner cafes are dressed in nice outfits with bow ties and will treat you as if you were at a 5-star establishment.

Tipping is usually around 10% so you are not expected to pay more than that.

Breakfast

Again like France and many other parts of Europe, breakfast consists of pastries and breads instead of eggs and bacon as in the United States. If you are looking for a huge fully laid out breakfast you are better off eating at top hotels like the Hilton and Sheraton where they are more accustomed to serving travelers who prefer that type of food. Many cafes offer daily breakfast specials that consist of coffee with 2-3 media lunas; more widely known as croissants. These also make for a great snack at tea time around 4-5 pm.

Cafes

In large parts of the busy sections of Buenos Aires you cannot walk a block without seeing a corner cafe. Some intersections will even have one on each corner. These are great places to stop at while touring around the city in order to enjoy a meal or a refreshing beverage.

Parrillas (Steakhouses)

Parrillas are steakhouses that cook a variety meat on a wide grill or around a fire pit. Your trip to Argentina will not be complete without a lunch or dinner to one of these enjoyable establishments. After eating at one, you may find yourself visiting as many as possible before returning home, especially if you are a meat lover. Many cafes have parrilla menus but the best places to dine at are those specifically cater to this type of food. Many of the popular restaurants will offer what is called a parrillada. A parrillada is a large platter of different meats that are kept warm by a plate of hot coals from the grill underneath. If you are very hungry or dining with a group, this can be great and cost-effective experience.

Restaurant Guides

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Steakhouses