Restaurant Argentina - The 10 best restaurants Argentina in 2024

Practical information : Eating out Argentina

Timetable

Whether it is in winter or summer, the catering hours vary as they do all over the world. In urban centres, restaurants often have fixed hours and do not offer continuous service, so you can have lunch from 12:00 to 3:00 pm and dinner from 8:00 to 11:00 pm. In Buenos Aires you can eat at almost any time of the day or night. There's no need to show up too early, as most of the restaurants don't open until 9pm. Most of the time the kitchen can then be served until 1am! In certain regions of Patagonia, in El Chaltén or Ushuaia for example, some establishments close their doors in winter and only reopen in high season: in some towns you will sometimes have no choice, only one address will be ready to welcome you. You should also know that for dinner, restaurants never fill up before 8pm, especially in Bariloche where raclette and fondue machines only start to heat up after 10pm.

Budget & Tips

At breakfast time, confiterías and cafés are the most suitable. Some of them offer fixed-price formulas(media luna, one coffee, one orange juice). For lunch, quick menus, such as menú ejecutivo, are recommended. It will then be easier to devote a significant part of your budget to "good restaurants" which are even more enjoyable to visit in the evening. You can easily reduce your expenses in terms of restaurant budget, on the condition that you are not too strict about your diet: pizzas, hot dogs, empanadas or creamy pasta dishes, cheap dishes often rhyme with good calorie intake! However, you will often get by for less than 10 euros and you will leave with a full stomach. The other option is to go to the supermarkets to do your own shopping, you can then prepare your own food if your accommodation has a kitchen or if you have a van. High-end restaurants often offer a la carte dishes, as menus are not common. Deer, wild boar, trout, salmon or crab, local products often require a price tag, but this is still reasonable compared to the European market: count around 10 or 15 euros for a dish. In the city, all methods of payment are accepted, but be aware that in the more remote areas the bill is usually paid in cash. However, if credit cards are accepted, you will have to pay a small additional fee. If your eyes are bigger than your stomach, you should know that even if the practice is not yet widespread, it is not at all frowned upon to ask for a doggy-bag. A way to save money for the next day's meal! Finally, if you book a restaurant online on certain sites, you can get discounts of up to 40% when you pay the bill, as in certain establishments in Paris.

What costs extra

In Argentina the IVA is the equivalent of our VAT. It is set at 19% in Chile and 21% in Argentina. You should also know that even if it is not obligatory, it is customary to leave a propina, a tip (about 10% of the amount of the bill). Europeans, and especially the French, are not used to this practice, but it is a very local reflex that is well rooted in the local mentality. Finally, a minimum of 5% of the final grade is required. Very often, the cubierto, the cutlery, is not included in the note. It is between 150 and 250 AR$ per person. A common Hispanic practice

The local way

Of course nothing more local than to eat an asado prepared in the open air with great respect for Argentinean know-how. It's good to be a vegetarian in Argentina, vegetarians don't run the streets..

Kids

Your children are welcome in the majority of restaurants, with the exception of certain top-of-the-range addresses which, promising calm and privacy, do not allow children under 18 to eat there. Finally, you should know that several restaurants offer a menu specially concocted for them.

Smokers

Smoking is not permitted in restaurants, although some terraces are sometimes equipped for smokers.

Tourist traps

In Buenos Aires, it is advisable to avoid tangotheque restaurants which, with rare exceptions, are very expensive and always disappointing. Off the beaten track, when the crowd dissipates, it is rare to find yourself in front of tourist attractions, but like any big capital that respects itself Buenos Aires (but this is also the case in Salta for example) is full of restaurants far too expensive for the quality offered. Usually you'll come across a few people in front of the restaurant or on the pavement, who will try to get you in, offering you endlessly extending menus and dish options: that's where you have to be wary! A menu offering dozens and dozens of dishes often announces a cuisine that is not homemade. A short menu is a sign of the quality and freshness of the products. Finally, beware, especially in Buenos Aires, where some restaurants are a must with pickpockets: while you are well seated at your table, the restaurant lets in clever people who will discreetly get rid of your bags.

Learn more about gastronomy Argentina

The best restaurants Argentina

MEZCAL

EL PATACON

MADRE TIERRA

RANCHO HAMBRE

LA DAMA JUANA

IL NOVO MARIA DEL LUJÁN

MA CUISINE

LA REVOLUCION

REPUBLICA RESTAURANT

LA POSTA

BUENOS AIRES VERDE

CABAÑA LAS LILAS

MI VIEJO

EL QUINCHO TIO QUERIDO

TASKA BELTZA

LA ESTELA

EL PAPAGAYO

CUMANA

JAUJA

BARTZ TAPAS MUNDIALES

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