We’ve visited the Argentine capital many times over the years. We recently finished another three months of eating our way through the country’s foodiest city, where we were thrilled by the food and the energy of a new crop of fresh chefs and fresh restaurants in Buenos Aires. Here we reveal where you should eat in Buenos Aires right now.

Where to eat in Buenos Aires right now: 11 fresh winners

Post-pandemic, the restaurant landscape in Buenos Aires emerged as a more relaxed and more flexible environment with grateful diners eager to welcome and support restaurants of all kinds in all areas of the city. This, plus a glut of cut-rate real estate, opened doors for young chefs offering new culinary concepts.

The result is that Buenos Aires is one of the most dynamic food capitals in Latin America right now thanks in large part to a compelling landscape of creativity and daring at these fresh and innovative restaurants that are part of where the food culinary action is happening in Buenos Aires.

During our reporting, Argentina was going through yet another massive shudder in its economy, which meant that menu prices were subject to change. Therefore, we have not included prices in this post.

Alcanfor

When a restaurant is firing on all cylinders, it can be hard to put your finger on precisely why you love it. That’s how we felt when we ate at Alcanfor shortly after it opened in the Villa Crespo neighborhood. Was it the vanilla confit chipirones (small squid) and tiny potatoes bathed in garlic sauce and plated so gorgeously (tweezers were involved) that it’s almost a shame to mess it up with your fork? Was it the polished but casual service? Was it the Musak-free soundtrack that ran the gamut from Latin rock to funk to Madonna? Was it the floppy-haired charm (and considerable skills) of chef Julian Galende working the open kitchen at his very first restaurant? All of those elements (and more combine to make Alcanfor one of our favorite places in Buenos Aires. We were thrilled to see it recommended in the 2025 Michelin guide to Buenos Aires.

Costa 7070

Two-level Costa 7070, which opened in the Costanera area of Buenos Aires, is a creature all its own. The bar is operated by Ines de los Santos, one of the most exciting and most lauded bartenders in South America, attracting those seeking craft cocktails at the highest level and classic cocktails done right. The restaurant portion is run by chef Pedro Bargero, who led Chila restaurant to glory before it closed. His seafood-heavy menu of tapas, paellas, and much more offers satisfying dishes that encourage sharing. And the nightclub aspect–including DJs on the upper level–was influenced by the dynamic duo’s own memories of a time when the Costanera area was a nightlife hub. All in all, Costa 7070 is a seamless marriage of restaurant, bar, and club that provides sophisticated and fun and sophisticated food and drink.

Fico

The duo behind Fico, in the Villa Crespo neighborhood, has serious chops. The first restaurant from pastry chef Estefanía Maioriano and chef Martin Sclippa, who worked together for years with lauded chef Narda Lepes, is a celebration of technique and precision out of a kitchen packed with equipment. Result? Even simple-sounding dishes are a stunning cacophony at this French Bistro-inspired place that earned a recommendation in the 2025 Michelin guide to Buenos Aires. For example, a dish that the menu pretty much described as “chicken” involves hanging a chicken for 24 hours to dry it out before cooking it like duck magret on a flattop. The succulent chicken is then sliced and served with potatoes dauphin, which are first mashed, then enriched, frozen, and formed into balls before frying (pictured above right). That kind of technique-driven take-no-shortcuts approach applies to dessert at Fico as well, and we’re not even dessert people.

El Canti Bar

This petite spill-out-onto-the-sidewalk bar/restaurant is the kind of easy neighborhood joint that dreams are made of. Inspired by the rotisserias (informal homemade fast food operations) found across Argentina, El Canti Bar, in the Chacarita area, is the bridge between the young chef-driven shared plates places that abound in Buenos Aires and the humble rotisseria concept. Empanadas are tender, plump, and juicy. Unexpected dishes included grilled eggplant with rich hummus topped with crunchy/sweet shaved and fried carrot. Affordable lunch specials are offered daily. And there’s an eclectic wine list and a selection of cocktails.

 Fogon Asado

The stated concept of Fogon Asado is intriguing: Give diners a deeper understanding of the techniques, flavors, and emotions of Argentina’s emblematic and beloved live-fire asado cooking method. To do that, they offer two intimate and immersive dining experiences, each anchored by an open parrilla grill staffed by cooks who demonstrate and explain the ingredients, methods, and process of the meal as it unfolds. One experience can accommodate about 40 diners, the other just 10. There’s no menu, and reservations are a must. It should not be a surprise that the majority of diners are visitors (Argentines are born well-versed in asado culture). By nature, a meal at Fogon Asado, which is recommended in the 2025 Michelin guide to Buenos Aires, is a meat-centric affair. And while this may not be the most amazing meal you have in Buenos Aires, it may be the most educational for asado novices.

Ru Omakase Atlantico

There are a lot of omakase restaurants in Buenos Aires, but none is quite like Ru Omakase Atlantico where chef Romina Roux offers a 12-course omakase experience for just 12 diners. She says her approach is a mix of Japanese and French techniques using Atlantic fish and seafood. This translates into inventive and memorable dishes like one perfect sweet and tender tail-on shrimp fired just long enough to warm it, but not cook it, then finished with miso and mandarin coulis (pictured above, bottom right). Romina and her tiny team serve diners in a dome set up in the interior garden of the Pleno Palermo Soho hotel. This intimate setting gives the whole delicious experience a personalized, almost closed-door feeling–like a scrumptious secret.

Mambo

Mambo, the passion project of young chefs (and friends) Santiago Perez and Calvin Daniele, opened in 2025 in the Villa Crespo neighborhood in a cleverly reimagined textile warehouse. Turning something familiar into something new is the name of the game at Mambo–which is not a riff on the Afro-Latino musical genre, but on a word used colloquially in Argentina to signify something like intensity. Calvin and Santiago, who previously worked at Casa Cavia, Orilla, and Las Flores, describe their food at Mambo as contemporary Argentine favorites, but there’s a considerable amount of reimagining going on in the kitchen too. Playful savory profiteroles come filled with silky pate with homemade strawberry preserves, and preserved lemon butter.  Their Falsa Entraña, a riff on a very common cut of beef, is actually juicy and crispy slices of air-dried ojo de bife cut in a pool of parsley sauce and orange oil with spicy chimichurri (pictured above, top right). Not to mention the best chicken we had all year (pictured above, bottom middle). Read all about that awesome dish in our post about the Best Food of 2025. The wine list at Mambo is lengthy and compelling with big names, quirky names, and new names from wine regions around Argentina. Artful cocktails are crafted using ingredients like palo santo, smoked tea, and pecans. Did we mention the excellent soundtrack? And your eye easily falls on charming design touches throughout the place, like French Laguiole knives on the table and rolling yellow metal tool boxes used to store and organize kitchen tools. Mambo may be new, but it seems to have emerged fully formed. Reservations recommended.

Silvino

This bistro opened in the Chacarita neighborhood in 2025. Helmed by chef Gaspar Natiello (from Ajo Negro, a Michelin-recommended restaurant that helped usher in a new level of seafood restaurant in Buenos Aires) and backed by an accomplished behind-the-scenes team, Silvino is a delight. Walk into the long and narrow space and you’re greeted by friendly staff, cooks in the open kitchen, and a glass-front refrigerator bursting with tempting bottles. Choose a table, or sit at a stool around a small candlelit bar near the back, and receive a free snack to start—in our case, a bright and roasty cold beet soup with a swirl of potato cream (pictured above, top left). Do not skip the bread plate, which comes with an ample swoosh of ridiculously good anchovy and sea salt butter. Our waiter told us that some diners clean the plate with their fingers. A tight menu, six apps, six mains, three desserts, presents dishes like five juicy shrimp in beurre blanc with a thin rectangle of corn bread full of corn kernels that adds sweetness and enriches the sauce (pictured above, top middle). And that wine fridge? It does not disappoint.

Jose el Carnicero

Jose el Carnicero, in the Palermo Soho area, comes from the same gastronomy group that crafted beloved restaurants Niño Gordo, La Carniceria, Chori, and Las Barquin, so we knew it was going to be good. Located in a petite former butcher shop (carnicero means butcher in Spanish), the space is anchored by a live fire cooking area, a glass dry aging case, a jazzy soundtrack, Toto toilets and a magazine rack in the bathroom, and their own house malbec (in addition to a lengthy wine list). The experience begins with a welcome empanada and just gets meatier from there. The sampler plate includes portions of fork-tender pork with crispy skin, mild and moist lamb, and juicy beef. Thick-cut bone-in ojo de bife (rib eye) is doused in sizzling truffle butter tableside. The bone-in aged beef milanesa is huge (more than enough for two) with a crunchy, juicy, tender payoff. Portions are huge, so come with friends.

Abreboca

Guess what? Liverwurst can be good. In fact, it can be great–especially if you’re enjoying the homemade liverwurst at Abreboca in the Chacarita area of Buenos Aires (pictured above, bottom right) while sitting in their sun-soaked and tile-lined interior courtyard. At Abreboca, which was opened in 2024 by chef Leonardo “el Tucu” Govetto Sosa (who has worked at meat palace Don Julio and all-veg Chui), the talented kitchen team here makes their own charcuterie including liverwurst that’s creamy, silky, mild, vaguely sweet, and brightened with a small pile of acidy, crunchy pickled rings of sweet yellow pepper served on the side. That same homemade care makes dishes on their full menu sing as well. Three tender, plump, and perfectly grilled fresh artichoke hearts in a lemon béarnaise sauce with pickled chile and onion were a hit. Even a humble dish of chicken in tomatoes over polenta came to life thanks to brining and sous vide cooking. The wine list is rollicking as well, so settle in.

Musgo

A Russian yacht chef and his wife created Musgo, a sleek space in Palermo Soho, in 2024 serving food inspired by the Patagonia region, hundreds of miles south of Buenos Aires. While we didn’t quite see the Patagonian influence, Musgo is offering something unique. For example, a dish of still-pink and fork-tender beef filet sliced into rounds like a maki roll with tempura, bright ponzu sauce, and crispy kale chips was a deliciously creative take on Argentina’s ubiquitous beef (pictured above).

Sifon Soderia

Sifon Soderia in the Chacarita neighborhood is a chef favorite place to eat in Buenos Aires thanks to its causal vibe, solid ready-to-share small plates, and easy-going vermouth cocktails. The osso buco empanadas (pictured bottom left) were lightly fried and amply stuffed with tender well-spiced meat. A plate of fried fish fingers on a bed of babaghanoush with a cilantro salad in a slightly sweet, slightly Asian sauce was lively and satisfying. And tender meatballs came on light and silky mashed cauliflower dusted with zingy paprika (pictured bottom middle). Named for beloved traditional refillable soda water dispensers called sifones in Spanish, this indoor/outdoor space (the back garden is more peaceful than the sidewalk tables) has high ceilings and an industrial look and feel with a color palette that playfully riffs on the blue color of the sifon bottles.

Obrador Florida

Argentines are mad for ice cream and gelato (blame all that Italian heritage) and Buenos Aires is full of ice cream shops. Few bring as much passion to the project as Mercedes Román, creator of Obrador Florida in the Palermo Soho neighborhood of the city. Mercedes and her team of chefs craft seasonal ice creams based on what their tight circle of (mostly organic and mostly Argentinean) purveyors are producing. For example, their mint chip seasonal flavor is made with hand-harvested mint delivered at 4 am and processed immediately (Eric calls it “Farm to Freezer”). A favorite perennial flavor is called Limón Obrador and it’s made from preserved lemons for sunny zing year round (Mercedes worked for months to perfect that recipe). But they don’t stop there. Obrador Florida shop also creates all of the toppings (including chocolate from Ecuadorean beans, gummy candies, crumbles, etc. pictured above left) and makes specialized ingredients such as yogurt, ricotta, and cashew butter.

Lardito

This casual spot in the Chacarita area of Buenos Aires does double duty as an indoor/outdoor restaurant and a small wine shop. Outdoor tables make the most of a house garden setting, and a very long communal table dominates the limited indoor space facing an open kitchen. Lardito has doubled down on the trend toward menus offering plates meant to be shared. The beef tataki came properly black and blue at room temperature drizzled with a sweet and tangy vinaigrette, and topped with rich, creamy cauliflower puree and a broiled egg yolk. Pan Chato (pictured above right) was built on a large sourdough flatbread topped with nduja (spicy spreadable sausage) with spicy baby arugula, stracciatella, and pickled jalapeno slices drizzled with a sweet sauce that plays nicely with all of the dish’s spicy elements. Lardito diners are invited to choose a bottle of wine or vermouth from the attached wine shop to have with their meals or order by the glass.

Corte Charcuteria

Notes from our first visit to Corte Charcuteria in the Belgrano neighborhood begin with “Lord help us, this place is good.” After sitting at one of the outdoor tables, our plan to “just have a little late afternoon snack” soon ballooned. First came a sandwich of melt-in-your-mouth housemade pastrami on a very light bagel with grainy mustard and house pickles for a rich, chewy, crunchy, salty, smoky, tangy experience that earned it our Best Sandwich of 2022 award (pictured bottom left). Next up was a wedge of faina (a chickpea bread) topped with thinly sliced housemade mortadella and a half-ball of burrata (not too runny) sprinkled with toasty pistachios (pictured top right). The deli portion of the restaurant is a great source of sliced meats, cheeses, wines, and crusty bread to take away. Did we mention the 100 grams of rich, tender, perfectly marbled soppressata dry-aged salami and the bread basket with anchovy lardo?

Amina Kitchen & Bar

Located in an old house in the Nuñez area of Buenos Aires, Amina Kitchen & Bar, which opened in 2025, has been described as “neatly messy” or “untidily tidy.” The effect of elements like exposed brick, a ceiling sprayed with nubbly brown stuff that makes it seem dirty like a crawl space, greasy-looking fabrics, and walls violently slashed with paint is a kind of aimless disorder. The restaurant’s two chefs–Gastón Despessailles (who worked at 2-Michelin-star COQUE Madrid and at Anchoita in Buenos Aires) and Agustin Brañas (who created the Chubut restaurant at the Food & Fire luxury hotel in Switzerland)—have the bona fides to avoid the mistakes that were made during our visit and we’re willing to presume they were not in the kitchen when we dined. That’s still no excuse for the octopus dish we ordered, which was plated as if a child threw the elements onto the plate, including purple potato chips that were a mountain of greasiness and two octopus legs splayed out as if they’d fallen from a great height (pictured above, bottom right). The octopus was, at least, very tender. But it was also oversalted and overwhelmed by a pasty almond sauce and a black garlic sauce. It is absolutely possible for a restaurant to have a bad night and the chefs’ pedigrees—coupled with the memorable wines and wine service—give us hope that the Amina team will be able to turn “untidly tidy” into the properly buttoned-up veg-forward reimagined bodegon they intended.

The following fresh restaurants in Buenos Aires have closed

Baja America

Baja America, in the hot Nunez area of the city, punches way above its weight thanks to a talented team and meticulous attention to detail. Chef Antonio Bautista and gregarious somm Freddy Morales plumb the delicious depths of Latin American cuisine from across the region through a seven-course tasting menu. Expect the meal to start with a truly notable bread course. Then enjoy dishes like poached egg yolks with crunchy duck and chewy barley richly emulsified by the yolk and served in egg shells nestled in a bed of dry barley (picture above, bottom far left). Thin-skinned and wonderfully light dumplings stuffed with chorizo and shrimp come in a pool of black bean soup (pictured above, second from left).  Crundhy, tender, and moist sliced duck breast came with two different mole sauces and was the best duck we’ve had in years (pictured above, top right). When we ate at Baja America, almost every dish was served with a spoon to capture every last drop of the chef’s outstanding sauces. The soundtrack is custom-made. The lighting is sexy. Their logo is a playfully inverted continent. And it all makes Bajo America is a thoroughly enjoyable romp through the flavors of Latin America. Don’t skimp on Freddy’s creative wine pairings. UPDATE: This restaurant is now closed.

Franca Fuego y Vino

Franca Fuego y Vino, in the Villa Crespo neighborhood, lives up to its name with a talented team in the kitchen headed by owner-chef Julio Baez (pictured top left) and strong sommeliers among the young and bilingual staff. The tight menu is long on shareable starters (many vegetarian) with a catch of the day main plate and uncommon stars like Koji aged rib eye and Koji aged Wagyu. Julio’s love of textures–also apparent at his award-winning Julia restaurant–is in full force here too in dishes like warm grilled asparagus with grapes, peas, and a soft egg topped with crunchy pistachios and sliced onion. Let Franca’s sommeliers wow you with a selection from their wide-ranging wine list expertly curated from around Argentina, including more than a dozen by the glass. UPDATE: This restaurant is now closed.

Catalino

Catalino, a small restaurant on an otherwise residential street in the Colegiales area of Buenos Aire, does not take reservations so arrive near opening time (look for the tiny sign near a buzzer) and wait on the sidewalk with other eager diners until a staff member opens the front door of a modest house that now serves as the restaurant. A small bar and a smattering of tables exist in what was the living room under a high ceiling with exposed beams. More tables have been placed in the slim garden and tiled carport area where the restaurant’s mascot, a hen named Catalina, struts and clucks around diner’s legs (she appears harmless and trots on over when staff members call her, but a sign warns: don’t touch or feed the chicken). Like the overall look and feel of the place (which calls itself a cocina sincera or sincere kitchen), Catalino’s small menu offers dishes that are homey and bohemian. Wild boar empanadas (pictured top left) are juicy and light. A choripan (Argentina’s beloved sausage sandwich) comes in a toasted homemade sourdough bun (pictured bottom left). Artichoke hearts slow-roasted in a clay oven are browned and succulent and dotted with spicy pepper sauce (pictured right). Heartier appetites are satisfied with venison goulash with spaetzle and wild boar ribs with French fries. A small list of beers and wines by the bottle and by the glass plus vermouth cocktails invite lingering, even though you know there are others waiting on the sidewalk. UPDATE: This restaurant is now closed.

Maiz

It’s worth the trip to the Nordelta area north of the city to visit Maiz where chef Felícitas Pizarro (pictured top right)–famous for her cookbooks, TV shows in Argentina, and guest appearances on international food shows including “Somebody Feed Phil”–has opened her first restaurant. Inside the pale, minimalist, sun-drenched cafe you’ll find select local cheeses, olives (some of the best we had in Argentina), cured meats (including pastrami from Corte Charcuteria), very satisfying salads, and a smart offering of hand-selected wines. Outside, a large parrilla area lets Feli (as everyone calls the effervescent chef) exercise her love of all things grilled (her latest TV show is called “Felicitas Grills”). UPDATE: This restaurant is now closed. 

 

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