The Insider’s Guide to Buenos Aires
The best way to discover a new city is through its actual residents — which is why we asked local Airbnb hosts to share their wisdom.
Photographs by Brian Flaherty
Illustrations by Alan Berry Rhys
Six Airbnb hosts with wide-ranging expertise, from food and fashion to music and history, share their secrets for discovering the best of Buenos Aires. Read on for neighborhood guides, locals’ favorite things to see and do, must-try food, nightlife, and (just in case we missed anything!) 100 tips & tricks for navigating the city like a local—and enjoying every minute.
Meet Your Guides
Agustina Argañaraz
Occupation: Economist turned Tigre river guide and ecological developer
Expertise and Interests: Tigre Delta, art, and architecture
Nicolás De Brea Dulcich
Occupation: Education and outreach director at the Museo Histórico Nacional
Expertise and Interests: History, fringe neighborhoods, pizza, and soccer
Diego C. Esteban
Occupation: Sommelier
Expertise and Interests: Wine, hip bars and restaurants, and nightlife
Aitor Graña
Occupation: Musician
Expertise and Interests: Music, indie venues, and vegetarian eats
Martina Kaufman
Occupation: Marketing consultant
Expertise and Interests: Home design and style, food, and architecture
Vanesa Salvo
Occupation: Tourism guide
Expertise and Interests: Tango, outdoor activities, and markets
GET YOUR BEARINGS IN THE BARRIOS
In his tango “Los Cien Barrios Porteños,” Alberto Castillo sings a line that translates as “Every neighborhood holds its own memory; every neighborhood stirs an emotion.” That’s Buenos Aires: a city distinguished by its 48 ’hoods. Many were defined by historic moments, from the immigrant districts of La Boca and San Telmo to ritzier spots (Recoleta, Palermo, and Belgrano, where well-to-do families fled after the 1871 yellow fever epidemic).
In the Centro, you’re struck by the Belle Époque architecture. We wanted to be the Paris of Latin America, and that’s evident in our vast plazas, courtyard houses, and neoclassical palaces, many of which are now museums. Porteños (people from the capital) are loyal to their hoods. I grew up in Palermo and still live down the street from my mother. While this area has morphed from a residential enclave to a trendy part of town, we still go to the same bakery every day, buy our meats from the butcher we have known forever, and stop to talk to neighbors on the street. It’s a slower way of life, and visitors fall into the same rhythm. — V.S.
Stay Here
Host Martina Kaufman matches four types of travelers with the perfect neighborhood.
For Families: Recoleta
This old-money zone offers wonderful museums and plenty of pizza joints and ice cream parlors. You’ll also find a variety of spacious flats, many with easy access to a subway station and several bus lines.
For Scene-Seekers: Palermo
Over the past two decades, trendy boutiques and eateries have taken over this formerly residential sector. The buzziest spots are around Plazoleta Julio Cortazar. If you need a little peace, book close to the botanical gardens.
Where the Artists Hang: Villa Crespo
Lofts and third-wave coffee shops are increasingly moving in, but this quarter next to Palermo is still best known for its array of under-the-radar music venues, artist workshops, and tree-lined streets.
Doing B.A. on a Budget?: San Telmo
In one of the oldest neighborhoods in Buenos Aires, charming cobblestone streets lead to hundreds of antique shops, bodegones (affordable, down-home restaurants), and the Mercado San Telmo.
Neighborhood Spotlight: Chacarita
Despite the solemn origins of Chacarita, which first sprang up around a cemetery, it’s now one of the hippest areas in town. On almost every other block of this neighborhood, which borders Palermo and Villa Crespo, you’ll find gems: intimate ten-table restaurants, gritty design workshops, artsy shops. If you cruise through fast, you may not see more than low-slung townhouses, murals, and neighbors chatting. It’s the kind of place where you have to get out and explore. Locals don’t want Chacarita to lose its low-key vibe. — D.E.
Four Neighborhood Standouts
1. Charlone 101
A husband-wife team own and run this 36-seat bistro in an old grocery. I go Wednesday nights for the live jazz. The menu is small (six tapas, six entrées, three desserts) but seasonal, with a killer wine list. Many people go specifically for the bondiola braseada (slow-braised pork shoulder).
2. Falena
Just down the street, ring the doorbell of the 1930s home at Charlone 201, and you’ll find a bookstore and wine bar inside. In the late afternoons, the owner, Marcela, plays vinyl jazz records and serves vino and coffee.
3. Lucero Taller De Cosas
The designers at this tiny furniture studio and workshop (which looks like a mechanic’s garage) always have projects in progress, from sleek iron-and-wood tables and barstools to stylish, sculptural cage lamps.
4. Alegra
This is a great new lunch spot from a fellow sommelier, Mariana Achával, and chef Lorena Papasergio. Order a sangúche — it’s like a wrap, made with traditional pan de miga white bread and stuffed with grilled vegetables or breaded sirloin.
5. La Fuerza
This one-year-old vermouth and tapas bar produces its own vermouth — and the owners have made this favorite libation of grandfathers cool again. You get to check off your order on a scratch-pad menu and sip to the sounds of Jimi Hendrix.
The Vermouth Visionary
Martin Auzmendi, co-owner of La Fuerza, a vermutería, on the return of this old-school drink.
What is vermouth?
We call it vermú. It’s a fortified, sweetened wine that’s aromatized with botanicals, spiked with alcohol, and sweetened. Artemisia (a plant) is a key ingredient.
What sparked the vermutería idea?
After spending our lives working in food and wine, four of us friends came together to open La Fuerza. One of my partners, Sebastián Zuccardi, comes from a wine family in Mendoza. Vermouth has been having a moment worldwide, so we wanted to modernize it and make a natural product that is 100 percent Argentinian like those wines. We started going to Mendoza to forage for herbs, talk to farmers, and experiment with blends. We were one of the first in the country to launch an artisanal vermouth, along with a few other brands that popped up. For us, it’s more about rescuing the tradition of vermouth.
How do you drink it?
People are used to it as a mixer, but in Argentina we drink it straight or with soda water in a coupe.
When do you drink it?
Vermú has become another one of our rituals, so mostly we gather to drink it in the late afternoons after work, or even midday before lunch.
EXPLORE! (INSIDE AND OUT)
Sleeper-Hit History Museum: El Zanjón de Granados
In this restored 19th-century mansion, you’ll get the complete story of our city. The best part is the network of tunnels discovered in the ’80s. They’re surprisingly lofty. I’m claustrophobic and do fine. — A.A.
Where to Go for a Moment of Zen: Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur
This wetlands preserve is the last bastion of the jungle. You’ll see lagoons, egrets, and ceibo trees. Ride a bike along the trails that cut through it all. It takes about two hours to complete them. — N.D.
Architectural Must-see: Palacio Paz
A tour of this 140-room mansion with its marble statues, crystal chandeliers, and domed ballrooms illustrates how the city got its European look. Learn about the Belle Époque era that informs the local culture. — A.A.
Have a Free Day
These four activities are fully gratis.
Ride city bikes through the 1,000-acre Parque Tres de Febrero, home to El Rosedal de Palermo, a vast rose garden. (The bikes are free once you register online.) — V.S.
Catch a music or comedy show at the Centro Cultural Kirchner, a former post office. (Weekly events are posted on the site on Tuesdays.) — D.E.
Browse the craft stands at the Feria de Mataderos, where you might also see folkloric performers. — N.D.
Take a city-sponsored yoga class offered (most weekdays) by the city’s Plazas Activas program. — V.S.
Four Tourist Magnets Worth the Hype
Teatro Colón: This 1908 opera house is exceptionally grand, with spectacular acoustics, too: You can hear the crinkle of a candy wrapper from any seat. — M.K.
El Ateneo Grand Splendid: About 120,000 books live under the frescoed ceilings of this 1919 theater, where box seats now function as reading nooks. — M.K.
Recoleta Cemetery: Take a tour to hear the stories behind the characters buried in this above-ground cemetery. First Lady Eva Perón’s remains are here. — A.A.
Plaza de Mayo: The city’s oldest plaza offers stellar people-watching (peaceful protests often start here) and access to the presidential Casa Rosada. — V.S.
Transformative Day Trip: Tigre Delta
About 40 minutes from Buenos Aires, Tigre is the fifth largest delta in the world. Most Porteños grew up with the river as our main respite, but most have only seen a sliver of this labyrinth of streams and islands. Urban dwellers go on weekends to the wider stretches of river to water-ski, paddle, or picnic on the banks, but the smaller streams are the true delta. There are only about 6,000 year-round residents here. Hydrangeas and ceibo trees bloom in the yards, and at high tide everything floods. But that’s fine; people take off their shoes and carry on barefoot. There are no bridges or cars, and instead of streets, there are inlets. Isleños (people who were born and raised here) and isleros (a growing group, like me, who decamped for the delta later in life) live and breathe through the water. Kids go to school in collective boats, the supermarket floats to people’s docks, and neighbors get around on kayaks. This is our lifeline to nature. — A.A.
Ramiro Melendez, a Tigre native who captains boat tours with Agustina, takes us through an ideal day in the delta.
What’s the best way to get started?
Don’t spend just a day here. Rent a house so you can wake up on the river. You can be active: Go to one of the museums on the islands, like Museo de Arte de Tigre (a former clubhouse with 19th- and 20th-century paintings), take a kayaking trip with A Remar, or learn to water-ski at Jorge Renosto’s Escuela de Ski y Wakeboard (he used to train Olympians). But really, the point of being here is to not do much at all. Just sit on a dock and watch the river roll.
How do you get around?
Water taxis are available, but they are pretty expensive. When we don’t use our own boats; we typically take the Interisleña ferry, which runs regularly and costs less than $1.
What’s the nightlife like?
Really quiet, which is nice. Locals get together at each other’s houses mostly, but visitors usually go to dinner at one of the restaurants or paddle the river under the moonlight.
Hit the Hot Spots
Check out a unique boutique, a spirited soccer club, an indie leather designer, and more.
18. Artsy Teen Hangout (That’s Cool for Adults, Too): Centro Cultural Recoleta
The goal for this cultural center was to have a place where today’s savvy youth would actually want to go, and it succeeded. The building is a restored 1700s convent, but now it has an urban vibe with murals and other millennial-friendly decor. On a Sunday afternoon, you’ll see a group of kids in a freestyle dance battle in the courtyard, a young couple canoodling on the terrace, groups of girls taking Instagram pics in front of the street art exhibits, or fashionistas shopping the curated maker boutique. It’s all really smart — nothing kiddie or dumbed down. Art lovers of all ages dig this place. — A.G.
19. Sustainable Maker of the Moment: Planar
This innovative brand works with leather offcuts (normally tossed or used as a secondary material to reinforce belts and bags) to design gorgeous wallets, phone cases, and notebooks. For the past two decades, Argentina has been hit hard by inflation and economic crises. Importing is expensive, so designers like this one take advantage of everything at our disposal. (Cattle is one of the country’s primary commodities.) You can find their goods in the Belgrano neighborhood at Unión Tienda, a boutique with six other awesome indie brands under one roof.— M.K.
20. Where to Shop to Accessorize Like an Argentinian: Gorrión
We love our handbags here, and this Palermo brand does a beautiful job with buttery vegan-leather styles. They also have cute canvas designs that are less than $100. Lately people are moving away from the traditional structured purses toward more casual bags, like backpacks and fanny packs. They’re what these designers — an architect and a graphic designer — do best. But you’ll also want to drop by to see the shop’s rescue puppy, Paco. He’s so stinkin’ cute. — M.K.
Baggage Check
Gorrión designer Pablo Attolini unpacks the logic behind BA’s fanny-pack fever.
It’s not really a trend so much as a reflection of our lifestyle. In the past decade, things have become more relaxed. We bike and walk everywhere, and lots of people work from home, so we make sure every backpack of ours is big enough to hold a standard laptop, and all our fanny packs can fit an iPhone. We started with messenger bags. Seventeen years ago, when my business partner and I were in college, we saw men wearing them and we liked the ease of it. Soon after, we got into backpacks. In the last year it’s been all about the fanny pack. All of our bags are made in the capital, using Argentinian materials. We work with 12 families to produce them. Two years ago, we stopped using leather and switched to the vegan alternative. That was a radical decision because veganism is still a pretty new concept in Argentina. As a habit, I always look at what people are wearing on the Subte, and yesterday I counted no less than 20 fanny packs. I think it’s that, right now, we’re all eager to reclaim our childhood wonder and optimism. Backpacks and fannies take us back to those playful, joyful days.
21. Underground Artisan to Discover: House of Prints
Young makers and artists have moved away from traditional storefronts to selling out of their own homes and workshops, and you only hear about these stores through word-of-mouth. My friend runs a screen-printing shop, House of Prints, out of an old Barrio Norte loft, and if you just walked by, you’d have no idea what’s there. But inside, the walls are filled with the coolest graphic prints. Lots of them are illustrated in an edgy, urban style. A whole other world operates behind closed doors in this city. — A.G.
Shop Talk
House of Prints co-owner Victoria Benvegnú gives the lowdown on the city’s creative landscape.
We print posters of works by muralists and illustrators whose art you’ll see on walls throughout the city. Many young brands in Buenos Aires create and sell out of residential spaces, like we do. Several of us might get together to rent an apartment, with each of us claiming a room. It’s a tough economy for entrepreneurs, but this allows us to interact with the public without the cost and commitment of a storefront. We prefer it this way, actually. There’s a sense of discovery that people appreciate. To get to us, shoppers ring a doorbell marked with a tiny House of Prints sticker, then walk down a residential corridor and enter a living room where floors are splattered with paint, walls are covered in colorful graphic prints, and one of us is almost always working on the printing table.
We’re able to give everyone a personalized experience. Most of our sales happen online, but we like to have some kind of a shop where people can see the pieces and meet us. We ask that you book an appointment, but just to ensure that we’ll be here — it’s not about being exclusive. Our doors are open to everyone. This artist community is collaborative, too. Some days we’ll gather for an impromptu party or brainstorming session for whatever cool project someone wants to develop. About once a month, we host mini festivals to showcase the work of emerging artists, and we do screen-print and illustration workshops. The idea is to have a good time and support creativity. There’s often beer or whiskey involved.
Field Notes from a Superfan
Argentina’s obsession with soccer is matched only by its heated (sometimes violent) rivalries. Mariano Jordan, or El Gordo Ventilador — nicknamed for the way he dances bare-bellied and helicopters his jersey in the stands — tells us how to get into the fútbol spirit (and, ideally, an actual game).
Soccer is as important to our culture as family. The biggest teams are Boca Juniors and River Plate, and their aggressive rivalry is recognized worldwide. It’s impossible to get into those games unless you pay exorbitant prices! Instead, come watch San Lorenzo de Almagro. It’s one of the Big Five teams but hasn’t been commercialized, so the games still have soul. Give yourself plenty of time to stop for a good meal at Boedo Antiguo y Todo el Cielo, a parrilla near the team’s old stadium. The match starts before the players hit the field. Fans gather an hour before the game near the standing section, the rowdiest part of the stadium, to dance, chant, and play the bombos. You’ll probably end up hugging more than one stranger when the team scores.
DIG IN TO THE FOOD SCENE
Tradition to try: Drinking maté (tea) with others
Maté is a social experience for us — we would never have it in a restaurant. It’s not unusual for us to carry a maté cup, a container of herbs, and a thermos with hot water in our backpacks. If I like you, I’m going to invite you to have maté in a plaza. We can bond more over a round of maté than any other time. I’ll admit, the tea can be too bitter for some, but that’s why the gods invented sweet facturas (pastries) to balance it out. Pick some up at Brašna — it’s like walking into a friendly, European countryside bakery. The staffers respect original recipes and show up at wee hours to bake the golden treats fresh. I often get medialunas with dulce de leche. Buenos Aires is a very active city, so we don’t feel bad about indulging. — V.S.
Facturas 411
These traditional treats have a not-so-sweet backstory: Bakers with anarchist sentiments, who unionized in 1886, gave them names that conveyed their opposition to the church and state. Brašna’s owner, Adriana Abiusi, describes four favorites.
Vigilantes (watchmen)
Shaped to resemble police batons, these long, buttery, flaky pastries are often encrusted with sugar.
Bolas de fraile (friar’s balls)
These fritters are doughnut-hole-like, often with a dulce de leche filling. They’re also known as suspiros de monja (translation: nun’s sighs).
Canoncitos (little cannons)
Similar to cannoli but made with pastry dough, these are stuffed with dulce de leche, too.
Bombas (bombs)
Like French cream puffs, bombas can be made with traditional sweet cream, but we tend to swap it for dulce de leche, a classic caramel made by heating sweetened condensed milk.
Best spot for a slice: Banchero
Pizza is a major food group for us, but the pies in Buenos Aires are completely different from Italy’s. The traditional style is al molde (pan pizza): crust the height of a thumb, little tomato sauce, and loads of cheese. This almost mythical, Genoese pizzeria in La Boca has been around for 80-plus years, and they even gave us the glorious fugazzetta (focaccia stuffed with cheese and topped with onions). Ask for a side of fainá, which is a chickpea pancake — another gift from Genoa. Porteños put it on top of pizza. Don’t ask me why. — N.D.
Lord of the Pies
Third-generation La Boca resident Hugo Banchero is carrying on his family’s legacy. Here’s a mini history of the dough-slinging dynasty.
It wasn’t the pies that launched this pizzeria; it was the personality of a baker, Agustin Banchero, who emigrated in 1898 from Genoa. Agustin and his son Juan set up a bakery in the Italian neighborhood of La Boca and were among the first to make pizzas. “The family counted many of the city’s literati as close friends,” says his grandson Hugo Banchero, 72. Actor Tomás Simari persuaded him to open the sit-down space in 1932, and Banchero became a hangout for artists and celebs. These days, salty servers in bow ties still take your order, slices are as gooey as ever, and Sunday afternoons after Boca games, you won’t find a seat for hours. “We’re one of millions of tanos families [Italian descendants] who shaped Buenos Aires,” says Hugo. “This is our small contribution.”
Meat-eater mecca: La Choza de Gascón
In Argentina, we have more cows than people. One of the most Argentinian things you can do is have a tira de asado (short ribs). La Choza de Gascón is a classic, white-tablecloth restaurant, but it’s not stuffy or pricey, and the clientele is 90 percent locals. It is a parrilla, or steakhouse that specializes in meats cooked on a grill, and it should not be confused with the experience of an asado — a whole ritual with roots in 1800s pampas gaucho culture. Asados always happen in people’s homes, where the asador (grillmaster) takes his time firing up the grill while everyone drinks and nibbles on finger food, the meats emerge in stages, and all throughout people are talking over each other, catching up, laughing. You can’t come close to re-creating that moment of fellowship in a restaurant. But this parrilla delivers on good food.
The Thrill of the Grill
It’s one thing to go to a barbecue; it’s another to enter into the sacred act of a Buenos Aires asado. Our on-the-ground reporter tags along on host Martina Kaufman’s weekly family feast.
It’s 8 p.m. when I arrive at Martina’s parents’ apartment in Palermo. “You speak Spanish!” her dad, Marcelo, says, and I can see his relief as Martina leads me into the living room of their penthouse apartment. Their parrilla is on the terrace. It’s a brick-lined behemoth with four chimneys, but only one is theirs; the others belong to downstairs neighbors, who, despite architectural challenges, find it essential to have a grill on their balconies. “The beauty of the asado is that it crosses ages, social classes, walls,” he says, laughing. He rubs the grass-fed sausage, sirloin, and short ribs with sea salt and gets grilling. As if choreographed, Martina and her mother emerge with a platter of picada (a charcuterie plate).
Asados typically take place on Sundays. Everything happens in a sequence. When the first batch is almost done, Martina and her mother, Andrea, set the table inside and break out a bottle of Malbec. The chorizo comes out, and Andrea teaches me to make choripan, cutting the sausage lengthwise, slathering it with chimichurri, and putting it between two pieces of French bread. A Steve Winwood song is playing as Marcelo strides back in with Martina’s favorite, lomo (beef tenderloin). The fattier bife de chorizo (sirloin) needs more time to cook, so it’s always ready last.
Once the forks are down, we get to the sobremesa, which some might call lingering. Dessert is light tonight: Instead of ice cream or a traditional Rogel (cake layered with dulce de leche, puff pastry, and meringue), we share a bowl of cherries and grapes. The wine keeps coming (three big jars full of corks by the front door only hint at the amount that’s been consumed at asados over the years), and the conversation lands on cultural differences between the U.S. and Argentina. The clock inches toward 1 a.m. “This is typical. We’ll sit here for hours after we’ve eaten, talking about politics, the state of the world, catching up,” Martina says. As we clear the plates, I remember a tip from a friend. “Can I request an applause for the grillmaster?” I ask. “Oh, yes — very good! Someone told you!” Andrea exclaims. Marcelo takes a half-bow, and we clap and laugh. “This is what asado is all about,” Martina says. “It’s what keeps us whole. No matter what’s going on, I know I always have this to come home to on the weekend.”
Behind the dish: Revuelto de gramajo
Argentina’s ubiquitous egg dish stars ham and an oddball ingredient: French fries (in the dish, not on the side). “Like any good greasy-spoon dish, Gramajo is as simple as it is rich,” says Julián Díaz, owner of Los Galgos, an updated historic bar that serves an epicurean version of it. “Revuelto’s origins are unsubstantiated, but one popular tale is that a resourceful colonel [Artemio Gramajo] first prepared the scramble for the brutish general Julio Roca on the battlefields in the 1800s.” Díaz notes this may just be the first true Porteño recipe. As the story goes: “After the mass waves of immigrants started coming from Europe at the end of the 19th century, the easy preparation and tastiness of the dish allowed it to cross cultural barriers, so it quickly took off among restaurants and at homes all over the city.”
Basic beginnings
“Gramajo is always made with crispy fries and ham — both brought over by the Spaniards — and eggs, preferably farm fresh, or the flavor really suffers.”
The perfect crunch
“Potatoes originated in the Americas, but the Spaniards introduced us to frying. For extra-crispy fries, soak the cut potatoes in water for an hour before cooking.”
Fresh fixin’s
“Certain recipes call for peas and onions, or chicken. Some people add mozzarella to make it creamier. At Los Galgos, we crack an extra egg on top.”
PARTY LIKE A PORTEÑO
Best (free) concert venue: El Universal
Almost every night there is music here, and it’s always free. It could be a traveling big-name act or up-and-comers playing the Open Folk Night on Tuesdays. Independent cultural centers have become a big part of Buenos Aires’ nightlife for those of us who don’t go to clubs. El Universal was a pioneer in the movement, and it’s considered an honor to play here. — A.G.
Can’t-Miss Performance: La Bomba de Tiempo
I won’t ruin it by giving away too much about La Bomba de Tiempo’s Monday night shows at Ciudad Cultural Konex. Suffice it to say the 16-piece improvisational percussion group has been playing every week for 13 years, the venue holds 2,000 people, and the show still sells out. — V.S.
Best Bar to Mix with Locals: San Bernardo
For a long time, this bar was just old men playing dominoes, billiards, and chess, but in recent years, theater students and artists started to show up for the anti-trendy vibe. If you go on a Tuesday night, Ping-Pong tables are free. — A.G.
Aged To Perfection
Co-owner Lucas Fernandez describes the draw of this legendary drinking den.
My grandfather, a gallego [Spanish immigrant], bought the Sanber in the ’60s with money he saved up working here. From the outside, it looks small. There’s no big sign, and a narrow entryway. People are surprised when they see that the room opens up into this big salon with pool and Ping-Pong tables, board games, and a 32-foot bar that hasn’t changed much since it first opened 107 years ago. The place takes on different lives throughout the day. When we open at 8 a.m., an older crowd comes in for medialunas and coffee. In late afternoon, the same guys who have been coming to play dominoes forever sit at the same table and order the same cortaditos. Around 6 p.m., young professionals and artists arrive. They all mix; there’s a real harmony. We close at 5 a.m., but we’re not a party place. We keep the lights bright for people playing chess, naipes españoles [Spanish card games], and dice. Over the years, the bar has been able to reinvent itself. The city’s Ping-Pong revolution started here in 2011. There was an elderly man — an incredible player, Oscar — who came every day. When he passed away, a couple of kids started a Tuesday tournament in his honor. It took off. Some weeks, we’ve seen 400 people crammed in here. There’s a picture of Oscar in the back room, overlooking the Ping-Pong tables.
The City, After-After-Hours
If you’re truly immersing yourself, turning in before 5 a.m. on a weekend is frowned upon. (Dinner doesn’t start before 10 p.m., after all.) An evening out begins with bar-hopping and ends with, well, wherever the night takes you, as host Diego Esteban showed our reporter.
8:20 P.M. “The city is a different place when the sun goes down,” Diego says when we meet on Friday at the wine bar Hache Almacén. He should know; the sommelier is a fixture on the bar scene. Patrons are wrapping up “la previa,” BA’s version of a pre-party, with wine and charcuterie. We sit, and our voices join the din.
9:45 P.M. I’m on the back of Diego’s motorcycle. We pull up to Club Niceto, where one of the city’s most popular bands, Lo’ Pibitos, is playing. It’s a mix of funk and hip-hop, and we’re surrounded by college-aged hipsters. The MC raps, “Who am I? What do I want?” and the crowd shouts back, “I want to party all daaaay!”
12:30 A.M. After supper at Las Pizarras, we’re on Thames Street, outside Bar 878. We enter through the unmarked wooden door and order old-fashioneds. Something about this place (the bourbon? the friendly, zero-pretense bartenders? the fact that I’m actually in a house?) is making me feel like I live in this city.
4:10 A.M. Later, we’re at Tirso, a bartenders’ bar known for serving the best late-night grub. I’m expecting a dive, but there’s a dressy onyx bar and dangling Edison bulbs. We chat with the manager, a friend of Diego’s, who brings out new sherry for us to sample.
4:50 A.M. We take the long way to Puerto Madero, where its big bridge — the 524-foot Puente de la Mujer — shines blue with the skyline glittering behind. Couples are sharing ice cream by the water, and small throngs of teenagers pass us by.
5:45 A.M. As Diego drops me off, the first hints of sunlight peek through the windows. I get into bed. In three hours, I’ll leave for a boat ride in the Tigre Delta. Diego will sleep five hours before meeting friends for an asado in the country. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Argentinians, it’s that they live life with mucho gusto. “You see all kinds of people out at all hours,” Diego had said. “It’s not just the party scene; it’s us enjoying every minute of life.”
Behind the Music
Tango was born in Buenos Aires’ shanties, influenced by the sounds of Europe. By the ’80s it was more of a patriarchal tourist commodity. Now activists like Mariana Docampo, founder of Tango Queer, are helping steer it back to its proletarian roots.
Tango Queer started in 2005 as a need of people who wanted to dance however we wanted. In the late 1800s, when tango first began, it was formed through the mix of immigrants in cramped conventillos and was often men learning to dance together. It’s a deeply personal part of our story. When I discovered tango in the ’80s, it had become commercialized and chauvinistic. Men danced only with women, and only men could initiate or lead. If you were gay or bi and loved tango, you had to find dingy, hidden spaces to dance. We wanted to recover the natural element of tango. Milongas like ours and a gay milonga, Marshall, pushed this idea, paving the way for modern tanguerías and gaining visibility for the LGBTQ community. There are now dozens of alternative places like La Catedral. It’s normal to see same-sex couples or a woman leading a man. The segment of the Argentinian population who dances tango is still niche, but the queer scene and growing wave of feminism are drawing younger dancers. Tango is an arena where people can freely express themselves and feel their sensuality.
Best NonTouristy Tango Spot: La Catedral
Every time I take someone here the first time, I lead them up the stairs by the hand and don’t let them open their eyes until we’re standing in front of the dance floor. They get the chills — just like I still do whenever I enter this tanguería that first opened about 20 years ago. It’s nothing fancy; a big, dark former factory space with rickety furniture. But it has this eerie Gothic vibe that perfectly suits tango’s seedier beginnings. They have tango classes most nights — and some during the day — and the milongas (tango dance parties) get even better after midnight. It’s nothing like the traditional venues where visitors go for tango performances — this is the kind of place where you lose yourself in the night. Don’t expect to go home early. — V.S.
1. Follow before you go: @RioManos. It’s next-level nail art, Argentinian style.
2. “Eat at Martita for the best octopus of your life.” — A.G.
3. Alpargatas, Argentinian-style espadrilles, are such a signature shoe that some brands have street kiosks. (Try Chimmy Churry on Juncal and Callao).
4. “Vuenosairez.com is a traveler’s gold mine. Anything worth going to, from a guided walk to an electrotango show, is posted here.” — V.S.
5. 23: Number of bookstores per 100,000 people in Buenos Aires. (One of the highest ratios in the world!)
6. Local lore: “If a couple climbs the stairs of Puente Blanco in El Rosedal, walks in sync to the middle of the bridge, and kisses, they’ll seal their love forever.” — V.S.
7. Teatime on the go: “Most gas stations have a hot water dispenser for making maté in a thermos.” — V.S.
8.“At Lo de Roberto on Wednesday nights, a singer performs tango with no microphone, looking everyone in the eye and filling the room completely.” — V.S.
9. Most milongas kick off with a paid tango class, but the one on Monday evenings in a gazebo in Plaza Barrancas de Belgrano is free.” — V.S.
10. Download before you go: Cómo Llego, a city app. “It’s better than Google maps.” — N.D.
11. Skyscraper Scandal! “The Anchorena family commissioned the Basílica del Santísimo Sacramento. They wouldn’t let Corina Kavanagh marry their son, so she built the 31-story Kavanagh Building to dwarf it.” — M.K.
12. “You’ll see the Pingüino — a penguin-shaped pitcher used for serving bulk wine decades ago. Now it’s mostly just kitsch — it actually doesn’t keep wine well at all.” — M.K.
13. Sightseeing swap: Instead of the colorful Caminito area in La Boca (it can feel commercial and crowded), try the mosaic-tiled Pasaje Lanín in nearby Barracas.
14. Mafalda, the 1960s comic book character, was created by cartoonist Joaquín Salvador Lavado, known to his fans as Quino. Make sure to visit his former home in San Telmo
15. “Say you’re from the UNITED STATES, instead of ‘AMERICAN.’ Argentinians say everyone from the Americas is actually an American.” — N.D.
16. “BrukBar is a fun, rowdy spot where bartenders go to drink when they get off work.” — D.E.
17. The city’s grounds are green year-round. “French landscape architect Carlos Thays designed many of the open spaces to have something that’s always blooming.” — V.S.
18. “Wednesdays, meet Porteños practicing English at the bar Soria.” — V.S.
19. “Get the homemade jams at Pulpería Quilapán.” — C.L.R.
20. History buffs: Go to the Memorial Museum.
21. Order a 90210 Fernet con Coca: 90 percent Fernet, two ice cubes, 10 percent Coke
22. “Dine among antiques at Nápoles.” — C.L.R.
23. “Visit Mercado de las Pulgas.” — A.A.
24. “Soccer fans: check out El Obrero restaurant.” — D.E.
25. Try Sunae Asian Cantina for modern fare
26. “PROA is a great museum with a dreamy bookstore.” — M.K.
27. Bus 152 drops you right in front of PROA.
28. Visit the sculpture garden at the contemporary Museo Sívori.
29. “At Microteatro, watch 15-minute shows with 20 people.” — V.S.
30. “See rising indie bands at La Tangente.” — D.E.
31. “If you’re lucky, you’ll see murgas practicing drums on the streets.” — D.E.
32. “The leather outlets near Murillo and Malabia streets sell quality goods for less.” — D.E.
33. Lock your bike rental in a parking garage.
34. Guille Pachelo: street artist to know.
35. Green scarves on backpacks symbolize support for abortion rights.
36. Modesta turns plastic bags into totes.
37. “Get the Sambayón with berries and almonds at Occo Helados.” — A.G.
3 Authentic, Lightweight Souvenirs
38. Artisanal dulce de leche from Dulce de Leche & Co.
39. Handmade leather tote from La Curtiembre.
40. Maté cup made of cured gourd from Mercado San Telmo.
Words to the Wise:
41. “If a parrilla makes good provoleta, then everything else is going to be good. The cheese burns fast, so it’s the hardest thing to get right.” — D.E.
42. “Some benches near bus stops look like they’re made of tufted fabric, but it’s actually cement. It’s an example of haute design using low-cost materials in our cash-strapped economy.” — M.K.
43. “Buy your wine at the Chinese markets for the best prices.” — N.D.
Go Ahead, Try Achuras
44. Lineup: Mollejas (sweetbreads), riñones (kidneys), and chinchulines (small intestines).
45. “Don’t expect any to taste like regular meat, but crispy mollejas are a delicious place to start.”
46. Pairing: “A little lime goes a long way.” — D.E.
Local Lingo
47. Gallegos: “Spanish descendants”
48. Tanos: “Italian descendants”
49. Porteños: “all residents of Buenos Aires”
50. Pibes: “What we call kids in their teens and 20s.” — A.G.
51. Canchera: “It’s like saying ‘badass.’ We use it when something or someone is really cool. Copado is similar.” — D.E.
52. Lunfardo: “Street slang. Porteño language is littered with it from the 1800s. A lot of the words we use, like gomía [friend], are lunfardo.” — N.D.
53. Chau, chau: “Instead of saying ‘adios,’ we use the Italian ‘chau’ to say goodbye. ‘Hello’ is still hola.” — N.D.
54. Fiaca: “Equivalent to feeling languid or having a lazy day. We use this word a lot.” — A.A.
55. Ojo al piojo: “Literally, it’s ‘Watch the lice,’ but it really just means ‘Be careful.’” — D.E.
56. Estoy/estamos en el horno: “It’s like saying, ‘We’re in the fire.’ If you hear this, you’re in trouble.” — D.E.
57. Ya fun: It means “It’s done, let it go, don’t create drama.” — Paola de Luca
58. Bondi: bus;
59. Subte: subway;
60. Sube: transit card to use both
Three outliers worth the drive
61. San Isidro. “Walkable downtown, museums, and Oveja Negra, one of the region’s best breweries.” — Host Ines Hercovich
62. San Antonio de Areco. “A gaucho museum, age-old taverns, and cobblestone streets.” — Host Fernando Freixas
63. Campanópolis. “This 500-acre village was created with demolition materials and salvaged furniture.” — A.G.
If You Live Here, You…
64. “…are addicted to mobilizing for political/social demonstrations and marches.” — Hosts Cynthia Dackow + Jorge Gonzalez
65. “… are spontaneous in getting together with friends and don’t watch the clock.” — Host Federico Zabala
Seven Myths and Beliefs
66. “It’s considered bad luck to say the name of former president Carlos Saúl Menem. Use Méndez instead. If someone names him, the men in the conversation may touch their left testicle, the women their left breast.” — N.D.
67. “You never want to get married or start any big endeavor on a Tuesday the 13th.” — Host Alicia Céspedes
68. “When passing salt, place it on the table. Don’t hand it directly.” — Host Cristian Lopéz Rey
69. “Maté is passed around clockwise in a group. If you get it before it’s your turn, you have to kiss the base for luck.” — C.L.R.
70. “Many soccer fans have a need to watch the game at the same place, in the same chair, and/or wearing the same shirt every time.” — N.D.
71. “There’s a belief that if a young woman’s house is surrounded by hydrangeas, she’ll never get married.” — A.A.
72. “On the 29th of every month, families tend to eat gnocchi and put money under the plate. This brings financial prosperity the coming month.” — M.K.
Five Don’t-Miss Classic Dishes
73. Choripán. “The ultimate street food; get it at Lo de Freddy at the Calle Bolívar entrance of Mercado San Telmo.” — D.E.
74. Pasta. “Guido’s, near the zoo, doesn’t advertise or have a set menu but remains packed with locals. Get there early.” — M.K.
75. Empanadas. “El Sanjuanino, in Recoleta, is popular with celebs and presidents, but it hasn’t lost any authenticity.” — N.D.
76. Milanesa. “Every grandmother knows how to make this breaded steak dish. I love the version at El Puentecito in Barracas.” — N.D.
77. Locro. “We eat this hearty stew for national holidays. Any of the Gallego restaurants, like Lalin, in the Congreso, are a safe bet.” — A.G.
Money Talk
78. “Inflation is an ongoing issue but favors travelers. The exchange rate, $1:19 pesos in 2018, has recently been closer to 37 pesos for every dollar.” — M.K.
79. “For the best exchange rate, use one of the belowground casas de cambio on Calle Florida. Of the banks, Banco Naciónal’s ATMs have the best rate.” — A.G.
Four Top Vegetarian Options in a Meat-obsessed City
80. Casa Munay: “Find the best vegan burritos and pad Thai at this Palermo restaurant.”
81. Sarkis: “This Armenian spot has meat-free chickpea, eggplant, and bulgur-based dishes.”
82. La Esquina de las Flores: “Super-fresh juices and free cooking classes.”
83. Cúrcuma: “Like being at a friend’s house — plus, solid veggie burgers and good live music.” — A.G.
5 Weekend Artisan Fairs to Wander
84. Plaza Serrano
85. Plaza Dorrego
86. Parque Centenario
87. Parque Lezama
88. Plaza Francia
Weekday Fun
89. Monday: Milonga Parakultural in Salón Canning is a traditional event with a show that isn’t pretentious.
90. Tuesday: There’s no special event, but La Catedral is happening on Tuesdays. Go after midnight.
91. Wednesday: Salú, a pop-up cooking class and dinner, is held at one of the city’s most beautiful stores, Facon.
92. Thursday: Four off-the-radar bands play at the hip cultural center Club Cultural Matinzo.
Rise and Shine
Breakfast is scarce, but historic Cafés Notables abound with cheap coffee and great pastries.
93. In Palermo: “At Varela Varelita, the coffee comes with a colorful design on top, like a bunny or the Argentinian flag.” — M.K.
94. In Barracas: “Try La Flor de Barracas.” — N.D.
95. In La Boca: “La Perla is filled with art and objects dating back to the 1800s.” — P.D.
96. In Almagro: “Las Violetas gives you similar elegance as the famous Café Tortoni, without the tourists.” — C.L.R.
97. “A great midday stop: Cafe BA. It’s in a lush courtyard inside a former abbey that’s now a cultural center.” — M.K.
CALENDAR
98. April 13–24, 2019: BAFICI, international indie film fest
99. April 25–May 13, 2019: Feria del Libro, book festival
100. April 11–14, 2019: ArteBA, one of Latin America’s biggest art festivals
About the author: Stephanie Granada is a Colombian-American freelance writer, who splits her time between Florida and Colorado. She’s into books, her dog, all things ocean-related, and small towns. You can also find her work in Sunset, Woman’s Day, National Geographic Traveler, Southern Living, and others.
