• Main
• Attractions
• Hotels
• Restaurants
• Nightlife
• Shopping
• When To Go
• Getting There

Restaurants

Economic crisis or not, porteños still love to dine out, and the cuisine scene has burgeoned way beyond the classic steakhouse parrilladas (though these are certainly still the most prevalent eateries), to include world cuisines, vegetarian and organic options, and unique culinary twists on local dishes, known as nouvelle Argentine. The traditional beef fare is predictably wonderful, although the preparation is very straightforward and locals are also disconcertingly fond of unusual cow parts such as intestines, brains, udders, kidneys, and testicles (if you aren't, avoid menu words like mollejas, ubre, chinchulines, morcilla, and riñón). Vegetarians, meanwhile, can go to town on an abbondanza of pastas and pizzas; indeed, while the city's gastronomy is absolutely global in scope, no cuisine is more abundant in Buenos Aires than Italian, thanks to the historic wave of Italian immigration to Argentina. Note that you'll be hard-pressed to find fast-food chains like McDonald's here.

When choosing which neighborhood to dine out in, bear in mind that Microcento is dominated by particularly good-value eateries that cater to the lunch crowd, San Telmo offers modest but tasty dining spots, and Recoleta's restaurants are correspondingly upscale, as are many of the 50-plus eateries found in Puerto Madero. Still, if there's one neighborhood to devote your taste buds to, it's Palermo (especially so Palermo Viejo and Las Cañitas), Buenos Aires' dining center par excellence, where some 500 restaurants dish out creative, traditional, and ethnic plates – and a bit of everything in between.

Foodies used to breaking the bank on haute-cuisine fare will be delighted to discover that very few restaurants in Buenos Aires can be considered expensive by US standards (meaning entrées of $25 or more). Even the top-notch, award-winning La Bourgogne (Avenida Alvear 1891; +54 (11) 4808-2100; www.alvearpalace.com) at the ritzy Alvear Palace Hotel, where chef Jean Paul Bondoux serves delectable French/continental fare with Argentine ingredients in a modern setting, is a bona fide bargain with first-rate entrées hovering at about $10. Meanwhile, the parrilla (steakhouse) that virtually everyone points to as the best in town, Puerto Madero's Cabaña Las Lilas (Alicia Moreau de Justo 516; +54 (11) 4313-1336; www.laslilas.com.ar), serves up good-size rib eye for under $20; the decor is crisp and contemporary and the service and presentation are stellar.

For a great parrilla at moderate prices, check out San Telmo's La Brigada (Calle Estados Unidos 465; +54 (11) 4361-5557), a charming down-home joint crammed with old city photos, soccer memorabilia, and patronized by everyone from local cab drivers to politicos. To taste-test your way into the nouvelle Argentine/fusion craze, head straight to Fernando Trocca's Sucre (Calle Sucre 676; +54 (11) 4782-9082; www.sucrerestaurant.com.ar), in the Belgrano neighborhood; its dramatic industrial-chic design stacks up against any Manhattan or London have to offer and its menu embellishes Argentine staples with pan-Latin touches including mango, papaya, and jalapeño. Another affordable option, Cluny (Calle El Salvador 4618; +54 (11) 4831-7176; www.cluny.com.ar) is a stylish fusion eatery in Palermo Viejo with a Euro-mod vibe. If you're keen to mangiare tasty Italian fare in South America, Bella Italia (Calle República Árabe Siria 3285; +54 (11) 4802-4253), in Palermo, is a sure bet.

For the more budget-minded, plenty of good and inexpensive eateries can be found throughout the city, particularly in neighborhoods like Microcento, that cater to office workers. Here you'll find homegrown fast-food joints, parrilladas, and even Chinese buffets, or luck out with a menú ejecutivo – a prix-fixe exective lunch – for as little as US$3–$5. Locals swear by El Palacio de la Papa Frita (Calle Lavalle 735 & 954; Avenida Corrientes 1612; Calle Laprida 1339; www.elpalacio-papafrita.com.ar), an old-style meat-and-potatoes emporium with three downtown addresses; a top cut of beef will run you around 20 pesos, a three-course meal under 30, and the house specialty – puffy fries sprinkled with garlic and parsley – under 10. Also modest but cozy is downtown's Red (Calle Tucumán 693; +54 (11) 4394-2962) and the meat-loving San Telmo institution, El Desnivel (Calle Defensa 855; +54 (11) 4300-9081), which gets very crowded at lunch hour.