Panini: Libertador 1002 at Callao or Bulnes 2776 at Libertador. “Resto, Bar, Pizza, Pasta” Inexpensive. Open all day. www.paninibuenosaires.com.ar
La Rambla: Posadas 1602, ph: 4804-6958. Walk down to Posadas turn left one block. Bit more upscale w/sidewalk service. La Rambla, located on a bustling corner of Recoleta just a block from the Alvear Palace, is no hole-in-the-wall and it is very well know, especially for its lomito (steak) sandwich. Charley (the younger guy) is the super outside waiter. Open all day.
Guido's: Republica de la India , ph: 4802-2391. Great Italian food. Reservations advised for dinner. Medium priced, great food and wine with old world character. A great discovery say Mike and Andrea.
La Cabana: Rodríguez Pena 1967, ph:4814 0001. Elegant expensive. Steakhouse located in the Recoleta neighborhood that offers a variety of grilled meats and seafood. www.lacabanabuenosaires.com.ar
Sottovocce: Libertador 1098 ph: 4807-6691 in Recoleta or Alicia M. De Justo 176, ph: 4313-1199 in Puerto Madero. Very upscale Italian. Bueno! www.sottovoceristorante.com.ar
Rodi Bar & Grill: Vicente López 1900. Lunch/dinner locals' restaurant for inexpensive good food. Steaks, Bife de Lomo (filet mignon) large enough to share. Located just blocks from the cemetery in Recoleta, draws locals and tourists alike with its unique blend of grumpy waiters, paper-covered tables, great food and low, low prices. If someone in your group is tired of meat they do some good fish and seafood dishes along too.
Cabana Las Lilas: Ave. M. de Justo 550, 2ª Piso in Puerto Madero, ph: 4315-1010. The meat (all kosher) actually comes from their own cattle on a very old estancia to the West. This steakhouse would be upscale and shiny by anyone's standards. Consistently Good.
Sucre: Sucre 676, ph: 4782-9082. Cool place. Lunch/dinner. Upscale, valet parking, WiFi. Grab a cab for this one. www.sucrerestaurant.com.ar
Nectarine: Pasaje del Correo, Vicente Lopez 1661, ph: 4813-6993. Nouvelle French cuisine; a fine restaurant down a courtyard alley. Both the wine list and the menu are rich. Upscale.
Filo: Take a cab to San Martin 975, ph: 4311-1871. Hip thin pizza visited by the elite. Go late for the local flavor; hip, upscale, visual.
Piola Pizzerie Italiane: Libertad 1078 in Barrio Norte, ph: 4812-0690, near the corner of Sante Fe. Good thin thin pizza from an internation chain. Large selection. Also Palermo Hollywood at Gorriti 5751
Kansas: Avenida del Libertador 4625. Walk down to Libertador, cross the street and catch a cab for the 10 min. 5 buck ride. Closest thing to a really upscale American steak house. Very very good American style steak house but full of Argentines. Huge portions easily split. Lunch/dinner. No reservations, wait in the very American style bar. You'll think you are at a cross between the Outback steakhouse and Capitol Grill. Reasonably priced, great service and consistent quality. When Burger King doesn't satisfy your need for a taste of the U.S. try this out.
Café Tortoni: Avenida de Mayo 829, ph: 4342-4328. A 150 yr. old institution once the hang out of the literary/intellectual crowd in the days of Borges and the like. Open 8am till early am. You gotta go and have coffee or lunch-- see the Tango Show offered occasionally. Probably never closes.
La Biela: Av. Quintana 596. ph: 4804-0449. Earned its distinction in the 1950s as the rendezvous choice of race-car champions. Black-and-white photos of these Argentine racers decorate the huge dining room. Sit outside and watch the "locals" strut, the outdoor terrace sits beneath an enormous 19th-century gum tree opposite the church of Nuestra Señora del Pilar and the adjoining Recoleta Cemetery. Institutional café. another "got to go" spot. Probably never closes.
Millon: Parana 1048, ph:4815-9925. A cool hangout. Go later to see the fashionable set in this stunning turn of the century mansion restaurant. Dinner or tapas and drinks—inside or outside on the lawn. www.milionargentina.com.ar
El Alamo: Uruguay 1175. A 15 min. Walk to this sports bar. Cheap hangout if nothing else going on. Never closes. Food has gone downhill. Only go if you need to see a sports game.
Patio Bullrich: Ave. Libertador 750 at Posadas. High fashion Mall with a movie complex. On the top floor is the Food Court. Other than McD's it's pretty much like none other—lots of choices for good food, before or after your movie in a modern theater with comfortable stadium seating.
Alvear Palace Hotel: Avenida. Alvear 1891. Built cerca 1926 with materials shipped over from Europe on the flip side of cattle shipments. A good visual expression of the prosperity or those times. You have to have breakfast in the bar or afternoon tea in the tea room. Perhaps the most expensive hotel in BA. Sunday brunch is decadent. A shrine to good taste and good service.
Sanjuaninno: Posadas 1515 at Callao, ph:4804-2909. It is written; “Eating is a biological act. Eating at El Sanjuanino is a cultural act.” Empanadas and regional Argentian food typical of the province of San Juan. Lunch/dinner.
Dada: San Martin 941. Take a taxi to this central city location. Great lomo dada steak and the warm spinach salad with shrimp is excellent. Lunch/dinner The menu is a bit different than the normal in this small restaurant.
Brasserie Petanque: Defensa 596. French food. If going to the San Telmo flea market take your lunch here and just walk to the Market nearby. A long-time favorite of Mike and Andrea.
Grappa C: El Salvador 5802 in Palermo Hollywood, ph: 4899-2577 . Super thin wood fired pizza in terrific ambiance. Old building with open roof outside seating. Very popular with the locals.
Oviedo: Berutti 2602, ph: 4821-3741. For 20 years, Oviedo has been the prime destination for Old World Spanish meets noveau cuisine in Buenos Aires. The clubby brasserie, all white linen and burnished banquettes, sports a mile-long wine list and excellent food/service. Very upscale and shiny.
Fervor: Posadas 1519, ph: 4804-4904. Upscale meat and seafood in a well-restored turn of the century building.
El Quartito: Talcahuano 937, El Cuartito is a 76 year old restaurant! Full of photos, memorabilia and more hanging from the wall. Pizza and empanadas are the fare, but the building is perhaps a bigger draw than the food. Anthony Bourdain recommends the tuna empanadas.
Romerio: Vincente Lopez 2102, Beruti 2601. Popular for pizza and empanadas. One of the few places where you find real pepperoni served on thin crust pizza. www.romario.com.ar
Bereber: Armenia 1880, Palermo, ph:4833 5662. The only Moroccan restaurant in town, this Palermo spot is popular with trendy locals and foreigners. As well as the spacious dining room, there's a sunny terrace and a lounge area strewn with cushions. Always good, upper priced meals.
Osaka: Soler 5608 in Palermo, ph: 4775-6964. Thought to be the best sushi in BA.
L'Abeille: Arroyo 872, ph: 4314-2213. For dinner of late night drinks, here you will be seen with who's who in BA. Definitely upscale, sit at the bar downstairs where those in the know can watch the rich and famous pass by; politicians, models, television personalities, and more. The average age begins to drop from 60ish to the 30-40ish crowd soon after 9 pm. Definitely upscale.
Croque Madame: Ave del Libertador 1902, ph: 4806-8639. In the courtyard of the Museo de Arte Decorativo. Indoor and outdoor space. Very popular spot for a quiet morning read with coffee, evening with wine light meals or a full blown menu. Very French. There are several other locations in and around the Recoleta area as well.
Several very fine restaurants in La Recova, near the Four Seasons Hotel.
El Mirasol de La Recova: Posadas 1032, ph: 4326-7322. Very upscale restaurant. Dinner expensive.
Plaza Major: Venezuela 1399, 4383-0788 Outstanding paella. Very fine upscale Spanish restaurant
Sushi Club: Ave 9 de Julio 1425 ; Located at La Recova and also at Puerto Madero. And several other locations in BA. This international chain offers good quality/value Sushi.
Piegari: Posadas 1042, ph: 4326-9430. Elegant upscale international chain. http://www.piegari.com.ar/piegari.html
.
end of La Recova listings...
The following "must go to" restaurants are out of the tourist areas and are a real find.
Tell the taxi driver; "San Jose and Venezuela in Montserrat," a 15 dollar taxi ride.
Campo de Fiori: Venezuela 1411, ph: 4381-1800. Also; Arce 305 in the Las Canitas neighborhood, ph: 4778-0550. Outstanding Italian.
Diablada Parrilla: Venezuela y San Jose, ph:4381-4766. It is said that the meat is excellent, the atmosphere inviting and the prices fair in this warm country kitchen and sunny-side veranda rolled into one
According to the Buenos Aires Herald, (10/2010) the list of the best steaks looks like this;
La Cabrera, Cabrera 5059, ph: 4831- 7002 is a favorite for many. Make reservations or wait in lines that can be too long for me.
Al Carbon at Reconquista 875 with beef and 'reliable' fish comes second.
El Pobre Luis, Arribenos 2393, ph: 4780-5847. Described as 'a temple to quality.'
Siga la Vaca--there are more than one, however the newspaper lists the location at Dardo Rocha 2568. The Puerto Madero location serves as a tenedor libre, otherwise known as; all-you-can-eat.
Viejo Capitan at Primera Junta 1141, ph: 4780-5847. Always good, prices are agreeable and portions are big enough to share.
This finishes the newspaper list. For more restaurant reviews by a local chef try:
www.saltshaker.net/restaurant-reviews/the-ultimate-parrillada
For things to do in Buenos Aires try; www.timeout.com/buenos-aires/
