Best fine-dining restaurants in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Internationally famous and renowned for its beef and wine (particularly Malbec), Buenos Aires suprises visitors with its rich, flavorful, and specially diverse culinary scene.
With such a vast and almost never-ending list of top restaurants to go to it is easy for travelers to feel overwhelmed when picking where to eat in Argentina’s capital city. To get some of that weight off your shoulders, here is a list of our suggested 5 best fine-dining restaurants in Buenos Aires, Argentina:
And if you are not very sure about fine-dining because you are on a budget, we have great news: In Buenos Aires you can eat very very well on a super moderate budget compared to other major destinations around the world. In fact, a fancy meal (with wine included) tends to cost aproximately 30%-40% cheaper than it would in any European or American restaurant.
1.Elena Restaurant – Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires
Location: Posadas 1086/88, Recoleta, Buenos Aires.
Elena tops this list being the only hotel-restaurant to feature the San Pellegrino list of the best 50 restaurants in Latin America for five consecutive years.
On its menu, diners find a wide selection of porteños (a.k.a. Buenos Aires’ residents) favorite meats plus exotic dry-aged precision-cut steaks and Argentine Kobe beef, to the highest quality pork, chicken and other meats in addition to fish and seafood.
Some of its specialties are:
- Chard and chickpea fritters and beet moutabal.
- Lamb chorizo a la pomarola with white polenta.
- Dolce Morte of black sesame with dark chocolate and lavender.
Without a doubt, an excellent option when it comes to having lunch with friends, a business meeting, or why not
having a special evening during your stay.
2. Kayla Restaurant – Alvear Icon Hotel
Location: Aimé Painé 1130, Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires.
This modern and elegant restaurant, located on the 31st floor, offers a privileged view and
integrates into the environment through its large windows the magnificent silhouette of the city and
the river.
At night, chef Diego Novo displays his creativity and innovative vision and immerses guests in a delicate
combination of flavors, textures and colors. With vast experience, he brings to the table a selection of local
products, interpreted with avant-garde cooking techniques.
The menu includes starters such as cured threshing, smoked duck, crunchy blood sausage, among
others. A special mention deserves the homemade breads, with organic flours made with
sourdough.
The main dishes include Argentine meats, pasta and fish, while the dessert proposals are pure
temptation.
An unmissable gastronomic experience with one of the best views of the city.
3. Chila
Location: Av. Alicia Moreau de Justo 1160, Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires.
A former grain warehouse in the modern neighborhood of Puerto Madero is the home of one of Buenos Aires’ best fine-dining restaurants. Chila regularly features in the top 20 of Latin America’s 50 Best.
Other than a few staples such as the Patagonian toothfish or the caviar, CHILA’s products change with each of the chapters that Chef Pedro Bargero designs throughout the year. He manoeuvres diners around Argentina, with a handy map identifying ingredients’ origins. Delectable dishes on the journey include pollock, kale and hazelnuts, and spider crab with shiso. Leave room for pastry chef Ana Irie’s dulce de leche and banana box.
A once-in-a-life-time experience that will have your palate travel around Argentina without moving from the table.
4. Aramburu Resto
Location: Pasaje del Correo, Vicente López 1661, Recoleta, Buenos Aires.
Taking the first steps through the Pasaje del Correo is to enter another Buenos Aires: as the visitor goes in, the noises of the street become almost silent and their eyes are delighted with buildings of another time.
In such atmoshere, a vibrant, modern and elegant restaurant stands out, where chef Gonzalo Aramburu welcomes visitors with two menus, featuring each 18 and 12 courses, along with the complete pairing option.
5. Parrilla Don Julio
Location: Guatemala 4699, Palermo, Buenos Aires.
Among this list, this is the best option for those looking for local cuisine with a fine-dining twist.
Located in Buenos Aires’ bohemian district, Don Julio resembles a typical parrilla (grill/steak house) and stands out for serving
premium grilled cuts of meat, accompanied by vegetables and organic products of each season – grown especially for the restaurant – and artisanal sausages.
A classical and traditional grill that ticks all the right boxes with an above-average meat selection and a huge and varied wine list, Don Julio was chosen among the 15 best restaurants in the world according to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2021.
Interesting fact: chef and businessman Pablo Rivero works with grass-fed Aberdeen Angus and Hereford cattle raised in the field outside of Buenos Aires, which he then stores in a climate-controlled refrigerator for at least 21 days to reach optimum maturity.
Hopefully this list will help you clear your mind on where to eat in Argentina’s most fascinating city. But two last recomendations before you make your way to some of the best restaurants in Buenos Aires: adjust your watch to local time as Argentines eat considerably late compared to other countries and most restaurants remained closed until 8 P.M. / 9 P.M. and make sure to go hungry as most meals are huge in this country (usually a meal and an appetizer can perfectly feed two people).