16 Best Restaurants in Buenos Aires, Argentina

With a prime harborside location and a carefully curated tasting menu that delves into Argentina's abundant pantry, Chila is worth the splurge. Book a table on the water and allow the exemplary team (helmed by bright young culinary star, Pedro Bargero), to work its magic. The wine list is one of the city’s best; ask for the pairings.

In a city filled with Spanish and Basque restaurants, there's not much of a tapas bar scene in Buenos Aires. El Burladero provides a mix of bar seating and communal tables, along with a more formal dining room, where you can mix and mingle with other diners. It serves up not only the best tapas selection in town, but also some of the best Spanish food. Don't miss one of the city's most satisfying versions of chipirones en su tinta (baby squid in its own ink), or the mouthwatering conejo en sidra (rabbit braised in cider). And speaking of cider, the bar pulls pints of the stuff to start off or accompany your meal. At lunch there's a fantastic three-course menu that costs less than a main course off the à la carte selection.

In a charming and creative space that was once a private residence in Belgrano, chef Martín Molteni's dining room offers up a tribute to the lesser-known products of the region. Specializing in unusual meats—llama, wild boar, rabbit, and quail are regular offerings—as well as fresh fish, unusual grains and vegetables, and hand-crafted cheeses, Molteni brings his overseas training in France and Australia to bear on his Argentine heritage. The menu changes completely every two or three months to reflect the freshest seasonal ingredients. While the menu doesn't list vegetarian options, give advance notice when you reserve and the kitchen will turn out equally stunning vegetable plates. A chef's tasting menu is also available.

For a sublime eight-course tasting experience, head to Tegui, helmed by chef Germán Martitegui, who regularly ranks in the top 10 of Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants list. Martitiegui has a deft hand with fish, in particular, and is fond of using fruit in his savory dishes. Opt to pair wines under the direction of sommelier Mariano Camaño and you'll have an especially memorable experience.

One of the city's more sophisticated dining rooms, Tomo I is a bastion of modern French-Argentine cooking. Dishes lean towards less-is-more, and truly shine with updated versions of classic French dishes, like kid with broad beans.

Realizing that not every visitor to Buenos Aires has friends or family to invite them to an asado, the traditional backyard barbecue, Colorado native Kelly Brenner and Argentino Gabriel Aguallo decided to take the plunge. They threw open the doors to their charming home, where guests join them on the patio around a massive grill and then adjourn to the farmhouse-style dining area for a family-style steak or seafood fest. Plenty of grilled vegetable dishes, creative salads, and glasses of local wine accompany the meat. More wines are available from the short but well-selected wine list. The exact address is provided when you make a reservation.

Tucked away down a cobbled alley is one of the most beautiful and romantic restaurants in the city. Night after night chef Gonzalo Aramburu turns out an exquisite 18-course tasting menu of seasonal dishes, each reinterpreted through the lens of what is here called cocina vanguardia, or cutting-edge cooking. It's worth the splurge. 

In the middle of the chaos of Palermo, Casa Coupage is an oasis of tranquility. Located in a converted home, the beige-on-beige dining area takes up most of the main floor. Decor is simple, mostly wine related, plus the odd choice of postage stamps glued in a swath around the rooms at eye level. Your best bet is the frequently changing tasting menu that lets you sample the full range of chef Pablo Bolzan's creative take on traditional Argentine cooking. A limited selection of à la carte dishes is always available. Sommelier Santiago Mymicopulo knows his stuff, and his great wine-pairing options are usually a much better value than ordering from the somewhat overpriced wine list.

While puertas cerradas, or closed-door restaurants, have been a part of the Buenos Aires dining scene for decades, they were historically a place you discovered by word-of-mouth. In 2006, that all changed when Dan Perlman and Henry Tapia, the norteamericano and peruano couple behind this 10-seat communal-table home-dining spot, hit the scene. These days scoring a spot to dig in to their Mediterranean-meets-Andean cuisine, five-course menu with paired wines can be hard to do, so book early. You'll meet new friends, swap stories, and enjoy creative home cooking. The exact address is provided with reservation, made via the website only.

Dedicated to the cuisines of the Middle East, this sumptuous dining room on the third floor of the Syrian Lebanese Cultural Club serves up one of the city's best all-you-can-eat buffets. For a flat price you get unlimited trips to the cold appetizers bar, unlimited orders of from a palate-pleasing selection of hot dishes, and all the honey-laden pastries you can pack in. Belly dancers entertain on the weekends, when the prices also rise about 20%. If you're in town for an extended stay, Chef Abdala offers a series of classes where he demonstrates how to duplicate his recipes at home.

An oasis of elegance and grace in the heart of Recoleta, French cooking techniques dominate this kitchen, though the seafood and meat are sourced from Argentina. Standout dishes include butter-soft Angus tenderloin, crispy sweetbreads, and a decadent molten chocolate cake. If the weather is nice, ask for a table on the terrace overlooking the courtyard gardens. Don't miss a pre- or post-dinner visit to the wine-and-cheese bar with a fantastic array of each, and be sure to take an after-meal stroll through the hotel's underground art gallery.

With a new name and a new chef, the Four Seasons Hotel's spectacularly renovated dining room serves creative fare that blends the traditions of Argentina with touches of the sunny Mediterranean. Don't miss the spectacular sweetbread and poached egg appetizer, and for a true taste of what the chef can do off the grill, order the parrillada (a sampler of various cuts of meat) or the mariscada, (a medley of grilled seafood), both in portions big enough for up to four people to share. If you're in a more casual mood, the Pony Line bar offers fantastic cocktails, great pizzas, and one of the best burgers in town. Weekend afternoons you help yourself to a brunch spread that's unrivaled in the city. A children's menu is available.

These charming and handsome Colombian brothers ran a successful restaurant in Patagonia before moving to Buenos Aires, opening a new place, and receiving enthusiastic reviews. In an intimate space, Santiago Macias turns out some of the most creative, interesting Colombian-influenced food in the city. The prix-fixe tasting menu changes regularly. Flawless service is provided in the dining room under the direction of Santiago's brother Camilo. For something just a little bit different and off the beaten path, this is a don't-miss experience. Wine pairings are extra (230 pesos).

This elegant dining room in the Alvear Palace Hotel turns out brilliant French classics from chef Jean-Paul Bondeaux, updated for modern sensibilities. Service is impeccable, and the best value is the seven-course tasting menu that includes six wines. The wine list is extensive, focusing on the finest from France and Argentina. Jackets for men are recommended, though not required.

Like the proverbial tortoise, Buenos Aires's first Thai restaurant has kept a slow, steady pace and outlasted all its Southeast Asian competitors. Huge glowing flowers dominate the decor, and there's perhaps a bit too much incense filling the air. While the food here won't amaze anyone who knows Thai cooking, it's a great change of pace for locals looking to try something different or travelers who are tired of steaks. The options are fresh and tasty, particularly the curries, though if you want any heat, don't forget to ask for your dish to be served picante. Portions can be a bit skimpy given the prices, though there are lunch prix-fixe options that are more wallet friendly.

New Orleans is where chef Liza Puglia grew up, and she brings her passion for the flavors of her early years to the table at this puertas cerradas, one of the city's famous "closed door" eateries. It's the only place in town to find Cajun and Creole cooking. Puglia doesn't stint on the spice, and also likes to add some flavors from Mexico. Using locally sourced ingredients to stand in for those she can't get from home, she turns out delightful, rustic dishes, including a superb gumbo. The dining room and its communal table are attended to by partner in life and work, Francisco "Ticol" Terren, who pairs some of his favorite local wines with the four-course menus.