Buenos Aires, Argentina.featured

2012 was the year that I mostly didn’t work.  Instead, during my transition from living in London back to living in New York, I traveled.  My first stop along this journey was in Buenos Aires, where I based myself for just over three weeks.  During this time I visited museums, I sipped coffee in cafes, I drank Malbec on the streets late into the night, I left for a couple of days to head up north to Iguazu Falls and took another adventure out east to Uruguay, and of course, I ate.  I was on a budget during this time so food adventures were definitely a bit reserved, but nevertheless I covered a lot of ground during my Argentinean stint. Here are some of my favorites:

Casa Mua
Very casual, cute, breads with melted cheese inside, sandwiches, desserts, big salads – had salmon salad, v good dinner or lunch spot, but slightly out of the way if not staying at OOrilla

Coco Marie Cafe
Hidden in the back of a bathing suit boutique store, opens up into courtyard with ivy on the walls where they serve small sandwiches, teas, and desserts, chilled out mix of music playing in the background (xx, postal service, mgmt, friendly fires)

Mark’s Deli
Good, well located go-to spot for big salads, known as being very “nyc” but I didn’t actually think so! Did go here a few times as was easy.

El Obrero
Near La Boca football stadium, in a ROUGH part of town by night, must take a taxi directly there. Great food, old school Italian feel, complete with an old man playing his guitar and pictures of musicians and football players on the walls. Steak and pasta restaurant, excellent fried calamari to start, as well as delicious fried cheese (called provoleta here).

Bio
Vegetarian organic cafe, great tahini type dip given w/bread to start, big salads, got my much needed dose of tofu here.

Molvan
Such a great look and feel, food didn’t quite match atmosphere but still decent. Had popover egg dishes, burgers, sandwiches, etc. Known for their breads.

Oiu Oiu
Loved. Adorable little French cafe, complete with a cute plaid shirt wearing guy working there. Tons of sandwich options all written on a blackboard on the wall, salads, eggs reveltos that were excellent, coffees, cakes … this one is a definite, can sit there for hours.

Artemisima
Another definite. Quirky feel when you walk in, open air (ish). Few seats in a courtyard too, if it isn’t too hot. Vegetarian. Amazing bruschetta to start (get the Greek one) – bread melts in your mouth and is very grainy … grilled veggies and cheese on top. Big salads filled again with veggies and cheese. The salad w/the avocado in it is the best one.

Miranda
Good open-air vibe (though tons of Americans!), 1 loft like. Steaks, pastas, and huge salads. Ravioli with spinach and cheese with the mixed sauce was surprisingly good. Grilled veggie salad great too (covered with pesto based dressing). Good Malbecs here and good desserts (warm apple crumble with cold vanilla bean icecream). Mostly male staff (didn’t hurt!). Lots of outdoor seating.

Olsen
Sunday all day brunch (served till 8!). Excellent space, you feel like you’re in a modern garden of sorts. Swedish. Ate scrambled eggs with salmon, salad on the side (though the potatoes were great too), coffee, and good white wine. Jess had pork which she loved as well.

La Fabrica del Taco
Loved this place, really casual Mexican food, can sit in front outside the restaurants on stools, inside, or outside in the courtyard. Had delicious guacamole, pico de gallo, and quesedillas. Great Margaritas too.

Bblue
This place grew on me, good spot to sit in and use wi-fi if needed. Lots of salads and smoothies and other creative detox drinks. Full menu besides those things too.

Out:
Franks – need to know password at the door type place – very cool inside, prohibition feel, big space, dirty dancing playing in the background!
Isabels – trendier feel, tons of cocktails, DJ each night
787 – another place hidden behind a door, extremely high ceilings, great space, liked this lots
Serrano Plaza

See:
Malba – excellent art museum, one of the best I’ve ever been in. Few Frida Khalo pieces but guest exhibits were great, highly recommended. Whole space was interesting and engaging, well layed out, consistant feeling throughout, etc. Loved. Not huge either, so not overwhelming.

La Boca / El Caminito – spend an hour or so wandering around these streets (during the day). Very unique, everything is in bright mismatching colors, good for photos too!

Bookstores – lots of cool ones in this city! Most famous is the theatre turned bookstore, but I liked the little ones in Palermo even better …. one was called Libro Cafe or something like that, cute little double decker shop with food in the front. Another good one on Thames closer to Palermo Hollywood.

San Telmo Market – open on Sundays, antique feeling area plus huge street down the middle that gets completely taken over and that you can wander for hours, lots of offshoots too with more antique stores and stalls to explore