What to eat in Argentina

Argentina, South America’s second-largest country, is a melting pot of all things culturally and geographically diverse. It’s a must-visit destination for all savvy travelers looking for an escape to a comparatively untouched landscape. The country is most famous for its tango, but great food and even greater wine can be found around every corner – and there are few better ways to immerse yourself in a country than to eat as the locals do. This is why we’ve teamed up with our local experts to bring you an appetising round-up of what to eat in Argentina on your vacation.

Steak, wine, ice cream and empanadas in Buenos Aires

Let’s begin in the country’s bustling, cosmopolitan capital. On the streets of Buenos Aires, you’ll find a flavoursome variety of dishes and dining styles. Top of most people’s lists is to track down the ultimate steak dinner. The prime cuts of steak available in Argentina are famous throughout the world, and there are many fantastic restaurants specialising in grilled beef accompanied by rich red wines. Any carnivores out there won’t want to miss this classic Buenos Aires dining experience.

But for true Porteño dining, we suggest heading to one of the many puertas cerradas (closed-door restaurants) that the city has to offer. These are small-scale restaurant pop-ups in people’s own homes, where passionate chefs create and experiment with the many flavours of South America. Our local experts know their way around these secret restaurants like the backs of their hands and will lead you through the hidden streets of Buenos Aires to experience some of the best.

As well as special meals out, it’s always good to sample the snacks that keep a city running. Buenos Aires has a particularly strong Italian influence, so the city workers run on coffee. There are coffee bars and cafes everywhere serving potent brews accompanied by sweet pastries known as facturas. Later in the day, savoury snacks run the show with empanadas taking centre-stage. These are small savoury parcels of pastry stuffed with cheeses, meats, chopped eggs and olives.

With such a strong Italian influence, the gelato in Buenos Aires (and across the country) is excellent. Local ice cream shops serve a fabulous variety of flavours late into the night, and the quality is top-notch. For a true taste of Argentina, don’t miss dulce de leche – a highly sweet, creamy caramel that you’ll find in many Argentine sweets and desserts, but that works particularly well in ice cream.

Asado and maté in the Pampas

Asado is the local Argentine term for barbecue, and it is very much an institution across the country. Steak features highly, as do pork sausages, blood sausages, ribs and offal – traditionally vegetables are quite few and far between. You’ll see workmen gathered on roadsides firing up makeshift barbecues for their lunch, often accompanied by bread rolls and yerba maté (a bitter tea served in a gourd with a metal straw).

For family gatherings, get-togethers and parties, an asado is often the order of the day, but with a more organised parrilla grill and plenty of beer. For a true gaucho experience, head into the wide pampas plains beyond Buenos Aires to a typical estancia (farm). Here you’ll be able to experience hyper-local produce and an al fresco parrilla in the open air of the countryside.

Read more: Undiscovered Argentina

Locro and humitas in Salta

The northwestern city and province of Salta has its own unique style with a vibrant folklórico music scene and some distinctive cuisine. Locro is a particularly popular dish – a fortifying stew thickened with corn and flavoured with beans, pork, beef, sausage, peppers and onions.

Tamales and humitas are both popular snacks made from corn dough parcels stuffed with cheeses, meats, veg or sweet options, and then wrapped in leaves and steamed. It is also claimed that the empanada originally came from Salta, and these savoury snacks are everywhere. There are some fine wines from the region too, such as the fruity Torrontes white.

Fresh fish and flavoursome chimichurri in Mesopotamia

Head far northeast from the capital to the hot and humid region of Mesopotamia. This area is known for its subtropical climate and is home to the magnificent Iguazu Falls and the thriving ecosystem of the Ibera Wetlands. The region is bordered by Paraguay and Brazil and much of its local cuisine reflects this mix of cultures and flavours. We recommend making like the locals and sampling some chipa, a cheese-flavoured roll made from corn flour which was first invented by the Guaraní people, an indigenous population spread across Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina.

The Iguazu river is also abundant with delicious fresh fish, which is commonly served grilled or fried and is topped with the country’s famous chimichurri sauce. After a day spent exploring the falls, our local experts recommend visiting one of the many restaurants which line the river to sample this delicacy and relax with a glass of wine.

World-class lamb and Welsh tea in Patagonia

Patagonia is the southernmost region of Argentina, famous for its varied landscape complete with icy glaciers, tranquil grasslands and arid deserts. This region is also known for its lamb, which is often regarded as the best in the world and is heavily imported into Europe. The authentic way to enjoy Patagonian lamb is by sampling cordero al palo, or spit-roasted lamb. This dish is a local delicacy and can be found throughout the restaurants of El Chaltén and El Calafate.

Intriguingly, parts of eastern and central Patagonia have a small but strong Welsh presence. A group of fervent Welsh speakers emigrated to Patagonia in the mid-1800s to set up a home on these distant shores. Around the port town of Puerto Madryn and inland across the Chubut Province are several small, sleepy villages where you can take afternoon Welsh tea. Bara brith and raisin-studded Welsh cakes are served on doily-decorated plates, all washed down with milky tea.

New world wines in Mendoza

Speaking of wine, no trip to Argentina would be complete without an excursion to the sprawling vineyards of Mendoza. This western region is responsible for more than half of Argentina’s total wine production and is the home of the country’s famous malbec grape. Mendoza’s best wineries are nestled in the foothills of the Andes. Our local experts can take you on a fabulous personalised tour of the vineyards, where you can sample all that the region has to offer with a stunning backdrop of snow-capped mountains.

Chocolates in Argentina’s Lake District

Follow your cordero al palo with some delicious Argentine chocolate, handcrafted by local chocolatiers in the Patagonia Lake District. Patagonia has been heavily influenced by Swiss and German cultures, and their love of chocolate is just one example of this. The city of Bariloche, otherwise known as Little Switzerland, is widely regarded as the country’s chocolate hotspot and our experts on the ground can recommend the richest, melt-in-the-mouth chocolate for you to try.

Make it happen

If you’re hungry for more information on what to eat in Argentina, then allow us to connect you with our local experts to get your trip booked. With a wealth of knowledge and expertise, they’ll be able to plan your bespoke Argentinian trip of a lifetime.