Argentina Travel Guide

Argentina — Food and Dining

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Cuisine

Argentina boasts an exceptional standard of food, although choices are often restricted to meat, pasta and pizza. Japanese, Thai and Asian fusion food is increasingly popular in Buenos Aires. Argentines tend to dine very late (2100 is considered early). Famed for the quality of its steaks, Argentina is a meat eater's dream and a visit to a parrilla (grill) restaurant should be on every visitor's must-do list. Conversely, pure vegetarian food is hard to find, but most restaurants do have vegetable options, and salads are widely available. Traditional confiterías (cafes), as well as more fashionable resto-bars (restaurant-bars), are popular in big cities.

Argentine wines have flooded the international market in recent years, and are famed for their quality and value.

National specialties:
• Bife de chorizo (rump or sirloin steak).
•Bife de lomo (tenderloin or filet mignon).
•Empanadas (little pastry pies stuffed with beef, chicken, vegetable or cheese).
•Parrillada (mixed grill) which might include morcilla (blood sausage).
•Alfajores (shortbread-type biscuits sandwiched with dulce de leche - a caramelized milk sauce).

National drinks:
•Yerba mate (tea-like drink).
•Quilmes is the national brand of lager.
•Malbec wine.

Legal drinking age: The legal age for drinking alcohol in a bar/cafe is 18.

Tipping: Around 15% is acceptable in restaurants as well as bars (unless you were dissatisfied) which waiting staff rely on to survive.

Nightlife

Argentines like to party and even the smallest of towns in rural areas have late night bars and discos. Nightlife in Buenos Aires is particularly vibrant, and the city has become a center for South American clubbing, boasting line-ups of world famous DJs. Things rarely get going until midnight and the music keeps pumping until well after daylight.

Tango is the traditional music and dance of Argentina, and each night performers showcase this heartfelt art form in clubs in most major cities. Learn and practice the tango at lively milongas (tango halls).