The bar that transforms dinner into a time travel experience

There are few dining establishments that offer more than good food, excellent service, a comfortable atmosphere, and delicious beers. Even fewer surprise you and end up becoming an experience that people later recommend. This is what happens at Nápoles Bar, a gastronomic venue located just steps from Parque Lezama in San Telmo.

The first thing that catches your attention is its size: a 2,000 square meter space. However, that initial impression fades as soon as you walk through the door, as each of those meters is filled with dozens of antique collectible items.

Nápoles: the experience offered by one of Buenos Aires’ best bars

“Nápoles is located in what was the carriage house of the Anchorena family, the first owners of the entire building where the restaurant is located. What is most striking is the scale of the place, with old English iron columns bolted together and 6-meter-high ceilings from the floor to the brick vaults,” says Gabriel del Campo, one of Argentina’s most renowned antique dealers and collectors, and the owner of the venue.

“Nápoles is located in what was the carriage house of the Anchorena family”

Entering Nápoles is like traveling through time: carousel horses, display cabinets, chandeliers, scales, and even vintage cars are spread out across this space that sometimes functions as a bar and other times as an art gallery.

“The first thing you see when you walk in is a large marble counter with Marcelo hand-rolling the homemade pasta on our menu. From there, you can see the 70-meter depth of our old location. I often sprawl out on the old leather Chesterfields with my dogs, others prefer the barber chairs, while some are drawn to the proximity to a motorcycle or car,” says Del Campo.

The fascination this place generates has led international celebrities like the Rolling Stones, Miley Cyrus, Matt Damon, and John Travolta to choose it as one of their destinations during their visit to Buenos Aires.

“International celebrities like the Rolling Stones, Miley Cyrus, Matt Damon, and John Travolta visited Nápoles”

What’s on Nápoles' menu

As its name suggests, this Italian bar and restaurant is filled with "Italian" aromas. Sorrentinos, ravioli, gnocchis are handmade in the kitchen. There are also pizzas, paninos, and dishes featuring red and white meats. For a snack, there are various options, and to accompany, they offer Imperial beer poured directly from the impressive wooden bar.

Let’s explore some possible pairings

A refreshing Imperial Golden can be paired with a Burrata O Sole Mío (mozzarella, smoked Italian pancetta, tomatoes, and olives), and the intensity of the IPA hops with Raviolo Nero (stuffed with creamy white fish and garlic and leek, served with lime cream). The Imperial Cream Stout could complement a tiramisu (the house dessert) or be the secret ingredient in the Sorrentinos Maiale (bell pepper dough stuffed with braised pork shoulder, served with a dark beer sauce).

“The menu is simple, tasty, fresh, and above all, homemade. The dishes replicate what we ate at our grandparents’ houses, old Italian immigrants, with whom many of us grew up,” says the owner of the place, adding that calamari and pizzas are the most popular dishes among guests.

“The dishes replicate what we ate at our grandparents' houses, old Italian immigrants”

“Personally, I pair beer with all kinds of dishes, meats, snacks, pasta, etc.,” he adds. Every day in the summer, from 5 to 9 pm, they offer a 2x1 deal on Imperial. They also introduce new signature cocktails every week, and every lunchtime, Monday through Friday, if you say the word "Napolitano" and order a main dish, you get a free tiramisu or coffee.

“Every lunchtime, Monday to Friday, if you say the word ‘Napolitano’ and order a main dish, you get a free tiramisu or coffee”

Visiting Nápoles is like stepping into a time tunnel and a capsule that can take you from Buenos Aires to Italy, non-stop. “It’s a place where the architecture and objects speak for themselves without pretension, like 1950s Italian race cars, motorcycles, large sculptures, and antiques of all kinds. All of it is the result of my life’s work as an antique dealer,” concluded Del Campo.

Where: Avenida Caseros 449, San Telmo. Reservations via this link.