5 places to try popular flavors in Buenos Aires

Las Violetas is one of the city's notable bars, and stepping through the door on Av. Rivadavia feels like traveling back in time. Its stained-glass windows from the 1950s are a good enough reason to spend some time admiring them.

Most people choose this place for tea, but we suggest buying your ham and cheese or artichoke triple sandwiches (a real gem) and pairing them with a cold Imperial IPA in a park or at home. If you have leftovers, you can add some fosforitos (one of the best in the city). Discover our favorite sandwiches de miga in the city.

Tip: If you place your order in advance, you can mix the ingredients as you like and create your own sandwich.

Where: Av. Rivadavia 3899, Almagro. Buenos Aires City.

This popular dish almost has no detractors: a well-cooked grilled chorizo sausage between bread with various options like fresh vegetables, pickled vegetables, and dressing. At La Dorita, a classic Buenos Aires parrilla with three locations in the city, it is one of the dishes always available on the menu.

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So much so that they even have their own version of choripán: the Choricampi. It’s for sharing and consists of a chorizo stuffed with mozzarella cheese and caramelized onions, wrapped in country bread. To balance this hearty dish, we recommend a fresh, light Imperial Golden.

Tip: At this bodegón, the menu also features other classic Argentine dishes like milanesa, tortillas, and pasta.

Where: Humboldt 1892, Palermo Hollywood; Bulnes 2593, Palermo; and Ciudad de la Paz 2130, Belgrano.

If there’s one dish that never fails among the classics, it’s milanesa, and here are our favorites. Whether it's beef, chicken, simple, or napolitana, milanesa is a fail-safe option when trying flavors that define the Argentine palate.

At Watson’s Café & Restó, they not only offer it as a permanent menu option, but they also serve it with different variations, such as rustic potatoes or pasta, a side that completes the experience of tasting an authentic Argentine dish. We recommend pairing it with a cold Imperial Roja or Golden and finishing with pancakes with dulce de leche or flan for dessert.

Tip: This restaurant is in the same building where the Watson Hotel, one of the most important in the Belgrano neighborhood in 1860, used to operate. It’s a true architectural gem.

Where: Vuelta de Obligado 2070, Belgrano.

This dish – like this pizzeria – is a true classic of Buenos Aires. It’s a place founded in 1963 that remains a staple. La Guitarrita has several branches and primarily offers stone-baked pizza, with fugazzeta (mozzarella and lots of onions) being one of the most popular varieties.

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Visiting this place is like fully immersing yourself in Argentine popular traditions: the walls are covered with football jerseys from teams all over the country, and you can find soda siphons on the tables. The muzza with basil and the calabresa are also popular, and we recommend pairing them with a freshly poured Imperial pint.

Tip: The recipe and the method for cooking the pizzas have been the same since La Guitarrita opened its first location over 60 years ago.

Where: They have more than 16 locations in Buenos Aires. Two of the most iconic are: 3 de Febrero corner Congreso, Núñez; and Av. La Plata 225, Caballito.

Ideal for a quick bite and a solution for lunch or dinner, the pancho is also part of Argentina’s popular dishes. In this case, we recommend trying a reimagined version that combines the classic sausage with pizza dough at Casa Paradiso, the food space in Paseo Alcorta.

It comes in three versions: Classic – with crispy onion, mustard, and ketchup; Criolla – with criolla sauce and aioli; and Pickles – with pickles, dill, and aioli. You order it at the pizza section of the place and enjoy it at the bar with a pint of Imperial Roja.

Tip: This restaurant, run by Donato de Santis, offers different activities every month. In January, for example, there are wine tastings, cheese tastings, and promotions on selected products.

Where: Jerónimo Salguero 3172, Paseo Alcorta. Palermo.