21 Restaurants with the Best Price-Quality Ratio in Buenos Aires

It’s one of the survivors from the early days of Palermo. It opened in the late nineties when Southeast Asian cuisine was a novelty in Buenos Aires and it remains relevant. One of the many reasons? Their always competitive prices. At lunchtime, they have an unbeatable menu, and in the evening, prices are not much higher. We recommend the pad thai, of course, and especially the curries—either green or red—perfect to pair with a white wine or a light red.

Tip: Located on a corner, bright and dominated by light colors, it was one of the first restaurants in Buenos Aires designed by the talented Horacio Gallo.

Where: Guatemala 5602, Palermo.

Another Asian restaurant with excellent price-quality ratio. Taiwanese cuisine prepared by women in a simple yet tidy place in Recoleta. For some reason, it’s much more popular among tourists than locals. You can eat well for less than 15,000 pesos per person. The most famous dish is the Lurou Fan, which consists of a ragout of pork shoulder and bacon stewed over rice, egg, and pickled cabbage, prepared with peanut paste. But we also love the mandarin chicken with a natural orange sauce and the curries.

Tip: Almost all of their ingredients are organic and they have a wide range of options for vegans and vegetarians.

Where: Pueyrredón 1790, Recoleta.

Opened in 2023, this place pays tribute to the Italian-Spanish heritage of many locals: well-executed bistro dishes at good prices. The place is narrow and bright, with a striped awning facade and a small patio at the back. The space is used to the maximum.

The suggestion is to order some of the counter portions, such as the caponata or the beans, which are very generous, and then move on to the mains: there are Calabrese-style chicken wings with fries, a very good chicken Milanese, and lemon pork flank steak. The best: homemade pasta, such as fusilli al fierrito, which can be accompanied by different sauces (filetto, scarparo, pesto, and puttanesca).

Tip: The tables are somewhat uncomfortable, a downside to this place.

Where: Zapiola 1218, Colegiales.

This is the first restaurant opened by Lelé Cristóbal in San Telmo, more than two decades ago, and one of the best in terms of price-quality ratio. They don’t charge a cover, but as soon as you sit down, they bring you bread and a bowl of delicious olives. The vermouth is half the price of most bars, and the kitchen is also budget-friendly. A good option is to share some tapas, such as rabbit pâté with plum compote or potato tortilla with eggplant. Among the mains, our recommendation is the sweetbread cannelloni (another highlight is the oxtail).

Tip: The service is impeccable, with a trained and attentive staff.

Where: San Juan 450, San Telmo.

After many years closer to TV than restaurants, the French Christophe Krywonis is back with Mon Poulet (“My little chicken”), in the Las Cañitas neighborhood. It opened this year with a fast food dynamic of quality—what some called "fast good"—and very good prices. The star is the roast chickens, prepared in a custom-made oven and sourced from Granja Tres Arroyos in Santa Fe. They come with various sauces, excellent fries, and side dishes, such as the excellent provencal tomatoes. You can also order them in a sandwich with figacita bread and yogurt-mayo.

Tip: Save room for the tarte tatin.

Where: Federico Lacroze 1724, Las Cañitas.

One of the most anticipated openings, and fortunately, they didn't exploit this detail to overcharge. Fico is the personal project of chef Martín Sclippa and pastry chef Estefi Maiorana (both have worked for many years with Narda Lepes), a bistro that impressed those a bit tired of small plate offerings. It’s in Villa Crespo, in an area of workshops and tire shops. A lot of technique and skill in the service of classic Buenos Aires dishes.

Tip: Don’t miss the chicken with mushrooms.

Where: Muñecas 775.

Better known as "the Chinese place on Vera," it’s a favorite spot for the local foodie community. A feast of authentic Chinese cuisine at good prices, run by a family that arrived from the Shandong region at least twenty years ago. The tables have plastic tablecloths, the chairs aren’t cool, and the decoration is nonexistent, but here what matters is the food.

Tip: Our recommendations are the spicy green beans, fried pork dumplings, hot and sour tofu soup, and Yu Xiang Rou Si. What is it? It’s a dish of shredded pork sautéed with garlic, vegetables, spicy and sweet-and-sour sauce, to be accompanied with rice.

Where: Vera 468, Villa Crespo.

Armenian cuisine is very solid in Buenos Aires. There are many restaurants and they are generally affordable (it’s no coincidence that there’s always a line at Sarkis). The ratio of what you pay to what you get in return usually feels very favorable for the diner. Nani, led by cook Natalia Demirdjian, is a great example of this. In a spacious room with high ceilings, they serve hearty, flavorful, and sizable dishes (many recipes are from Natalia's mother).

Tip: Our favorite dishes are the hot sarma (meat and rice with spices wrapped in vine leaves), the lahmajun, and the pistachio baklava.

Where: Gurruchaga 1088, Villa Crespo.

In what was once a family bistro, three friends opened a laid-back place with fewer dishes, better wine, and a younger vibe. However, there’s a thread between the two places: the specialty in sandwiches. The area is the still-emerging Villa Crespo, closer to workshops than outlets. You must try the oxtail empanadas, the potato tortilla sandwich, the pastrami, the Maryland chicken, and, among desserts, of course, the Floating Island.

Tip: You can eat well for less than 15,000 pesos.

Where: Dr. Luis Belaustegui 396, Villa Crespo.

We love Alfonso. It’s one of the hidden gems in the Microcentro, amidst diagonal avenues, architectural marvels, protests, and office workers. Styled in art deco, it’s small and beautiful, with a few tables, a bar, and a color palette that includes English green and coral pink. There are some small dishes (hummus, marinated beans, confit mushrooms with cauliflower puree), but the specialty is the grill, overseen by its owner, Federico Frutos (also in charge of De los Frutos and Estudio Té).

Tip: Chistorra with pear and syrup and grilled beef steak with the day’s salad and fries are some of the options for lunch, when it has more competitive prices.

Where: Belgrano 782, Centro.

Jazmín Marturet is another cook who works hard to keep her restaurant from being perceived as expensive. Instead, it invites you to come and return, becoming a regular. It only opens at midday and on weekends it usually hosts more than 150 diners, with tables full of families or groups of friends. The menu is brief but changes frequently: if there’s pasta, go for it, they’re homemade and excellent.

Tip: The menu also includes several dishes inspired by her obsession with Thailand, Mexico, Cuba, Brazil, and other regions of the world. From a Thai buffalo curry with jasmine rice (Gaeng Ohm Nua) to a stewed okra and pork shoulder (quimbombó).

Where: Ávalos 360, Paternal.

The second venue by chef Julieta Oriolo and her partner Nani Bauzá, opened in 2022, definitely shines in this category. It's one of the best options in Palermo for eating well at a good price. From Monday to Friday at lunchtime, they offer a dish and a drink for less than 10,000 pesos! And the sandwiches, like the mortadella and stracciatella or the N’duja, pecorino, and basil, are under 5,000 pesos. Unbeatable. Among other pastas, they offer cannelloni with white ragout au gratin, rigatoni all’amatriciana, and stewed with sausage.

Tip: The Italian brunch, super complete, costs 15,000 pesos.

Where: José A. Cabrera 4002.

Mexican cuisine stands out for the potency of its flavors and its millenary traditions. Unfortunately, in Buenos Aires, there aren’t many options that can be considered authentic. One of the best, both in quality and price, is this cantina run by former chefs from Ulua; Antonio Bautista, Jesús Cabrera, and sommelier Freddy Morales, all three from Veracruz. They have tacos of birria, pork rinds, cochinita, and fish, all at very good prices per portion, and charcoal-grilled shrimp, the house hit.

Tip: They have one of the best mezcal menus in the city.

Where: El Salvador 5090, Palermo.

A great place to eat at the counter, ApuNena is the restaurant run for almost five years by chefs and friends Christina Sunae and Flor Ravioli. They relocated along the way but kept the essence: well-made Filipino and Southeast Asian cuisine at affordable prices.

Tip: We really like the steamed buns (pao pao, bola bola) and the kinilaw, a raw fish dish with tofu, herbs, seasonal fruits, crispy quinoa, and umeboshi mayo.

Where: Aguirre 1600, Chacarita.

Since it opened in 2018, Anchoita has maintained a pricing policy that created a buzz among diners: it’s definitely a restaurant that “feels” affordable for all it offers. A very upbeat atmosphere, top-quality products (many of which are made in-house, such as chocolates), and impeccable service. That's why, among other things, it's so hard to get a spot.

Tip: The chipá, their most viral and copied dish, costs less than 10,000 pesos, and a portion of Chubut shrimp cooked in the kamado is cheaper than in any other restaurant with less reputation and acclaim.

Where: Juan Ramírez de Velasco 1520, Chacarita.

A grill in Palermo with very good quality meat and very good prices. It’s always packed. They use meat from large cows aged for over 30 days to achieve greater tenderness. The flag steak is the hit, which can be accompanied by very tasty side dishes like smoked carrots with poached egg, citrus cream, and toasted almonds, or the potato mille-feuille.

Tip: The place is beautiful, with a private area next to a wood stove and a busy counter ideal for solo diners.

Where: Costa Rica 5602, Palermo.

The romance between Buenos Aires locals and ramen is still thriving. There are many great places to get a good Japanese-style soup. One of our favorites, considering its optimal price-quality ratio, is Chinofino, a very simple place with quick service in Palermo.

Tip: We especially recommend the miso hot.

Where: Gorriti 4802, Palermo.

In a peripheral neighborhood for the foodie circuit, like Parque Chacabuco, we find this charming bistro updated by chef Quique Yafuso, along with his partner Cabito. The specialty is pasta and “retro” dishes, such as marinated tongue, rolled flank steak, Russian salad, and garlic chicken.

Tip: The desserts are also noteworthy, reminding us of our childhood, like the almond ice cream and the charlotte.

Where: Del Barco Centenera 1698, Parque Chacabuco.

A Korean fast food joint that has maintained quality and good prices over time. Located in Retiro, an area with a concentration of Koreans, it's one of our favorites. Small and efficient, with standardized processes to ensure the dishes are always the same (and delicious).

Tip: For spice lovers, we recommend trying the tteokbokki—a sort of cylindrical-shaped gnocchi made from rice flour that has become very trendy lately—and the pork shoulder with fermented kimchi and gochujang-based sauce.

Where: Esmeralda 993, Retiro.

Another outsider that usually isn't in the spotlight but has remained through trends and times. Owned by a family from Mendoza, it’s hidden on a lovely corner in Boedo, where no cars pass, and the sidewalks have grapevine canopies. It could be—it is—a perfect place for dates. Prices are ATP (affordable for all).

Tip: They are very good with pot, oven, and winter dishes, like shepherd's pies, humitas, and stuffed marrows.

Where: Las Casas 4095, Boedo.

New and making quite a noise. Four people from La Plata, including the well-known Santiago Palma, debuted in December with a restaurant in Palermo. It has few seats, a vibrant energy—the kitchen is very theatrical, everything happens in full view—and very affordable prices. The small plates (three for two people) range between 5,300 and 10,200 pesos. Favorites: vegetable fritters with Toro azul cheese cream and Kentucky Fried Calamari with curry aioli and house sriracha.

Tip: It's essential to order the "cuatro perros" cup with peanut ice cream.

Where: Cabrera 4723, Palermo.