Tapeando 2025 has begun, and this was our first tapas route

Tapeando is here! The festival that invites us to taste the best of Spain in Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Mendoza, Rosario, and Mar del Plata. In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know to make the most of it and try the best of Spanish gastronomy. But today, we want to show you a tapas route in Buenos Aires: ours.

Going out for tapas is always better in good company. That’s why, to kick off Tapeando 2025, we went out as a team. Here’s the breakdown: four friends, five hours, three bars, nine tapas, twelve drinks, endless anecdotes.

First stop: La Fuerza

To start our tapas route, we chose La Fuerza, a vermouth bar in Chacarita, which is part of our list of the best places to enjoy vermouth. We met there at 7 PM. We had all been there before and were excited to try their tapas selection for Tapeando 2025.

We ordered:

• Risotto croquettes with squid sofrito and basil pesto aioli.

• Swiss chard fritters with Gouda cheese, accompanied by lactonesa (mayonnaise).

• Gildas with stuffed olives, pickled shallots, and caper leaves.

We paired them with three different vermouths to try them all: a white vermouth made with Torrontés wine and macerated with herbs; a spring one, also made with Torrontés but macerated with herbs and flowers; and a red one, more bitter, made with Malbec.

Also of interest: Three amazing cities to tapas in Spain

We were off to a good start, and between tapas and vermouth, we caught up. When the drinks were finished, they invited us to try Proyecto Local, a new vermouth at La Fuerza, made with a blend of organic wines. It was smooth, tasty, and enjoyable.

At this first stop, we talked about Male’s recent trip to Spain, where she came back with an extra suitcase; how “I thought I didn’t like vermouth, but it turns out I do”; the gildas we had at a small bar hidden in San Sebastián's Old Town; and a date Martina had that didn’t go so well (and we decided not to give the guy a second chance, sorry). Basically, we talked about all the fun nonsense you chat about when you’re having tapas with friends and no rush.

Stop 2: Cuatro Perros 1 Livin

We took an Uber to Palermo. We had a reservation for 9 PM, and the small bar was already packed. We got a low table with armchairs, perfectly in line with the bar’s name.

We ordered the three options Cuatro Perros 1 Livin created for Tapeando 2025, with their suggested pairings:

• A platter with Morbier and Reggianito cheeses, two Tandil sausages, smoked paprika-covered dried fruits, pickled gherkins, pebete bread, and roasted garlic butter, paired with red vermouth.

• Supplì, or croquettes made with Carnaroli rice and cheese, paired with a tinto de verano.

• Chicken wings with a Moroccan-style sauce, paired with a beer.

We didn’t say, “I’ll get this, you get that, I’ll choose this drink, you choose another.” We wanted to try everything, and for that, you need to share. What happened? The tinto de verano became the favorite of all four of us, and we had to order another, and then another. Sometimes that happens.

Also of interest: The best places to enjoy an authentic tinto de verano in Buenos Aires

We also did a photoshoot: from sitting on the armchairs to poses in the hallway and selfies in the bathroom. We went all out. The good moments need to be documented, so Google can remind you of them one random day, and you’ll think, “This was so good,” “I’ll call the girls,” or “This T-shirt looked so good on me, I’m going to dig it out of my closet.”

Also of interest: 6 neighborhoods in Barcelona perfect for tapas

Stop 3: Cucha del Pari

We arrived at Cucha del Pari, a new spot in La Paternal, right in the midst of the bar’s busy moment: full inside, full outside, even though it was chilly. Luckily, we had a table saved, where we squeezed in three tapas and glasses of white wine.

We tried:

• Chistorra sausage with garlic and sweet paprika on country bread and escalivada (a warm Catalan salad).

• Morcilla (blood sausage) from Burgos with rice and onion, served with country bread, fried egg, and spicy brava sauce.

• A “vaga” tortilla with crispy potatoes and pickled piparras.

The piparras looked like they might be spicy, but we trusted the waitress when she said it wasn’t dangerous, and we tried them. Luckily, because they paired perfectly with the tortilla. We thought the name “vaga” (lazy) for the tortilla was fun since it’s not flipped during cooking, so it stays soft on one side. It was one of our favorite tapas of the night.

Also of interest: Martín Lukesh and Pol Lykan talk about their love for spanish cuisine

Hot topic: Burgos blood sausage. None of us had been to Burgos, and none of us are fans of morcilla, but we gave it a good shot, and we must admit, the only thing left on the plate was the bread. As for Burgos, we googled it on the spot and were tempted by its medieval cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Here’s a photo:

So, that was our first tapas route: a perfect excuse to eat well, feel a bit like we’re in Spain, and have a great time with friends. The good news: Tapeando 2025 runs until April 14, so you still have time to go on your own tapas adventure. Invite anyone you like, pick your stops from this list (and here are 9 must-try tapas), and go for it.