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Food tours in Buenos Aires: what to eat and which tour to book
Buenos Aires eats beef, flour and sugar, and eats late. The core of it is the parrilla (grill house) serving asado cuts, provoleta and chorizo; the bakery (panadería) with medialunas and facturas; the corner pizzeria with thick, cheesy pizza by the slice; and ice cream shops open until after midnight. Italian and Spanish immigration shaped most of what you will eat, from milanesa to fainá. Dinner rarely starts before 21:00, and many porteños sit down at 22:00. Because of inflation, peso prices in Argentina can change month to month, so the prices on this page are given mainly in US dollars and euros and are rough guides only — check menus on the day.
Use this page to know what to order and which neighbourhoods to eat in. The tours shown are real GetYourGuide listings, with prices as they appeared when we checked; confirm the current price on the booking page before you pay.
What to eat in Buenos Aires
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asado and grilled cuts asado / bife de chorizo / vacío / entraña | Beef cooked slowly over wood or charcoal embers. Bife de chorizo is a thick sirloin steak, vacío is flank, entraña is skirt steak; tira de asado is the short-rib strip. Usually ordered with salad and chips, and shared. | Neighbourhood parrillas in Palermo, Villa Crespo, Chacarita and San Telmo; ordinary local parrillas are often better value than the famous ones with queues. | roughly US$12–25 (€11–23) for a steak at a neighbourhood parrilla; much more at well-known restaurants |
| Chorizo sausage sandwich choripán | Grilled pork-and-beef chorizo split in a crusty roll, topped with chimichurri or salsa criolla. The standard street and football-match food. | Grill carts (carritos) along the Costanera Sur by the ecological reserve, weekend street fairs, and parrillas as a starter. | roughly US$4–7 (€4–6.50) |
| Empanadas | Baked or fried pastries filled with minced beef (carne cortada a cuchillo is hand-cut), chicken, ham and cheese, or humita (sweetcorn). Bought by the unit or the dozen. | Empanada shops and pizzerias in every neighbourhood; northern-style (salteña, tucumana) versions at regional restaurants. | roughly US$1.50–3 (€1.40–2.80) each |
| Buenos Aires pizza and fainá pizza de molde / fugazzeta / fainá | Thick-crust pizza with a lot of mozzarella. Fugazzeta is stuffed with cheese and topped with onion. Fainá is a thin chickpea-flour flatbread that locals put on top of the slice. | The old pizzerias along Avenida Corrientes in the centre, often eaten standing at the counter (de parado), and corner pizzerias in Almagro and Villa Crespo. | roughly US$3–5 (€3–4.50) per slice standing; US$15–25 (€14–23) for a whole pizza |
| Breaded cutlet milanesa / milanesa a la napolitana | Thin beef or chicken cutlet, breaded and fried. A la napolitana it comes topped with ham, tomato sauce and melted cheese, usually with chips. Big enough to share. | Bodegones (old-style family restaurants) and cafés across the city, especially in Almagro, Boedo and Palermo. | roughly US$10–18 (€9–17) a plate |
| Grilled cheese starter provoleta | A thick disc of provolone grilled until the outside crisps and the inside melts, finished with oregano and chili flakes. | Any parrilla, ordered as a starter. | roughly US$6–10 (€5.50–9) |
| Croissant-style pastries and dulce de leche medialunas / facturas / alfajores | Medialunas are small, sweet croissants (de manteca, made with butter, or de grasa, saltier and flatter). Facturas is the general name for the bakery pastries; alfajores are biscuits sandwiched with dulce de leche. | Panaderías and confiterías everywhere; breakfast is coffee with two or three medialunas. | roughly US$0.70–1.50 (€0.65–1.40) per medialuna; coffee with medialunas about US$4–7 (€4–6.50) |
| Ice cream helado | Italian-style ice cream, sold by weight in cups or cones (cuarto, medio, kilo). Dulce de leche in several versions is the flavour to try. | Heladerías in every neighbourhood, open late into the night, especially in summer. | roughly US$4–7 (€4–6.50) for a cone or small cup |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Mercado de San Telmo
A 19th-century iron-and-glass covered market where butchers and greengrocers still trade alongside coffee bars, empanada stalls and small food counters. On Sundays it fills with people from the Defensa Street fair outside.
San Telmo and the Sunday Defensa fair
Antique stalls on Plaza Dorrego and a long street fair down Defensa on Sundays, with choripán, empanadas and drinks along the way. Old bars (bares notables) and parrillas in the surrounding streets.
Palermo (Soho and Hollywood)
The densest restaurant area: parrillas, modern Argentine restaurants, cafés, ice cream shops and bars. More expensive than the rest of the city and aimed at visitors and young porteños.
Villa Crespo and Chacarita
Residential neighbourhoods next to Palermo with old bodegones, neighbourhood parrillas, pizzerias and newer bakeries and wine bars, at somewhat lower prices than Palermo.
Avenida Corrientes pizzerias
The theatre strip in the centre is where the classic Buenos Aires pizza grew up; several pizzerias here have been running for many decades and serve slices at the counter until late.
Costanera Sur grill carts
Food carts along the riverside promenade next to the Reserva Ecológica sell choripán, bondiola (pork shoulder) sandwiches and grilled steak sandwiches (bondipán, vaciopán) at plastic tables.
Food tours in Buenos Aires compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentine Empanadas Cooking Class in Buenos Aires | 3.5 hours | from €67 per person | max 6 | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
| Buenos Aires: Vibrant Palermo Food Tour with 5 Tastings | 3.5 hours | from €82 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Buenos Aires Premium city tour with street food | 5 hours | from €117 per person | — | First-timers on a budget who want to try many cheap dishes in one go. | Check dates |
| Buenos Aires: City Tour with Dulce de Leche Tasting | 30 minutes - 4.5 hours | from €61 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Buenos Aires: Argentine Flavors Tour Experience | 4 hours | from €133 per person | — | Evening eaters who want dinner and drinks rolled into one, plus the city after dark. | Check dates |
| Buenos Aires Nonna Cooking Class— Pasta, Pomodoro & Tiramisu | 2.5 hours | from €52 per person | — | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
Argentine Empanadas Cooking Class in Buenos Aires
On GetYourGuide · run by Argentina Cooking
- Length
- 3.5 hours
- Price
- from €67 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 18 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 6
- Included
- Cooking class English and Spanish-speaking instructor All ingredients and equipment Meal and snacks Mate, water, and wine Transportation Gratuities
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
- Starts
- *
Buenos Aires: Vibrant Palermo Food Tour with 5 Tastings
On GetYourGuide · run by Secret Food Tours
- Length
- 3.5 hours
- Price
- from €82 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 13 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Delicious Empanada Fire-Grilled Parrilada with Chimichurri Hand-Made Alfajor World famous dessert Our Delicious Secret Dish! Pickup and drop-off Gratuities for your guide, highly appreciated
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- We'll meet in front of the Plaza Serrano, Serrano S/N, C1414 Cdad. Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Guests should meet in front of the Palermo sculpture (center of plaza). Your guide will have an orange umbrella and a big smile!
Buenos Aires Premium city tour with street food
On GetYourGuide · run by Malambo Tours BA
- Length
- 5 hours
- Price
- from €117 per person
- Rating
- 4.5 ★ from 6 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Included
- . Air-conditioned vehicle. Small groups of no more than 15 people. Guides in exclusive language: English or Spanish. Street food. Tips (optional). Entrance ticket to Recoleta Cementery and Colon Theater. Personal expe…
- Suits
- First-timers on a budget who want to try many cheap dishes in one go.
Buenos Aires: City Tour with Dulce de Leche Tasting
On GetYourGuide · run by PRIVATE TOURS.
- Length
- 30 minutes - 4.5 hours
- Price
- from €61 per person
- Rating
- 4.0 ★ from 5 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Buenos Aires: Argentine Flavors Tour Experience
On GetYourGuide · run by Grupo Summa
- Length
- 4 hours
- Price
- from €133 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 3 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Return transfer to hotels in San Telmo, Puerto Madero, Retiro, and Recoleta. Guide available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Tasting of Argentine wines (1 Malbec and 1 Torrontés) with a selection of cheeses. Dulc…
- Suits
- Evening eaters who want dinner and drinks rolled into one, plus the city after dark.
- Starts
- Plaza Dorrego
Buenos Aires Nonna Cooking Class— Pasta, Pomodoro & Tiramisu
On GetYourGuide · run by Signaturetours
- Length
- 2.5 hours
- Price
- from €52 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 3 reviews (on 2 Oct 2026)
- Included
- Professional and local host Cooking class with a local host All ingredients Use of cooking equipment Meal (pasta, sauce, and dessert) Beverages Additional food or drinks not specified Tips (optional)
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
- Starts
- The meeting point is at Wine Window Palermo, located at Gorriti 4882 in the Palermo Soho neighborhood. This is a small, street-facing wine spot with a distinctive service window, making it easy to identify from the sidewalk. Your host will be waiting outside the venue or just inside the entrance at the scheduled start time. They will greet you by name and may be wearing an apron or holding a guest list. If you arrive early, simply wait near the wine window area.
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Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
Buenos Aires does not have a big street-stall culture. Street food here means choripán and steak sandwiches from carts at the Costanera Sur and at weekend fairs, empanadas to take away, and pizza eaten standing at the counter. For a quick meal, locals go to a pizzeria, an empanada shop or a parrilla's counter.
Sit-down meals
The main experience is a parrilla dinner: order a provoleta and chorizo to start, then one or two cuts to share, a salad and a bottle of Malbec. Bodegones serve huge plates of milanesa and pasta. A cover charge (cubierto) for bread is common and legal if printed on the menu. Dinner starts late, from about 21:00.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes in Buenos Aires usually focus on empanadas, chimichurri and alfajores, sometimes with an asado demonstration and a wine tasting. They are often held in private homes or small studios in Palermo, and evening sessions double as dinner.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | roughly US$20–30 / €18–28 (bakery breakfast, empanadas or pizza for lunch, cheap parrilla dinner); peso amounts change quickly |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | roughly US$45–70 / €40–65 (café breakfast, bodegón lunch, parrilla dinner with wine) |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | roughly US$100+ / €90+ (a well-known parrilla or a tasting menu with wine pairing) |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Workable but meat-heavy. Pizza, empanadas (humita, cheese and onion, spinach), provoleta, pasta, tartas (savoury pies) and grilled vegetables are easy to find. At a parrilla you will mostly be eating sides. Palermo has the most vegetarian and vegan restaurants.
Halal: Halal food is hard to find. Pork is common in chorizo and many cuts are grilled side by side. There are a few Middle Eastern restaurants, and Buenos Aires has an Arab-Argentine community, but certified halal places are rare; ask directly.
Gluten-free: Argentina has good coeliac awareness: packaged products marked 'sin TACC' are certified gluten-free, and many restaurants mark sin TACC dishes. Grilled meat is naturally gluten-free, but empanadas, milanesa, pizza and pastries are not. Ask for 'sin TACC' rather than 'sin gluten'.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Counterfeit peso notes handed back as change, especially in taxis and at busy counters at night. Pay with small notes or by card, and check large notes you receive (watermark and security thread).
- Changing money with street dealers (arbolitos) on Florida Street, who may hand over fake or short-counted notes. Foreign cards are usually charged at a rate close to the parallel (MEP) rate, so paying by card is normally fine. If you need cash, use a transfer service or a known exchange house rather than street dealers.
- Menus with no prices, or tourist-strip restaurants on Caminito in La Boca and around Plaza Dorrego charging well above the city average. Ask for the menu with prices, and eat a few blocks away from the tourist strips.
- A cover charge (cubierto), bread and water you did not order, and 'propina' added to the bill. Cubierto is legal when printed on the menu, but tips are not normally added; if a service charge appears, ask what it is before paying it plus a tip.
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Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
Why are prices on this page in US dollars and euros?
Argentina has had high inflation for years, and peso menu prices can change from one month to the next. Dollar and euro figures stay more stable, so they give a better idea of cost. Treat every number here as approximate and check the menu in pesos on the day. Paying by foreign card is usually charged at a rate close to the parallel rate, but check with your bank.
Do I need to tip in Buenos Aires?
Yes, about 10% in restaurants is normal, and it is usually not included in the bill. The cubierto (cover charge for bread and table) is not a tip. Many waiters prefer the tip in cash, as card tips are not always possible. At cafés, rounding up is enough. On a food tour, a tip for a good guide is appreciated but optional.
What time do people eat dinner?
Late. Most restaurants open for dinner around 20:00, but porteños usually arrive from about 21:30 to 22:30, and Friday and Saturday tables are often full after 22:00. If you want a table at a popular parrilla without booking, arrive right at opening. Lunch runs from about 13:00 to 15:00, and many cafés serve merienda (afternoon coffee and pastries) around 17:00.
How do I order steak at a parrilla?
Choose a cut (bife de chorizo, ojo de bife, vacío, entraña) and a cooking point: jugoso is medium-rare, a punto is medium, bien cocido is well done. Cuts are often large enough for two, so ask the waiter. Add a provoleta, a salad (mixta is lettuce, tomato and onion) and chips. Chimichurri and salsa criolla are on the table.
Is it safe to eat street food?
Generally yes. Grill carts and empanada shops have high turnover and the food is cooked hot. Tap water in Buenos Aires is treated and widely drunk, though some visitors prefer bottled water for taste. Choose busy carts where the meat is cooked to order.
When is the San Telmo market busiest?
Sunday, when the Defensa Street fair runs from Plaza de Mayo towards Plaza Dorrego and crowds pass through the Mercado de San Telmo. It is lively but packed. For a calmer visit and easier seats at the food counters, go on a weekday around lunchtime. Opening hours of individual stalls vary, so check current hours.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.