While rich beef and sumptuous malbec are Argentina’s best-known specialties, there's more to the country’s food and drink scene than perfectly grilled steak and red wine. Argentina's culinary landscape is as diverse as its landscapes. From the bustling streets of Buenos Aires to the serene vineyards of Mendoza, each region boasts its own unique culinary identity.
Due in part to the immigration of millions of Europeans to Argentina at the turn of the 20th century, the country brings together European traditions with a distinct South American twist: Italian-style ice cream, delicious pasta dishes and milanesas (breaded veal or chicken), empanadas from Spain, wine from vineyards planted by the French and German-style sausages and cheese – plus yerba mate, a herbal tea that's native to South America.
You can't talk about Argentine cuisine without mentioning the iconic asado – a traditional barbecue that's a cornerstone of Argentine gastronomy. Juicy steaks, chorizo sausages, and tender ribs are grilled to perfection, creating a mouthwatering experience like no other. Asados don’t get more traditional than at an estancia (ranch), which you can reach via a day trip from Buenos Aires, or get to know better during an overnight stay. If you can't make it to an asado, head for one of the numerous parrillas (steak houses) where you can feast on fabulous steak washed down with a delicious glass of malbec. Further south in Patagonia, where the emphasis switches to lamb, you should definitely try cordero al palo - spit roast lamb, cooked over an open log fire for several hours until the outside is crisp and the meat falls off the bone it's absolutely delicious. Make sure to try chimichurri - a tangy, garlicky salsa made from parsley, onion, oregano, olive oil, garlic and chilli pepper flakes, it's used as both a marinade and a topping to grilled meats.
Venture beyond the asado and you'll encounter a treasure trove of traditional dishes that reflect Argentina's rich cultural heritage. Empanadas are golden pockets of dough filled with savoury meat, cheese, or vegetables, and are a beloved snack enjoyed across the country - they're a staple of the traditional Argentine diet and the equivalent of a lunchtime sandwich (a mealtime portion usually consists of three). There are several regional variations. Look out for spicy ground-beef empanadas in Salta and Jujuy, deep-fried versions from Tucumán and lamb-filled empanadas in Patagonia. You should try a picada - a selection of different cold meats and cheeses, usually served as a sharing platter as an appetiser before the main event. And you might like to sample a choripan - grilled chorizo sausage slathered with chimichurri in a crusty bread roll. It’s Argentine street food and is perfect for a quick bite between sightseeing.
If you have a sweet tooth, you'll absolutely love dulce de leche - a sticky, sweet concoction made by laboriously boiling large quantities of vanilla-flavoured milk and sugar. It's the mainstay of many Argentine desserts - the thick caramel is eaten with a spoon, spread on bread or biscuits, used to fill cakes, biscuits and fritters or dolloped onto other desserts. Some of the best flavours of ice cream are variations on the dulce de leche theme. And talking of ice cream - a tasty legacy of Italian immigration to Argentina is the country’s excellent gelato. It’s common for city centre heladerías (ice cream parlours) to stay open until 1am or 2am; a late-night stop for ice cream after dinner is a great way to round off your evening.
Just a couple of recommendations here (I'll be happy to make more if I end up planning your trip). If you're in Palermo in Buenos Aires, the steak at Don Julio is delicious and the ice cream at Rapa Nui is absolutely scrummy. If you think you might want to eat at the very popular Don Julio, you should book at least 6 months in advance.
Bon appetit!
5 REASONS TO BOOK YOUR ARGENTINA HOLIDAY WITH ME
Your holiday is protected. Although booking all the different elements of your holiday direct may be less expensive, your holiday won’t be protected if any of the elements fall down. South American airlines are notorious for re-scheduling and cancelling flights late in the day. Booking all your arrangements with one company means your holiday is protected legally and financially because of Package Travel Regulations.
You’ll save time and aggravation. Pulling together a complex itinerary is confusing and time-consuming. You’re going to spend hours online scanning hotel reviews on Trip Advisor and elsewhere from people you don’t know and whose standards may be different from yours. And you’ll need to negotiate the complicated Argentinian network of domestic flights. You can have a 30-minute conversation with me and then sit back and wait for me to come back to you with your perfect itinerary.
You’ll have peace of mind that your arrangements will work. Although Argentina is a sophisticated country with a good infrastructure it’s easy to be seduced by cheap tours. It’s essential that the ground arrangements and logistics are booked through a reputable operator – with transfers that you can feel comfortable will turn up, in vehicles that are roadworthy and with guides that speak good English.
Nothing trumps destination expertise. Although the web is a huge source of information on hotels, tours and places to visit, there’s really no substitute for specialist knowledge, based on up-to-date feedback. I will select the right supplier for your trip dependent on the style of holiday you’re looking for. What’s more, I’ve visited Argentina 7 times now and will bring my own extensive knowledge of the country into the process, to advise and recommend on the best itinerary for your needs – to make sure that the pace and rhythm of your holiday is right. Argentina is a huge country, and it’s quite easy to end up with a multi-centre itinerary where you’ll be spending many days just travelling on a plane from place to place.
One Point of Contact. I provide the highest levels of personal service - you’ll see that all my Google reviews are 5* - and I will look after you from our first phone call until the day you arrive back home in the UK. You can call me direct on my mobile – there’s no waiting on the phone to speak to someone at a call centre when you have a question.
Don’t just take my word for it. Here’s a recent review from one of my clients who visited Argentina and Chile earlier this year…
“We have recently returned from a three-week trip to South America, arranged for us by Sue. We wanted to start in Buenos Aires and end in Rio, visiting Patagonia and Iguazú in between. It took a lot of talking, emailing, thinking and planning. Not to mention a ton of patience from Sue in answering questions and coping with our changing thoughts and ideas to get everything perfect for our needs. We cannot fault the arrangements made in any way. At each point we were met by guides and drivers, all of whom were knowledgeable and helpful. Hotels were spot on. Excursions were great. Internal flights to and from Patagonia and Iguazu all booked for us. Car hire in Patagonia sorted. We had a personal issue meaning that we did not get to Rio as planned, but between Sue and the ground agents, they rearranged hotels, guides, flights etc for us. I dread to think how we would have coped without the help we had. It was invaluable and very reassuring. This was the second holiday Sue has arranged for us, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. She has the patience of a saint and is so approachable and available. We have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Sue Aitken - Travel Guru.” Fiona Macleay
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