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Buenos Aires Souvenir and Gift Guide

Madalyn Roberg

By | July 31, 2020

Searching for gifts for loved ones? On the hunt for the perfect souvenir for yourself? From classic sweets, and elaborate guacho knives, to the unexpected penguin wine pitchers, there is luckily no shortage of cool things to buy in Argentina. The undeniably best place to gift shop in Buenos Aires are the many outdoor markets that pop up on the weekends all over the city. The San Telmo, Recoleta and Mataderos markets all attract hundreds of vendors selling their artisanal wares. Here are our recommendations for our favorite products that are most closely tied to Argentina’s culture and way of life.

Dulce de Leche

Made with sweetened condensed milk and closely resembling caramel, in Argentina dulce de leche is not only a sweet sauce, it’s a way of life. Spread on crackers, stuffed into croissants, drizzled on desserts or eaten by the spoonful. It’s not uncommon for Argentines to consume dulce de leche at least once a day. Walk down Calle Defensa the Sunday San Telmo fair, and you’ll be offered samples from eager sweet shops every block. For a premium jar to bring back home, check out Cachafaz. One of the higher quality dulce de leche producers out of Buenos Aires, Cachafaz is sweet, creamy and delicious.

Chocolate

Though not a destination well known for its chocolate, Buenos Aires is home to a handful of chocolatiers that could rival some of Europe’s top producers. For delicious and silky confections made with top notch ingredients check out Vassalisa. The cherry on top is the whimsical packaging that makes for beautiful gifts. Chocolate is a great gift for chocolate lovers, or if you’re low on space in your suitcase. However, if you’re looking for sweeets more unique to Argentina, you may be better off with a box of alfajores.

Alfajores

As delicious as it is traditional, the Argentinean alfajor is a small confection somewhere between a cookie and cake. They typically consist of two cookies sandwiching a dollop of creamy dulce de leche, but can also include merengue, jams, or mouse, and finished off with a chocolate coating or a sprinkling of coconut shavings. Alfajores can be found in almost every corner store, cafe and specialty shop in the city. For a higher quality version, we recommend Havanna, a café that offers traditional white and dark chocolate options. Or, out of Mendoza, Entre Dos has a line of more adventurous flavors like jalapeño and whiskey. To kill two birds with one gift, check out Goulue, a company out of Buenos Aires that creates dark chocolate alfajores filled with their signature Malbec compote.

Candies

Bright, sticky and exceedingly sugary, Argentinean candies are too sweet for my North American palate, but make a great gift for kids. Classics include Marroc, a creamy caramel with a nutty flavor, and Palitos de la Selva, strawberry and vanilla striped chews with jungle themes wrappers. Head to a kiosco and mix and match an array of chocolates, caramels, chews and gummies. Kids will not only enjoy the sugar overload, but the opportunity to experience brand new flavors.

Wine

Known for its dark fruit flavors and smoky finish, Argentines love Malbec and for good reason. Although the Malbec varietal originated in France, today Argentina is celebrated as being the top Malbec producer in the world. There are thousands of Malbec to be discovered, but rather than choosing blindly, check out Pain et Vin. At this Palermo wine shop, you can do a personalized tasting with a knowledgeable sommelier before selecting a bottle. If you prefer white wine, consider a bottle of Torrontés, a lesser known dry and floral varietal native to the Cafayate wine region.

Tip: Make sure to ask the sommelier about smaller wineries that don’t export. It can be a bummer realizing you’ve hauled back bottles that could also be purchased at your local liquor store.

Pineral Herbal Liquer

-The next most ubiquitous drink to be tied to Argentine culture (more so than beer), is Fernet Branca (a bittersweet, aniseedy liqeuer originated from Italy), often drunk with Cola. Cordoba, a college town in the interior of the country, boasts the highest rate of Fernet consumption in the world (allegedly…)

Ironically, the Fernet Branca in Argentina is no longer made with the original Italian recipe. Argentine Fernet (designed for a younger market) tend to be artificially flavored and sweetened. You’d be able to buy a better quality Fernet Branca back home. So, we suggest Pineral instead, a complex flavor that is far superior to Fernet, and bears a cool vintage label. Also, an excellent after dinner digestif.

Apostles Gin

Created in 2013 by mixologist and owner of Florería Atlantico (award winning cocktail bar hidden under a florist), Apostles gin has a distinctly Argentinean identity. Its flavor catalogue includes eucalyptus, peppermint, white pepper, red grapefruit and most notably the national tea, yerba mate. Described as a “new world gin” by its creator, the spirit is refreshing, herbaceous, and dry. The attractive bottling and unexpected mate infusion make for a handsome and surprisingly Argentinean gift.

Traditional Argentine Gifts

Leather

Leather, like Messi, tango and mate is an Argentinean symbol. Looking for Jackets, boots, wallets, purses, belts, or luggage? You’ve come to the right place. Argentine leather is known for being high-quality and more reasonably priced than other top leather producing cities in the world. If you’re looking to shop around, the three main leather districts in Buenos Aires are in Monserrat (San Jose and Belgrano), Villa Crespo (Murillo and Scalabrini Ortiz), and downtown (Florida and correientes). For fashionable leather jackets, check out Doma at their downtown location. They are one of the top of the line leather retailers in Buenos Aires, and their apparel sells for triple the price in high-end boutiques in New York.

Steak knife

The asado or Argentinean barbecue is one of the most important Sunday traditions, perhaps second to only big football matches. The asadero or grill master spends hours first preparing chorizo sandwiches, and then juicy cuts of flank steak, and ribeye. At which point, he is met with a hearty applause from the group as he carves up the meat with his beautifully crafted knife. Asado knives, which are often ornate and rustic, date back to the era of the gaucho. These Argentine cowboys would wear the knives on their hips as both an accessory and a functional tool. Exceedingly sharp, and often times very elaborate, these knives capture traditional asado and gaucho culture. As a bonus, will serve as a great conversation piece at your next barbecue.

For a large variety of decent quality asado knives, check out any of the artisanal markets, especially the Mataderos fair. Just confirm with the vendor that it’s stainless steel (acero inoxidable) before buying.

Tango Art

Tango, with its sultry moves and intense gazes was born in Buenos Aires in the 19th century as the musical styles of immigrants and Afro-Latinos groups merged into the distinctive melodic style. Today, tango continues to inspire many aspects of Porteño culture from the music to the art. If you’ve felt inspired after seeing a show or taking a lesson and you’d like to bring home a piece of tango culture yourself, check out the San Telmo or Recoleta Fair. There, you’ll find many artists selling their renditions of tango art. From paintings to small sculptures, that range from abstract to hyper realistic, the various pieces of art most often portray the dancers in the steamy embrace that tango is known for.

Soccer apparel

Shirts, jerseys, or hats from Argentina’s National team, or one of the top teams in Buenos Aires is a no-brainer for sports fans. Boca Juniors is one of the most popular teams in Buenos Aires and home to football GOD, Diego Maradona. Their iconic blue and yellow Boca Juniors jerseys will be especially recognizable to football fans anywhere in the world.

For hardcore futbol fans, apparel from one of the lesser known teams might make for a more unique gift. While the Argentine national team and Boca Juniors jerseys are readily accessible on Amazon in The US and Europe, there are some jerseys that can only be bought here. Consider an Independiente jersey. Also known as “rojo” Independiente is one of the big 5 teams in Buenos Aires, and the 2017 Sudamerica Cup winner. If you’re looking to catch a match while you’re in Buenos Aires, the Independiente games also happen to be one of the more authentic fútbol experiences available.

WHERE: There are many sporting stores along Florida Street downtown for those who want to buy an authentic branded football shirt. You can find cheaper knock-off football shirts at all the popular tourist markets.

Unique gifts from Buenos Aires

Pingüino

The distinct ceramic penguins that serve as wine pitchers came into fashion almost a century ago. When working class restaurants in Buenos Aires would receive bulk shipments of low quality wine from the large wineries in the interior of the country, they needed to devise a way to serve it, and the pingüino was born. Between the 1950s and 70s pingüinos were common in the majority of restaurants and households across the country. As wine quality increased, and more resources went towards packaging, the pingüino faded out of style. However, as trends often do, it has made a comeback in recent years and many restaurants have reverted back to this tradition.

These kitschy little creatures can be bought at home goods, hardware, and antique stores and artisanal markets around Buenos Aires. For a more unique version, check out Ferrari Fileteados, a local artisan who hand paints pingüinos in the traditional Fileteado style.

Rhodocrosite Jewelry

Sourced from the Capallitas mines in the northwestern providence of Catamarca, Rhodocrosite is the national gemstone of Argentina. The stone, which ranges from light pink to a deeper pinkish red, is often referred to as “Inca Rose,” because the Incas believed it to be the blood of their ancestors turned to stone. Today they are thought to draw love to the wearer and aid in the healing of past trauma. Rhodocrosite jewelry is abundant in Buenos Aires, and artisanal pieces crafted with metals, leathers and yarns can easily be found at any of the craft fairs around the city. For a more valuable piece, which will be a darker and richer shade of pink, check out Rodocrosito Cousiño. They specialize in crafting stunning rhodocrosite art and jewelry.

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