LandingPad Buenos Aires

Here is a list of restaurants in the center of Buenos Aires. This popular, bustling neighborhood is loaded with wonderful, ethnic places to eat. Check out this guide for the best places and LandingPadBA recommendations. Buen Provecho!

Betanzos

Location: Venezuela 1534, Centro
Phone: 11-4115-8780

Type of food: Spanish/seafood
Avg. Price: $$
($ = budget, $$$ = expensive)

LPBA Recommendation: The front of this hidden gem looks like a medieval times-themed restaurant, but what’s inside will surprise you. It’s the cultural center for Galicia, Spain and doubles as one of the few restaurants in Buenos Aires that has a selection of TRULY fresh seafood! If you are burned out on red meat, pizza and pastas, this is the place for you to change up that diet. Every day the restaurant has fresh dishes that include a variety of seafood at reasonable prices. The half fresh variety platter is more than enough for two.

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D’Oro Ristorante & Wine Bar

Location: Peru 159, Monserrat, Centro
Phone: 11-4362-6959

Type of food: Italian
Avg. Price: $$
($ = budget, $$ = expensive)

LPBA Recommendation: Mmmm, D’Oro. Can’t say enough about this place. Located on a pedestrian street in Monserrat, the place is unassuming from the outside. Inside, however, you’ll find a quaint spot with a lovely exposed brick and an open-air kitchen where the chefs make all of their pastas by hand. Service here is friendly and attentive, but not overbearing. A hearty, yet accessible wine list is offered alongside the menu of salads, pastas and meat.

Must have dishes? The Risotto Caprese. This ain’t your mama’s risotto and it probably will be one of the best risotti you’ll ever have. It’s a massive heap of carbohydrates mixed with perfectly cooked tomatoes, and topped with tiny slices of mozzarella that melt into the pasta. Oh, yes. Also recommended: the Beef Tenderloin Ravioli. This dish is Buenos Aires on a plate. Handmade ravioli filled with tender Argentine beef tenderloin is accompanied by cherry tomatoes, slathered in a simultaneously rich Malbec wine sauce. You couldn’t find a plate that more perfectly sums up the gastronomic pleasures of this city. Is your mouth watering yet? D’Oro also boasts a nice dessert menu… that is, if you still have room! The only downside? The place is only open Monday-Friday, so be sure to get your fix during the week!
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Empire Thai

Location: Tres Sargentos 427, Centro
Phone: 11-4312-5706

Type of food: Thai
Avg. Price: $$$
($ = budget, $$$ = expensive)

LPBA Recommendation: If you’re downtown, plan a stop to this urban oasis of well-made cocktails, curries and coconut shrimp. Relax and let the hectic city fade away as you sip on a Thai tea and devour your large plate of Pad Thai.
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Nsalad (Restaurant, Centro)

Location: Tucuman 269, Centro
Phone: 11-5258-8866

Type of food: Varies
Avg. Price (from Guía Óleo): $
($ = budget, $$$ = expensive)

LandingPadBA.com User Recommendation: Great! Finally a place with bagels in Buenos Aires! Great gourmet salads too!
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El Establo (Restaurant, parrilla, Centro)

Location: Paraguay 489, Centro
Phone: 11-4311-1639

Type of food: Parrilla (Argentine BBQ)
Avg. Price: $
($ = budget, $$ = expensive)

LPBA Recommendation: El Establo serves delicious, authentic Argentine cuisine with friendly service and in a relaxing atmosphere. Good for both eat-in and take-out, the steaks and milanesas are tasty. I’d even go so far as to say the baked empanadas are among the best in the city.
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Porto Pirata (Restaurant, ahoy mateys, Centro)

Location: Marcelo T. Alvear 401, Centro

Type of food: Pirate Cuisine (Yarrrr!)

Avg. Price: $$
($ = budget, $$$ = expensive)

LPBA Recommendation: This place doesn’t offer much for atmosphere—unless you have an intense pirate fetish —but its outside seating, calamari specials and promotional pitchers of Quilmes make it worth a visit. A popular “after office” party during the week, Porto Pirate draws the well-dressed Centro business crowd. Plus, across the street you will find the cornerstone bar of Centro, KilKenny. The giant pirate ship outside will be your beacon.
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Güerrin (Restaurant, pizza, Centro)

Location: Corrientes 1368, Centro
Phone: 11-4371-8141

Type of food: Pizza
Avg. Price: $
($ = budget, $$$ = expensive)

LPBA Recommendation: Amongst the buzz of Avenida Corrientes, the Broadway of Buenos Aires, sits one of the most well-known pizza joints in the city. The empanadas here are great, though not reliably fresh. Order a whole pizza, and it’s a different story. After choosing your desired toppings from the extensive eight-page list, your wood-oven pizza will arrive hot, fresh and deliciously crispy. Don’t expect anything fancy here, but this cheap eatery is a Buenos Aires institution and a must visit for all travelers.
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California Burrito Company

Locations (2): Lavalle 441, Centro; and Godoy Cruz 1781, Palermo
Phone: 11-4328-3057/3056 (centro)

Type of food: Burritos
Avg. Price: $$
($ = budget, $$$ = expensive)

LPBA Recommendation: High quality ingredients, friendly staff, lots of options and quick service make this restaurant an oasis when you’re craving something different in Buenos Aires. Big burritos, tacos and nachos are all prepared fresh before your eyes. Almost everything is made in-house, including the tortillas. Don’t miss the upstairs deck during the warmer seasons.

*Update (Jan ’11): During a recent visit we marked that quality is taking a nose-dive, meat portions were skimpy, prices are rising with inflation… pretty overpriced, even for Buenos Aires. $15 USD for a drink, burrito and nachos?
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Le Bar (Restant/bar, French, Centro)

Location: Tucuman 422, Centro
Phone: 11-5219-0858

Type of food: French
Avg. Price: $
($ = budget, $$$ = expensive)

LPBA Recommendation: Le Bar is a hip, four-story live music bar with a delicious dinner menu. This spot serves great appetizers for cheap and offers a variety of live music shows almost every night of the week. Le Bar is the perfect place to hang and mingle.