A Concierge’s Guide to the Best of Buenos Aires

Maria Esperanza Coarasa, concierge at Alvear Palace Hotel, Buenos Aires, shares her expert advice on the best places to eat, shop and drink in Argentina’s cosmopolitan capital.

The food you have to try in Buenos Aires

Meat cooked on a parrilla [traditional Argentine grill]. My favourite place is Río Alba in Palermo (Avenida Cerviño 4499; +54 11 4773-9508). The steak is excellent, the space is simple and they know how to attend to you. Not all restaurants have that high level of service. This place is always busy because locals just love it.

A Concierge’s Guide to the Best of Buenos Aires

The restaurant that best shows off the city

Tegui, which is ranked No. 49 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list and proves Buenos Aires isn’t just about steak but high cuisine, too. It’s a seven-step menu and every dish is a pleasure. It is art.

The best local bar

Florería Atlántico. It’s a secret bar hidden beneath a florist so not everyone knows about it. I love the atmosphere there.

For an authentic tango experience

Visit a milonga, a tango bar where you can learn and practise a few moves – that’s what porteños [Buenos Aires locals] do. My favourite is La Catedral.

For a tango experience with a difference

El Viejo Almacén, which is housed in an 18th-century building and nails the traditional feeling and atmosphere. This is an intimate space – only 50 or 60 in a room, with four couples dancing and seven musicians. It’s amazing.

For a business meeting

I prefer Chila. It has well-spaced tables and very good service. They know when you’re having an important meeting so they don’t bother you. The food is high-end steak.

The best dining experience

Buenos Aires is famous for closed-door restaurants private residences that chefs open for you to show their art. I love I Latina. At $1600 pesos [about $140] per person, it’s not cheap but it’s an excellent dining experience.

The best breakfast

The buffet at the Alvear Palace Hotel [a Leading Hotels of the World property]. The pastries are amazing and I like how they prepare the eggs.

For quality coffee

Go to La Biela, a café in Recoleta. You feel like you’re in 1930s or ’40s Paris when you’re there.

A market experience

Visit San Telmo on Sunday mornings, when the entire neighbourhood becomes a flea market. You can find antique rings and watches, Art Deco pieces and vintage lamps. Be sure to bargain.

For designer fashion

Head to Palermo Soho. It’s excellent for local labels, particularly on Honduras, Armenia, Gurruchaga and Malabia streets. For international labels, visit Patio Bullrich, a small, high-end mall in Recoleta.

If it’s raining

Spend the day at El Ateneo Grand Splendid, a historic theatre in Recoleta that has been transformed into a stunning bookstore. And they have a lovely caféteria.