This black cat in Buenos Aires might not be so unlucky…

On a chilly fall or winter day in Buenos Aires, there is nothing more likely to give you warmth and a big smile than having a delicious spiced tea or coffee in El Gato Negro, one of the city’s most historical establishments. The cafe was originally a spice store founded by a Spanish settler in 1929. His name was Victoriano Lopez Robredo, and he had spent years traveling in Asia and Siberia, collecting exotic spices and flavors. He brought them to Buenos Aires and named this cafe El Gato Negro after another famous cafe back in Madrid.

Now El Gato Negro is a reminder of the city’s European roots, and a wonderful place to read a newspaper or the book you recently bought at one of Avenida Corrientes’ many bookstores, or even to enjoy a gourmet dinner in its elegant upstairs dining room.

Heady aromas of teas, coffees and spices

As you walk into the cafe, you are instantly overcome by the mixtures of aromas. Freshly ground coffee, cardamom, black and green teas, and ginger swirl together in the air, hovering over the people sitting at tables or buying bags of spices at the counter. You almost have the sensation of being in an Arab market in the middle of Buenos Aires. Grab a seat and be prepared to relax for an hour or two in the company of a hot drink.

The truth is that El Gato Negro does have rather daunting prices for its offerings, partly due to the fact that it is a fairly touristy environment these days (as with most historical locations), but also because its coffees and teas are mostly imported and of high quality. A delicious delight like the cafe al jengibre, with freshly ground coffee, cream, ginger, honey and cinnamon, will run you AR$9. This is quite a lot for a small coffee. However, I still think El Gato Negro is worth a visit solely to experience its lovely old world atmosphere.

Try delicious treats like Irish coffees or vanilla-cinnamon infused teas

Other treats to try here are their Irish coffees (AR$9-12), which offer a bit of alcohol to warm you up on a chilly day, and their loose leaf teas and infusions (AR$3.50-9) such as vanilla-cinnamon, green tea-orange, green tea-ginger, and mint. Don’t miss specialties such as the cafe cardamomo with fresh cardamom seeds (AR$8) or their delightful cappucino (AR$7.50). To accompany your bevarage, El Gato Negro has some tempting desserts and pastries, such as brownies, medialunas, and alfajores.

If you come to El Gato Negro for a light lunch, you could order a sandwich with ham and cheese (AR$10), some picadas (AR$7-22), or one of their gourmet sandwiches with steak, chicken, or cheese (AR$9-15).

El Gato Negro is an acclaimed cafe notable, recognized for its historical importance in Buenos Aires. Most of the original wooden furniture has been preserved, and its a fabulous place to sit and watch people come in to relax after an afternoon of dizzying shopping on bustling Avenida Corrientes in the city center of Buenos Aires.

An interesting range of food, but at a price

El Gato Negro also has a restaurant area upstairs that serves full-course dinners at rather lofty prices. Here you will find unique bistro-style dishes and a full wine-list that should please any palate. The prices, however, are not so pleasing for travelers on a budget. Among their starters, El Gato Negro has caesar salads with shrimp, regular salads, and a spiced mushroom tart (AR$12-19).

For main dishes, some examples are the lamb risotto (AR$26), the scalloped pork with curried corn pudding (AR$25), stir-fried vegetables with your choice of chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp (AR$16-25), saffron risotto with mussels and shrimp (AR$28), fish in almond sauce over herbed couscous (AR$26), penne with either tomato or cheese sauce (AR$19), and salmon with vegetable ratatouille (AR$30).

For desserts, try the parfait de Cassis (AR$12) or the chocolate mousse with walnuts (AR$14). All in all, El Gato Negro is a place for fine-dining in a unique setting, and it’s worth the prices if you really need to eat something besides bife de chorizo con pure de papas for a change. The wine list has good Argentine favorites like Benjamin Nieto and Santa Julia, and also, somewhat surprisingly, you can get a cup of the house wine for only AR$6.

Take a little of El Gato Negro away with you

If you are souvenir-shopping, El Gato Negro has lovely little spice tins and boxes with their signature black cat over a lush red background. Or, if you are staying long-term in Buenos Aires, this is a good spot to find things that can be difficult to obtain elsewhere in the city, such as exotic spices, soy sauces, couscous, dried mushrooms, fresh and dried spices from all over the world, spice mix for making asado, or dried candied fruits such as kiwis, pears, and pineapples.

[Photo Credit: aardvark]

El Gato Negro: The Verdict

• Overall cafe rating: (3/5) As a cafe, the coffees and teas taste fantastic, but are overpriced, and the desserts are not especially life-changing.
• Buenos Aires Authenticity Factor: (4/5) The atmosphere is wonderful and takes you back in time. Stay here for an hour to relax between visiting sites along Avenida Corrientes, and try to imagine what Buenos Aires life was like 80 years ago.
• Value: (2/5) As already mentioned, El Gato Negro is not so easy on your wallet. However, if you really appreciate a good organic coffee brew, this is one of the only places in the city you’ll find it.

Buenos Aires Argentina Guide Special Tip

Spend an afternoon perusing the bookstores and theaters on famous Avenida Corrientes, then finish your day with a hot ginger-honey-cinnamon coffee treat. Or make reservations to have a fancy dinner upstairs at El Gato Negro for a special night.

[Photo Credit: adapar]

[Photo Credit: julianrod]

After a lazy Sunday afternoon spent “domingeando” (as the porteños say) – or in other words, relaxing and walking around the artisan fairs and examining the hand-made crafts and clothing items – head to Malasartes in Plaza Serrano (Palermo Soho) for a warm, welcoming café atmosphere any time of day or evening.

At weekends this focal point of Palermo Soho fills with artisans selling hand-made crafts and sweaters, which are definitely worth an hour of browsing while you are in this area of Buenos Aires.

Relax at Malasartes after a stroll around Palermo Soho or before a night of bar-hopping

Malasartes stands out among the other cafes and restaurants in the plaza for its warm atmosphere, inviting décor, and decent bistro-style food. It’s usually filled with locals and tourists who are shopping at the Palermo Soho boutiques, afternoon lunchers enjoying the healthy salads and hot meals, and bloggers like myself sipping on coffee and taking advantage of the wireless internet connection.

The café is located right on the intersection known as Plaza Serrano, which is officially named Plaza Julio Cortazar. It opens at 8am for breakfast, and goes until 2am, when you’ll finish off your last Fernet-Cola and head to a club in Palermo Soho or nearby Palermo Hollywood.

Warm and inviting décor while you sip coffee and chat with a friend

You walk into Malasartes and gaze up at the high ceilings and brick-lined walls, and these almost give you the impression of having entered a fireplace, looking up into a chimney. The place has plenty of sitting room: it’s got two floors, with a few couches and comfortable chairs on the first floor in the back. The bar plays low-key music as an underscore to the hum of conversations being held over food or drinks. If the weather is nice, the bar has tables on the sidewalk outside, where you can observe the colorful passersby that frequent this trendy sector of Palermo.

Malasartes goes along with the traditional porteño pace of life, which is to say that your server will be in no hurry at all to greet you, bring you a menu, or take your order. So, just relax, look around at the interesting mix of people, grab a newspaper or magazine from the bar, and settle in for a nice…. looonnggg… wait.

Bistro style food with simple ingredients and hearty portions

If you are pretty hungry, you might be interested in the fixed lunch menu, which is around $18 or $20 pesos and offers a main dish with something to drink and a post-meal espresso. Some of the kitchen’s offerings are pretty creative, such as tuna and mozzarella crepes, roasted rabbit, garlicky chicken with potatoes, or blackened trout with mixed grilled vegetables. You can also find more traditional porteña dishes such as bife de lomo, milanesa, ricotta-stuffed canneloni topped with tomato sauce and melted mozzarella, and barbequed pork with a side of sweet potatoes.

For a healthy but delicious treat, try the warm grilled chicken salad, served with fresh lettuce and cherry tomatoes. Malasartes won’t let you leave hungry after a meal; they serve up generous portions of their hot dishes and their sandwiches are also stuffed with plenty of meat, cheese, and toppings.

Malasartes – a place to be, see, and be seen

The couches in the back are the loungers’ spot at Malasartes. If you come bearing a laptop, sketchbook, journal, chess set, or anything else that might generate conversation, you’ll probably end up making friends with someone sitting nearby you. Most likely it will be a traveler or expatriate filled with the energy of being in Buenos Aires. It’s a good moment to chat about the newest thing you’ve discovered in the city or how many times you’ve almost been run over in the past week.

You can easily cruise through an afternoon just hanging out at Malasartes, nibbling and sipping, chatting and watching, writing and dreaming. The tasteful and uncluttered decoration provide a warm environment to experience leisure time in Capital Federal, and the action of Plaza Serrano around you supplies Malasartes an interesting mix of clientèle.

[Photo Credit: julianrod]

But if you’re looking for fast service, you’ll have to go somewhere else. Cafes such as Malasartes are where you go when you don’t want to be rushed, and the servers will be friendly but still pretty damn slow to attend to you. When you need the bill, you’ll probably have to wave and call the waiter a few times – but hey, nobody comes to Buenos Aires to be rushed. Just relax, and enjoy the flow.

[Alan's "interesting" observation - try walking out of one of these cafes in Buenos Aires without paying the bill and you'll soon notice a fast change of pace from your waiter!]

Malasartes: The Verdict

• Overall cafe rating: (3/5) If I had to describe Malasartes as a person, it would be your cheery, good-humored friend who you can always count on to give you a laugh and make you feel energized.
• Buenos Aires Authenticity Factor: (3/5) Malasartes is an example of modern Buenos Aires café culture. The building itself is a wonderful renovation of an old-fashioned structure.
• Value: (4/5) Considering the prime location in Plaza Serrano, they could charge a good deal more for their offerings. And the WIFI is free too (when it is working!)

Buenos Aires Argentina Guide Special Tip

Got an afternoon free? Grab a sketchbook, laptop, or your creative tool of choice, and venture into Malasartes by yourself. You will be inspired by the ebb and flow of people in the well-lit, tastefully decorated space.

Dancing Tango in the Confiteria Ideal, Buenos Aires [Photo credit: Gerrysan]

Note from Alan – We are lucky enough to welcome a seasoned Buenos Aires tango and milonga expert to the Buenos Aires Argentina Guide, in the form of Cherie Magnus, from the Tango Cherie blog (see the end of this post for more info on Cherie). Her first offering is an excellent guide to the types of tango salon in Buenos Aires, for those interested in the real world of social tango dancing in the city. So, over to you Cherie…

If you want to dance tango in Buenos Aires, where do you go?

Actually it depends on many things: your age, what style you dance, what day or night of the week you want to go out, if you go with or without a partner, and so on…

Dancing social tango in Buenos Aires has nothing to do with the Tango Show Dancing on the streets of San Telmo, La Boca, calle Florida, or Recoleta, or the many Tango Cena-Shows with an orchestra, stage dancers and dinner. The first thing to know about tango is that what you’ll see in those places is a different dance – Tango for Export. And that is another post entirely!

Experience Authentic Social Tango in Buenos Aires

If you want to experience authentic social tango, you really need to know the best places for you to go to watch and dance. You could pick up one of the many free tango publications from shoe salons and hotels which list all of the milongas (places to dance social tango), but unless you have lots of time and money to explore each one, you can’t tell which is right for you. And that’s why Ruben & Cherie (as well as other bilingual local dancers) provide a service to help tango tourists get the most out of their visits to Buenos Aires. They know where you can have the most fun and how to break the codigos, and will even take you there themselves.

If you are interested in their tango services, you can contact Ruben & Cherie using the following details:

• Email: BsAsMilonga@aol.com
• Telephone: 4932-5027 (from within Buenos Aires)
• Blog: Tango Cherie

Click here to view the embedded video.

Types of Tango Salon in Buenos Aires

First, a tip: when checking where to go to mingle with the locals in Buenos Aires on the dance floor, remember that dances in the same salon vary greatly depending on the organizer, day of the week, time of day etc. In other words, every milonga at Region Leonesa or Canning will not be the same.

The following is a general break-down of the different types of places to dance tango in Buenos Aires, with some examples of each…

Salon de Baile

A formal atmosphere especially for dancing, with predominantly elegant attire, tables with tablecloths, uniformed waiters, tango codes are strictly respected, professional DJs play tango, vals and milonga music of the 1930’s-50’s, often with tandas of Latin and Jazz music. The public here is older (50-80) with an intermediate to high level of dancing in the close-embrace milonguero style. Women and men sit on opposite sides of the salon and use the cabaceo. The afternoon milongas tend to be more formal and traditional than the late night dances.

Examples in Buenos Aires: El Arranque, Gricel, Salon Canning, Viejo Correo, Los Consegrados, Maipu 444, Lo de Celia, El Beso, Chique.

Confiteria bailable

This old-fashioned type of salon has many of the same characteristics of the Salons de Baile, but also has a restaurant. The public is more varied, with lots of groups. The only example today is the Confiteria Ideal, which is famous for its long life and its architecture. Nowadays only a few Salons de Baile have restaurants, such as Nino Bien and El Beso, but they are milongas first, and only very few of the clients order food from the kitchen.

Club de Barrio

The dance floors are cement basketball courts or the club restaurant. Meals are usually available. Predominantly attended by the neighborhood families and older married couples; the music includes tango, jazz and tropical.

Examples in Buenos Aires: Sin Rumbo, Los Bohemios, Sunderland, Club Chicago.

Baile Joven

Informal atmosphere, young public (18-30), variety of casual dress, often with live music and dance exhibitions. More relaxed standards, a more diverse level of dancing, and more salon-style than close embrace. You will hear the music of Piazzolla, some rock ‘n’ roll, as well as salsa and cumbia.

Examples in Buenos Aires: La Estrella, La Viruta, Parakultural.

Aire Libre

Outdoor milongas that attract a wide variety of dancers.

Examples in Buenos Aires: La Glorieta and Plaza Dorrego (year round) and La Calesita (in summer).

An Aire Libre milonga in Plaza Dorrego, San Telmo [Photo credit: nyluke]

Practicas

Informal, bare-bones ambiance, no professional DJ.

Examples in Buenos Aires: Cochabamba 444, El Motivo, Tangocool, Soho Tango.

Gay Milongas

Informal, relaxed atmosphere, anybody can dance with anybody, alternative music along with the classics.

Examples in Buenos Aires: La Marshall, TangoQueer.

Coming soon from Cherie – reviews of different tango milongas around Buenos Aires…

About Cherie Magnus

Cherie Magnus is a published travel writer and dance critic from Los Angeles, and an expat tango dancer and teacher in Buenos Aires since 2003. She and her Argentine partner Ruben Aybar also do bilingual Tango Tours. Last year they were finalists in the Campeonato Metropolitano de Tango de Buenos Aires. She’s working on a memoir, The Church of Tango, and one of her pieces is included in a soon-to-be-published anthology on San Miguel de Allende. You can read more on her blog, TangoCherie.

If you consider yourself a hipster, an intellectual, an artist, or just too cool for categorization, come join the club at El Taller. This multiespacio – a word used in Buenos Aires to describe a multi-functional space – in this case with a bar, café, art space, and discussion salon, was one of the first businesses to appear in Plaza Serrano in the mid-1980s.

El Taller has made beautiful use of the building by carefully placing framed artwork all over the walls. You could spend an hour just gazing at the art, taking in each piece separately and letting yourself be inspired or intrigued by the various Argentine artists. The bar is open from 9am to 2am Mondays through Thursdays; and until 3am on Fridays, Saturdays, and holidays [and in case you didn't know, in Argentina there's a holiday every, oh, two weeks ].

An activity for every kind of creative urge at El Taller

El Taller translates as “the workshop”, and the bar is so named because it offers various classes, seminars, and clubs in this space. On Monday nights there is a philosophy club, on Saturday early afternoons there is a yoga class, and they also have various theater workshops.

Stop by the place or give them a call (4831-5501 from within Buenos Aires) to inquire about what ongoing activities there are at the moment. Or if you yourself are an artist or intellectual, why not contact them to see if you can offer a class? This would be a great place to really experience porteño culture, if you speak Spanish. Hear and join in with the philosophy discussion in order to get the scoop on what intellectuals in one of the world’s biggest, most dynamic metropolises have to say about the meaning of life.

Kick back with some booze or a coffee, or grab a bite

If you’re looking for a peaceful café to relax in, El Taller is just the spot. The wall art and wide spaces with high ceilings create a calming feeling as you sip coffee, beer, wine, or a cocktail.

The drink prices are not so bad compared to other places in Plaza Serrano or Palermo Soho in general: a chopp (small mug) of Argentine beer will run you AR$5.50; glasses of wine can be as low as AR$4.50 and bottles as low as AR$10. Meanwhile, colorful cocktails are AR$8.50 and upward, and for those that like to keep a clear head during heated philosophical debates, coffees come in between AR$3 and AR$5.

El Taller is probably best for visiting with friends over drinks or some light picadas (platters of ham, cheese, olives etc), but if you are hungry the kitchen offers Argentine standards such as pastas, crepes, pizzas, lomitos (thin lomo steak sandwiches), salads with plenty of fresh vegetables, omelettes, chicken sandwiches, and hamburgers (with a few different bread options). All pretty run-of-the-mill, decent fare.

Join some friendly and eclectic people for an afternoon snack or lunch

The service at El Taller is pretty punctual, but far removed from what you might find in some corporate restaurant. The staff is friendly and energetic and happy to tell you about the various workshops and classes going on, or to give you guidance with the menu.

To sum up, El Taller is a great showcase of current intellectual and artistic trends in Buenos Aires, one of the cultural capitals of the world. It is a great place to visit just once, or to become a regular, depending on what your interests are. Whether you come to the city with friends, significant others, or family, you will find that it is worth a visit to this Plaza Serrano favorite just to absorb the atmosphere and observe the diverse clientèle.

El Taller: The Verdict

• Overall cafe rating: (3/5) This is a great place to have a drink on your way to dinner or spend an afternoon writing in a journal. However, the activities offered by El Taller are probably going to appeal more to long-term visitors to Buenos Aires, expats, or locals.
• Buenos Aires Authenticity Factor: (3/5) El Taller is one of the oldest cafes in the plaza, and it represents the cultural revolution that has been taking place in modern-day Buenos Aires.
• Value: (4/5) For the location and the beautiful décor, this café is worth spending some time and money getting to know it – but remember this is Plaza Serrano, a tourist hotspot, so don’t expect bargain prices.

Buenos Aires Argentina Guide Special Tip

Make your trip to El Taller into a day outing at weekends when the plaza filled with artisans displaying their hand-made crafts. You can wander around Plaza Serrano for an hour or two and then rejuvenate with a coffee and some medialunas at El Taller, before wandering more among the shops and boutiques of Palermo Viejo.

[Hours of operation: Monday to Thursday - 12am to 10pm; Friday - 10am to 11pm; Saturday - 11am to 11pm; Sundays and holidays - 2pm to 10pm]

Buenos Aires, a city of book lovers

As one of the most literate cities on the planet, Buenos Aires will not disappoint a book lover. You can spend hours just browsing through the stacks and shelves of novels, academic theses, art and photography collections, and poetry anthologies in shops across the city here. Of course Buenos Aires is best for book-shopping if you read Spanish, or don’t mind captions in Spanish, but most places do also have an English-language selection.

One very attractive and alluring bookstore in Buenos Aires is the Boutique del Libro, a combined bookshop and café tucked away in the atmospheric streets of Palermo Soho.

Indulge the bookworm inside you at Boutique del Libro

Boutique del Libro is the kind of bookstore that makes you hold your breath in awe as you walk past the shelves full of enough books to satisfy any intellectual thirst. If you want to find art, photography, or design collections, especially ones that are specific to Argentina, this is a great place to look. Boutique del Libro also boasts a pretty decent collection of English-language classics and new novels, which are located by the front window. They also have a small collection of CDs by Argentine and international musicians.

The bookstore staff are friendly and happy to point you in the right direction to help you find a book. Everything is well-labeled by section, so you can always just go straight to a specific category and peruse. The bookstore is usually filled with foreigners and locals alike, enjoying the atmosphere and lounging around in the café.

Look cool and smart with a novel by Borges or Isabel Allende

The café is an ideal spot for quiet reflection with a recently-purchased book, or if you need to get some studying done. There is free wireless internet so you can read your emails in this high-ceilinged, spacious area. The décor is tasteful: large white-and-beige modern style paintings adorn the muted walls, and the furniture is a mix of antique low-slung patio chairs and sturdy wooden seats. Each table is creatively topped by a miniature cactus plant.

You’ll find yourself among people happily lost in a novel, or in thought, or in their studies, and maybe even a few smokers, although the city has supposedly outlawed smoking in public establishments.

Maybe just a coffee or tea in the café: it’s better for mood than food

If you’re on a budget, it’s probably best not to come to Palermo Soho hungry, because by Argentine standards places like Boutique del Libro are overcharging for their food and drinks. The Boutique offers standard fare such as steak sandwiches, salads, baked chicken, hamburgers, and tostadas, which are grilled-cheese sandwiches (usually jamon y queso – ham and cheese). It’s got an espresso bar and alcoholic drinks.

Boutique del Libro is actually a chain in Argentina, but the Palermo location has a special air of sophistication that is worth checking out. If you are a book lover you will understand the aura that radiates from a really good bookstore. Come here just to see the place and admire the simple decoration in the café, or to get some reading material in either Spanish or English. And while you’re in the area, across the way you’ll also find a very cool store called Objetos Encontrados, full of interesting antiques, toys and other random stuff.

So, in an afternoon of strolling or shopping in Palermo Soho, it’s definitely worth your time to visit Boutique del Libro, even if just for a look or a quick coffee with some cookies. And if you are actually in the market for books, you’ll almost certainly enjoy the variety of their selection – however, be warned that, in addition to their expensive food and drinks, Boutique del Libro also overcharge quite a bit for their books.

Buenos Aires Argentina Guide Special Tip

If you come to Buenos Aires seeking Hemingway-style inspiration, grab your quill and paper… errr, I mean, Macbook… and park yourself in the Boutique del Libro’s café. Surely the dual aroma of coffee and fresh books will produce a stirring urge to write that novel of your dreams.

[Photo Credit: Villamota]

El Federal: People watch, relax, socialize, or dine

Grab a buddy and head to El Federal, one of Buenos Aires’ most beautiful and classic cafes (in operation since 1864), for a relaxing afternoon coffee, lunch, or dinner. It’s a pleasure to sit in this café and admire the vintage ads decorating the walls, under a glow of soft yellow lights. Bar El Federal is a perfect example of how the city has made an effort to preserve its cultural patrimony by maintaining old establishments in good condition.

El Federal also has a beautiful lowered bar (giving you the strange perspective of looking down on the bar staff) with an amazing carved wood and stained glass arching mantel above (see photos later in this post), an open kitchen which you can sneak a glance into if you sit in the back, two rooms full of sturdy wooden tables, and even a quaint little bookstore hidden within. The crowd is a mix of porteños relaxing with friends and family, tourists with their heads buried in Lonely Planet guide books, and eclectic San Telmo ‘locals’ from all over the world.

A classic café with cuisine that suits all tastes

Sit down at one of the tables and eventually a waiter in a crisp white shirt and black pants will bring you a menu longer and denser than a Borges novel. Whatever your appetite is calling for, Bar El Federal has it, and it will be prepared with fresh, simple ingredients. In general, their offerings fall into the category of cocina porteña: Italian favorites such as fresh homemade agnolottis, spaghettis and raviolis topped with tomato, pesto, or cream sauces; pizzetas with any imaginable toppings, milanesas, hamburgers, omelettes, and sandwiches.

[Photo Credit: Paula Moya]

Allow me to elaborate on the topic of sandwiches, because this cafe tops the charts in the vast quantity and variety of sandwiches you can choose from. You’ve got an entire half-page in the menu dedicated to turkey sandwiches, which is not really common in Buenos Aires. Then there’s the medialunas rellenas, which are croissant sandwiches filled with cheese, ham, and other ingredients. They have traviatas, a sandwich made with crackers instead of bread, for a lighter option. You can choose from classic sandwich ingredients such as ham, cheese, salami, steak, sausage, hearts of palm, and more.

Worth mentioning are the picadas, large plates of finger foods that are served with bread baskets and make a wonderful light but satisfying dinner with some wine. El Federal offers some especially creative selections, such as sautéed eggplant, fried raviolis, peanuts, walnuts, olives, ham, cheese cubes, and goat cheese. The picadas are a great choice if you aren’t in the mood for a hot meal, and they are ideal for eating slowly during great conversation or romantic whispers with your date.

El Federal serves fresh homemade Spanish tortillas, and their salads are also notable, which range from specialties such as apples, carrots, walnuts and cheeses to traditional favorites with a lettuce and tomato foundation. As I said before, the main theme here is fresh and simple, so don’t expect fancy bistro salads, but you will not be disappointed with the quality.

Have a coffee, bottle of wine, cocktail, or milkshake

As for quenching your thirst, El Federal is like a bottomless well. You can sip on unique cocktails like a pisco sour, caipirinha, or the classic Negroni - a mix of gin, Campari and vermouth, with a slice of lemon – guzzle Argentine beers by the bottle, partake in pitchers of draught beer or cider, or just linger over carafes of Argentine wine. One tip is to order a chopp de sidra (a mug of traditional Argentine cider, on draught) for a mere AR$4.50. Or you could even go all out and order a bottle of champagne, which will run you anywhere between 15 and 52 pesos – still a bargain when translated into dollars.

Most of the alcoholic beverages are modestly priced, and as always in Argentina, wine is the best deal you can get if you don’t want to spend a lot. El Federal offers trusty, economic wines such as Traful, Lopez, and Concha y Toro.

If you are looking for something that won’t get you tipsy, try a classic espresso-based drink such as café con crema, or a tea. And El Federal features licuados, the Argentine version of milkshakes, which are made with either water or milk, according to your taste, and consist of any combination of fruits.

If you want a real dessert, Bar El Federal will not disappoint: it also has an extensive list of sweet concoctions, including strudels, pastries, and European-inspired creations of chocolate and fruits. Especially mouth-watering is the apple, pear, and cinnamon strudel, which is baked nearby and brought in fresh daily.

The service at El Federal is relatively slow, but it’s not the kind of place where you’ll want to rush through a meal or drinks. Enjoy the old-fashioned setting and the background noise of the kitchen sizzling meats and forks clinking on plates, while you experience the laid back lifestyle that Buenos Aires is so famous for.

Bar El Federal: The Verdict

• Overall cafe rating: (4/5) Good solid food and drinks with a huge amount of options on the menu (the pastas are especially delicious), an amazing atmosphere from a gorgeous old interior that makes you feel like you could be in a black and white movie, and OK service – a little slow, but very nice and knowledgeable with it.
• Buenos Aires Authenticity Factor: (4/5) A classic Buenos Aires cafe bar in operation since 1864, a fantastically beautiful old wooden bar (although it was snagged from its previous location in a nearby pastry shop) and original tiled floor, plus good, traditional cocina porteña – the only thing holding El Federal back from full authenticity marks are that waves of tourists that usually fill it every day (although not to Cafe Tortoni proportions).
• Value: (4/5) If you’re on a budget, you’ll have no problem finding good eating and drinking options at Bar El Federal.

[Photo Credit: Paula Moya]

Buenos Aires Argentina Guide Special Tip

After a Sunday afternoon spent watching street performances and rummaging through the goodies at the San Telmo antique fair, head to Bar El Federal for a few pints of beer and a pizza with friends. It’s a great place to people watch and have intimate conversation.

If you want to have an extremely authentic Buenos Aires experience, try whiling away an afternoon or evening having coffee, drinks, or a meal in one of the city’s famous “notable cafes and bars”. A few years ago, a city government commission drew up a fairly comprehensive list of 53 notable bars and cafes and awarded them this special status due to either their historical, cultural or architectural importance to the city of Buenos Aires. Many of these establishments have been in operation since the nineteenth century, and upon entering one of them you are quickly transported back to the city’s aristocratic roots.

One picturesque member of this exclusive club of bars and cafes is Bar Seddon, a San Telmo hang-out spot that was converted into a bar from a nineteenth-century pharmacy.

A bar that takes you into the elegant past of Buenos Aires

If you stand still for a moment in Bar Seddon, you can almost pretend that you are in a salon among intellectuals, philosophers, and young lovers from a Buenos Aires of many years ago. The musty yellow lighting casts an antique glow over the mahogany wooden bar, which shines with the additional luster of candles distributed throughout the bar. Bar Seddon is nothing short of breath-taking in its décor, which consists of intriguing statues of Roman goddess-like figures, big windows for gazing out into the street, and an original old black-and-white checkered tile floor (anyone for chess?).

The bar has two stories with plenty of wooden tables and comfortable seats where you can share a bottle of wine and spend hours talking, listening to the bar’s music selection (usually either Silvio Rodriguez or Pink Floyd), or enjoying a live musical performance on certain nights of the week.

[Photo Credit: Paula Moya]

Wet your whistle or appease your appetite

During the day the bar is open for lunch, and it’s a great place to relax with a coffee and pick up a magazine or a copy of the English-language Argentimes newspaper at the bar. On any night of the week at Bar Seddon you can find an eclectic mix of clientèle, ranging from grungy European backpackers to students from all over the world to porteños seeking a little bit of laid-back San Telmo tranquility.

On Wednesday nights the bar features live bossa nova acoustic guitar and vocals, and on Saturday nights you can’t miss a rock/funk band that makes you wonder whether you’re in Buenos Aires or New York City. Also, if you are looking for a place to hold a meeting of any kind, you might want to come to Bar Seddon during the late afternoon to enjoy the warmth, good coffee, and relaxed atmosphere. Or, if you like a drink or two, one little known secret is that Seddon has a great “Happy Hour” from 6pm to 9pm every day: two drinks for the price of one. Bottoms up!

If your belly is rumbling, you’ve also come to the right place. Bar Seddon’s got a great chef who whips up traditional porteña dishes such as costillitas de cerdo (pork ribs), bife de chorizo con pure de zapallo y hojas verdes (beef strip steak with pumpkin puree and fresh greens), homemade pizzas, soups, pastas, and minutas (usually milanesa sandwiches made from either meat, soy, or eggplant).

Bar Seddon – a second home in San Telmo

Seddon is one of those bars where you come once and you just keep coming, whether it’s the music, the food, the atmosphere, or the people that traps you. As for the service, it’s more than personal. If you take a minute to talk to whoever is serving you, you will meet a truly genuine person who makes you feel at home. The family who owns Bar Seddon works hard to keep the place clean, friendly, and enjoyable for everyone.

They are promising new deals in the future for backpackers who are staying at hostels to get a free drink with their meals. Also, they are looking into having ‘world’ specialty nights, such as German or French night, to vary up their cooking and give Bar Seddon a more international appeal.

So grab your date for a candlelit dinner, bring your friends to see a beautiful renovation of a historic building, or simply cozy up to the bar with a magazine and a glass of wine and chat with the smiling bartender while you listen to some Latin tunes. Whatever mood you are in, whoever you are with, Bar Seddon is always a good place to feel the rhythm of San Telmo and imagine the Buenos Aires of a hundred years ago: all with a good bottle of Malbec red wine to liven up the conversation, of course.

Bar Seddon: The Verdict

• Overall bar rating: (4/5) Great service – they treat you like a friend from the start and are knowledgeably helpful with the menu options, fantastic atmosphere – full of warmth & energy, an excellent place to meet people (especially on weekend nights), good food and music, and all found in a beautiful old location.
• Buenos Aires Authenticity Factor: (4/5) Based in a lovely former 19th century pharmacy building, so the surroundings are very authentic, though Bar Seddon has not always been based here – it moved fairly recently from calle 25 de Mayo. However, it definitely brought with it a real sense of Buenos Aires nostalgia, for the cafe bar culture of days gone by.
• Value: (3/5) Drinks, especially cocktails, will run a little expensive here, as they do at most fashionable bars in San Telmo. The food, however, is not at all overpriced.

Buenos Aires Argentina Guide Special Tip

Head out to Bar Seddon on a Wednesday night for a special treat if the bossa nova guitarist is on the microphone, or a Saturday night to rock out to funk and rock tunes. Call ahead to check about live music on 4342-3700.

Recently I discovered a great new website that has online videos for many different travel destinations around the world, called Geobeats. They have an excellent video section on Buenos Aires, with many videos from around the more famous barrios of Buenos Aires, including spots on hotels, restaurants and museums. All the videos of Buenos Aires are very professionally done and pretty informative, so I recommend checking them out.

There is only so much of an idea you can get about Buenos Aires or Argentina from the text and photos in a blog like mine – so I think online video really is the future for travel websites, which is why I am going to be including some of the Geobeats videos on pages of this blog fairly soon, and maybe even venturing into making some videos of Buenos Aires myself! But for now, I will just post some of my favorite picks from their site here…

My Favorite Videos of Buenos Aires from Geobeats

MALBA, in Palermo – the fantastic Museo de Arte Latinamerico en Buenos Aires:

El Ateneo, in Recoleta – the biggest bookstore in Latin America:

And my favorite place for a cake (or ten), Confiteria Las Violetas, in Almagro:

Enjoy the videos of Buenos Aires (and check out the rest over at Geobeats when you can!)

As I have almost certainly mentioned before, the Palacio Barolo is one of my favorite buildings in Buenos Aires. It is a simply magnificent mish-mash of architectural styles, held together by some amazing numeric symbolism that acts as a tribute to Dante Alighieri, and his epic poem “The Divine Comedy”. I will write a full post about the building and the fascinating stories behind it very soon, when I get the chance to take some more pictures that will fully do it justice.

For now however, this post is a review of the cafe that recently opened on its ground floor, Cafe Palacio Barolo, which is pretty darn good on its own merits, and also acts as an additional excellent excuse to spend some time inside this fantastic building. This is also my first post on the theme of Buenos Aires Cafes, and believe me it will be the first of many, because Buenos Aires is a city full of places to get your caffeine fix, and cafe culture also plays an important part in everyday life here.

[The Palacio Barolo building and cafe are featured on my suggested walking tour of Buenos Aires City Center, which can also by booked as a private walking tour of Buenos Aires, personally guided by me]

A Beautiful New Cafe in Buenos Aires

As you can see from the above picture, the cafe at the Palacio Barolo looks bright & clean and spick & span, being that it is in its first few months since opening. As part of a stunningly designed 1923 building, it of course has pieces of classic old world style, most specifically the ornamental ceiling work, but it is also mixed with some more modern touches, such as the reinforced glass floor of the seating area above the bar. Old and new go together very nicely in this case (as they do across the streets of Buenos Aires), and produce a very pleasant environment for a relaxed coffee or two.

If you are a visitor to the city and are strolling down Avenida de Mayo, the most obvious choice for a pit stop up until now has been Cafe Tortoni, as the oldest and most famous cafe in Buenos Aires. However, its status has obvious advantages and drawbacks – it is famous for a reason (beautiful interior, lots of history etc), but that also attracts the crowds of tourists, which can occasionally make for an unpleasant, loud atmosphere, and a long wait for service, or even to enter the cafe at all.

Meanwhile, Cafe Palacio Barolo is very calm and relaxed, but also based in a beautiful building with a lot of history in its own right, so it is certainly another good alternative option to Tortoni if you are in this area of Buenos Aires City Center. For those of you that can’t wait for my future post to learn more about fascinating design and history the building itself, fellow Buenos Aires bloggers Robert and Karine have both posted some excellent photos and information in the past.

The Coffee?

Now, I’m not much of a coffee expert, at least in comparison with many people from the USA (where the majority of my readers are based). I am from a nation of tea drinkers after all! Still, I think that when I review a cafe I should at least attempt to comment on the coffee. We ordered a cortado en jarrito each (a cortado is an espresso ‘cut’ with a small amount of hot milk, to take the edge off of it… and a cortado en jarrito is the same but in a taller cup, so you get more coffee), and they were very nice. Nothing spectacular, just decent coffee. I have heard some people say the coffee in Argentina is generally not that great, but for me it is usually pretty good, certainly in comparison to coffee in the UK.

However, the best part for me about the coffee in this cafe is that quite delightfully, everything comes with the Palacio Barolo monogram on it – the table, the cups, the napkins, the sugar holder, and even each individual sugar lump wrapper all bear the trendy little logo on the side – very cute, as can be seen in the picture above. It’s little touches like this that make me happy. I guess I must be easy to please

The prices are a little on the expensive side – 9 pesos for a cafe con leche y tres medialunas, but not overly so in all cases – for example the cortado en jarrito was 5 pesos, which is fairly reasonable. But remember, you are also paying for this privileged location inside one of the most remarkable buildings in Buenos Aires.

Watching the World Go By

Almost every part of Cafe Palacio Barolo is perfect for that most common and enjoyable of porteño pastimes – people watching. For a start, there are some nice sidewalk tables, perfect for an afternoon coffee on a nice sunny day, as you watch the people amble, the taxis zip, and the colectivos career down elegant Avenida de Mayo. Then there is a nice large glass window front on the cafe, which not only fills it wonderfully with huge amounts of light, but also affords more people watching as the outside world passes the cafe by.

Finally there is the balcony seating area above the bar, which is the perfect spot for some sneaky people watching opportunities, in this case of the other cafe clientèle seated down below. The balcony was where we sat on this occasion, and as you can see from the the photo to the right, I am most certainly a nosy so and so.

Cafe Palacio Barolo is certainly a great place to while away the hours over a coffee or two, which is something that should make you fit right in with the locals…

Whereas back home (at least, certainly in the UK) we are in and out of cafes fairly quickly, often hurried out by the waiter who is looking to make your table free for another paying customer, here in Buenos Aires it is quite normal to spend hours on end (no exaggeration) over one small coffee, chatting with friends or just relaxing by yourself. The waiters won’t get annoyed or rush you in any Buenos Aires cafe – in fact most of the time you have more of a job finding anyone who will take your money off you when you want to leave.

However, if there is one small downside to the Cafe Palacio Barolo, it is the fact that it is recently – perhaps word has not got around about it yet, and so at the moment it generally seems to not be very busy. This may suit some people who will enjoy the peace and quiet (and also it means the service is attentive), but if you are a people watcher, it certainly cuts down on your enjoyment, and the overall atmosphere. But hopefully this review will help a little to get the word out and make the cafe just a little more busy!

Cafe Palacio Barolo: The Verdict

• Cafe Rating: (4/5) A beautiful new cafe in a winning location, inside possibly my favorite building in the whole of Buenos Aires – good coffee, service and surroundings – this one’s a keeper!
• BA Authenticity: (4/5) In time, this should become an Avenida de Mayo classic, mainly due to the location inside an authentic Buenos Aires architectural masterpiece
• Value: (3/5) The cafe prices are little on the steep side (the food looks even more so, but I did not try that yet), but the service, quality and location more than make up for that…

Buenos Aires Argentina Guide Special Tip

Grab a newspaper, a coffee, and watch the world go by… you are now indulging in an age-old porteño ritual that plays a large part in daily life in Buenos Aires, and doing so inside one of the city’s most interesting architectural structures…

[The Palacio Barolo building and cafe are featured on my suggested walking tour of Buenos Aires City Center, which can also by booked as a private walking tour of Buenos Aires, personally guided by me]

For your information, I’m writing this week’s Buenos Aires blog roundup slowly in between itching the many mosquito bites that have ravaged my poor body. Unfortunately we have a bit of a mosquito invasion here in the city of Buenos Aires at the moment, although at least it looks (correct me if I’m wrong) like there is no risk of Dengue here in the city (unlike in parts of Buenos Aires province, and further north in Misiones). Still, the bites don’t half itch a lot, so apologies if my itching-triggered lack of concentration causes any errors in this roundup…

Buenos Aires Blog Posts of the Week

• This week’s top posts are about three new things that I’m pretty certain I will love. First up, Robert points out that a cafe has just opened up on the ground floor of the Palacio Barolo, a building that fascinates pretty much everyone, including Robert and I. It looks beautiful in Robert’s pictures, and despite the hefty, touristy prices (9 pesos for a cafe con leche with 3 medialunas!!!), I will definitely be checking it out in the near future
• Secondly, Dan from Saltshaker has been privy to a sneak preview of the food at an authentic Indian restaurant that will apparently be opening in Barrio Norte (Laprida and Charcas) later this month. It will be called Tandoor, and hopefully will provide the quality Indian food many of us expats have been missing since arriving in Buenos Aires
• Thirdly, Disco Shawn (still my vote for top blogger pseudonym of the year), introduces us to the Chilean indie musician Javiera Mena, who will be playing in Buenos Aires this Friday, March 16th at Club Niceto in Palermo Hollywood, during their indie music night Compass. From the tracks linked to in that blog post, her stuff sounds pretty good (I like my “cute, keyboard-driven pop goodness”, as Shawn describes it), so I will probably try to make my way to Compass this Friday

Things to See and Do in Buenos Aires

• Karine has yet more lovely pics from around Buenos Aires, this week including two stunning city monuments: El Monumento de los Españoles in Palermo, and the monument to General Jose de San Martin, in Plaza San Martin (where else?!), Retiro – a fitting tribute to Argentina’s main independence hero
• Argentina’s Travel Guide has some interestingly varied things to do in Buenos Aires this week, ranging from the “Thursday night transvestite party” at Club Niceto to attending an Argentine league soccer game (in this case at the River Plate stadium), and finally taking in a trip to a meditation center in Palermo after to reflect on what sounds like a very interesting week!
• For all of you budding Tango dancers on your way to Buenos Aires to strut your stuff, Tango Cherie provides the inside knowledge of what NOT to wear to a milonga in Buenos Aires… please take note!

Buenos Aires Information, News and General Comments

• Great news: everyone’s favorite trilingual blog, Trendy Palermo Viejo, celebrated it’s first anniversary of blogging this week, and long may Dalila continue bringing us the coolest shops, restaurants and more from this most happening of Buenos Aires barrios And what better way to celebrate than with a post recapping the latest shops that have opened in Palermo Viejo?!

Buenos Aires Restaurants, Food and Drink

• Yanqui Mike made his way to the last night of the Buenos Aires beer festival, but as I had suspected, it was more of a glorified rock concert than anything else, and even worse, Mike came away disappointed without even a drop of beer passing his lips. Considering the festival organizers obviously know the rules about not serving alcoholic beverages during musical performances here, you have to wonder why they bother having live music at what is, after all, supposed to be a beer festival. Or change the name to something less misleading. Bad show all round
• Dan from Saltshaker posted a review of Piola Pizzeria in Recoleta this week, giving you another (more qualified!) viewpoint on their pizza in addition to my recent review of Piola Buenos Aires. For the record, I enjoyed the Pizza more than Dan, but he experienced far better service than I did. Now if only they could get both things right at the same time…

Funny or Odd Stuff in Buenos Aires

• In the Argentine Metropolis discusses the English words that have been making their way into Argentine Spanish over the past few years, and also in the same post overhears a really funny conversation between a middle-aged woman and her father in a Palermo fashion cafe… frapuccino indeed!

Not too many posts this week… did I miss anything, or were you all just as lay as me this week?

As for my blog, I promise that very soon there will be some other posts on this blog apart from the weekly blog roundups… I’m sure I can at least manage another bar review or something, you know, for the benefit of my readers… nothing to do with my hankering for a few decent beers now and again of course!