Avenida Corrientes 1669 (near corner of Rodriguez Pena), City Center

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]