Cafe El Gato Negro

Last Updated on September 27, 2026 by Alan Seabright

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 in 1929 by a Spanish immigrant who 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 wonderful place to read a newspaper or the book you recently bought at one of Avenida Corrientes’ many bookstores.

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 a North African 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, may cost more than a cafe con leche across the street, however,  El Gato Negro is worth a visit if only 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, which offer a bit of alcohol to warm you up on a chilly day, and their loose leaf teas and infusions, 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 or their delightful cappucino. 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,  some picadas (ham and cheese platters), or one of their gourmet sandwiches with steak, chicken, or cheese. 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.

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]

Location of El Gato Negro

Avenida Corrientes 1669, between Rodriguez Pena & Montevideo, City Center
Tel: 4374-1730

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Jonathan’s Buenos Aires Local Tours article

Originally published on 2012-07-07 by Jonathan as part of his Buenos Aires Cafés Notables collection. His article is preserved below as a historical record.

It all started with Victoriano López Robredo. Married to an Argentine the well-traveled Spaniard opened a spice shop on Avenida Corrientes in 1928, selling many of the spices he had encountered on his travels in Asia and the Middle East. It soon gained a reputation as the place for spices, fresh coffee and tea, helped by its location in Buenos Aires’ Theatreland and some celebrity customers, but tables weren’t installed until 1997, giving the public a chance to sample some of the fine coffees on sale. The stars of the show remain the spices however and whilst the tables were busy, the queue of customers being served from the mass of jars lining the shelves were supplying most of the business.

El Gato Negro, Avenida Corrientes

The cafe is filled with a rich aroma of herbs, spices and freshly-ground coffee and mixed with the hustle and bustle of both customers and staff, it’s a memorable place. The coffee, prdictably is some of the best in the city, and the overall history and style of the place makes it a stand-out establishment in the Buenos Aires cafe world.

Gato Negro, Spice Shelves

El Gato Negro, Buenos Aires

Spice Jars, El Gato Negro

El Gato Negro: Avenida Corrientes 1669
Subte: Callao, Line B

This page is part of a series examining the Notable Bars of Buenos Aires.

• Category: Buenos Aires