Guerrin Pizzeria
Av. Corrientes 1368 (between Uruguay & Talcahuano), City Center
The Best Pizza in Buenos Aires?
To save you from reading the whole review, the answer is yes… Guerrin is, in my opinion, the best place for pizza in Buenos Aires. This is a major accolade in a city where Italian food is so popular and widespread, due to the history of Italian immigration that provides the back bone for much of porteno culture. To read a little more about the Italian effect on culture here, check out my previous posts on Banchero Pizzeria and Caminito, both in the barrio of La Boca, which is traditionally the main Italian community of BA.
But today’s blog post is all about Guerrin, and its fantastic Pizza, so read on to find out why this restaurant is a must visit if you are ever in Buenos Aires.
Moscato, Pizza y Faina
Something unique to Buenos Aires is the tradition of eating a slice of faina, which is basically a very thin chickpea-based pizza, on top of a slice of standard pizza, kind of acting as a second crust on the top, making a sandwich of the cheese, sauce and toppings inbetween. At first, this sounded kind of funny to me. But, once you make the jump and eat this traditional combo, you will probably, like me, find it delicious, and in fact, quite a logical arrangement…
You see, Pizza in Buenos Aires is lovely, sloppy, cheesy-tomatoey affair…with lashings of greasy-cheesy-saucy goodness all over the place. Placing the absorbative (is that even a word?) slice of Faina on top, as seen above, helps to neutralize things by acting as a sponge for all of the gooey mess. And it just seems to taste right, somehow. Why didn’t they think of this in Italy?
To make things even more traditional, the pizza and faina should be washed down by a glass or three of inexpensive moscato; a very sweet, white dessert wine. Portenos have indulged in this eating ritual for donkeys years, and again, it just feels like the right thing to do when sitting in a pizzeria on Avenida Corrientes. There’s even a famous song about this by Argentine band La Memphis Blusera called, surprisingly, Moscato, Pizza y Faina (apologies if my attempted translation is off)…
“Las luces se encienden, (The lights go on)
calle Corrientes, (Corrientes street)
se llena de gente, (fills with people)
que viene y que va, (that come and go)
salen del cine, (they exit the cinema)
ríen y lloran, (they smile & cry)
se aman, se pelean, (they love, they fight)
se vuelven a amar (then return to love)
y en la Universal, (and at the Universal)
fin de la noche, (the end of the night)
moscato, pizza y fainá,
moscato y pizza.”
Above, you should just about be able to see a bottle and a glass of cheap moscato, being enjoyed by some friends in Guerrin. Quite right too.
Perfect Pizza at Guerrin
Of course, the tradition would be pretty pointless if the pizza don’t hold up in the quality stakes. Luckily, at Guerrin, it more than delivers:
I think the picture speaks for itself. I’m hungry just looking at it, anyway. But I’ll add some words all the same. The pizza at Guerrin is medium in thickness…the crust is cooked to perfection, a golden, crispy crust on the base, but light and fluffy on the inside. The toppings are more than generous, with a flavorful tomato sauce, heaps of hot, fattening, gooey mozzarella, the ubiquitous green olives, plus your toppings of choice. And there is a whole lot of choice…the menu is absolutely massive, with just about every kind of variety of topping you could wish for, most of which I have tasted also being delicious.
The pizza in the picture was a Pizza Especial Guerrin grande, the house pizza (this grande/large version costs AR$26, and is enough for three people, or two VERY hungry people). This is pretty much standard argentine fare for a pizza, with slices of ham and long thin strips of red pepper, in addition to the usual sauce, cheese and olives. Highly recommended, especially when joined by a few slices of faina and washed down with moscato, to really get you into the traditional spirit of things here in Buenos Aires. Although if you don’t fancy a sweet, white wine, I suppose there is always the Quilmes beer to fall back on…
Guerrin Pizzeria: The Verdict
- Service:
(3/5) It is a little slow, and the worst aspect of the place, but only looks bad in comparison to the quality of the food, and is still quite friendly - Food: (5/5) It is simply the best pizza in Buenos Aires, that I have tried so far, in my opinion …so as a huge pizza fan, this restaurant gets full marks from me
- Atmosphere: (4/5) There are four area to eat in Guerrin. The food bar area as you enter gets top marks for authentic atmosphere for a quick slice of pizza, and the top floor is great for a group of friends in a nice, restaurant environment. But, I don’t really like the ground or middle floor eating areas so much.
- Value: (4/5) You can get a grande muzzarella pizza for AR$17 at the last check, and it feeds 2 to 3 people. Faina is just $AR1.50 a slice. Pretty good value. The moscato is cheap too, but always makes me too tipsy to remember exactly how much it cost
Buenos Aires Travel Guide Special Tip
It is also a tradition to go for a pizza with friends on Corrientes after watching a theater show on the same street, or a film in a cinema on the nearby pedestrian Lavalle street in the city center (this is also mentioned in the Moscato, Pizza y Faina song), so that you can talk at length about what you’ve just seen on the stage or screen. So if you are looking for an authentic night out in Buenos Aires, this is one of the more obvious suggestions …just make sure you end up at Guerrin for the pizza. In a nice coincidence, these old cinemas on Lavalle also happen to be the cheapest in the city, and I also feel they have more ‘character’ than the more expensive modern multiplexes.
edit 9th Jan 2007: changed the Pizza description above from ‘deep dish’ to ‘medium in thickness’ - I am still not entirely sure whether it is officially al molde or a la piedra (see comments)
January 8th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
Hi Alan
If you want to try the -BEST- pizza go to “Pizza Imperio” on the corner of Corrientes and Federico Lacroze (Chacarita neighbourhood) in front of the train station.
The pizzeria you are talking is very good too i admit it.
Saludos!
January 8th, 2007 at 7:22 pm
Thanks Alejandro…Pizza Imperio goes on my ever increasing list of things to do in BA!
However, the “BEST pizza in Buenos Aires” can only ever be an opinion, don’t you think?
I think I only said Guerrin was the best in BA in my opinion, out of the ones I have tried…and so I must try the one you say now to see if I need to revise my opinion!
January 8th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
The last Time I took a client to Guerrin it was a disaster, I don`t know what happened, but the pizzas was horrible. I haven`t gone since then (2 months ago). Gotta go again.
January 8th, 2007 at 9:46 pm
well, that’s not good news…where did you sit…i’ve heard the pizzas are not so good if you are in the front bar?
i’ve been about 5 or 6 times and the pizzas have always been great, so hopefully your experience was just a one off…
January 9th, 2007 at 9:08 am
The problem with proclaiming “best pizza”, of course, is that pizza comes in so many different styles. I do think Guerrin is one of, if not the best of the “a la piedra” thin crust style pizzas… though Tuñin gives them a run for the money… and now I have to check out Imperio as well (want to go together?). But for deep dish, there’s Las Cuartetas (not El Cuartito!), for a la parrilla there’s Morelia or Minna or Mamina… so hard to choose, for completely offbeat there’s DVT…
January 9th, 2007 at 10:24 am
mmm looks like they load their pizzas up with cheese. Going to add that to my ever growing list too, which is getting to be a bit long.
And do give Tuñin a try
January 9th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
Hi Dan,
Looks like I have my Pizza classification wrong a little…to me it was a deep dish at Guerrin, because for me in the UK there were only ever really two types of Pizza - deep dish and thin crust (although since I came to BA I have known and come to love Pizza a la parrilla too).
The Pizza at Guerrin is, to me, thicker than the type of thin crust I am used to…and fluffy in the middle, which in my old classification would put it as deep dish.
But now, having done a little more reading on your blog, Dan, I see that there is ‘al molde’ - baked in a pizza pan and usually thick (which I recognise and remember from La Cuartetas…not El Cuartito, which I agree is not so great…although to be honest I just plain liked the Pizza at Las Cuartetas, it didn’t bowl me over), and ‘a la piedra’ - baked in a stone oven and usually thin to medium, which I guess is what they have at Guerrin (although looking at the photos on their website they do appear to be baking them in a pan shaped thing. Argggh, I’m not sure.)
Anyway, for me, Guerrin is not thin crust, and although crusty on the outside, is thick enough and fluffy enough on the inside to be what I would have called deep dish back in the UK
Sorry to ramble…I will now change my description in the post above a little.
And of course, I see what you are saying about the best pizza - there are so many types, and it is hard to compare apples with oranges. But still, I have a top three of places I have tried so far, each in a different style…
1. Guerrin (a la piedra, I guess)
2. Morelia (a la parrilla, still to review on this blog)
3. Banchero in La Boca (al molde)
But I have many places yet to try…
And yes Dan, it would be great to try ‘Imperio’ out together some time…maybe a weekend lunch? (because my day job gets in the way in the week)
Cheers,
Alan
January 9th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Hi Marc,
Yes, loads of cheese at Guerrin
Definitely give it a try!
I went to Tuñin once a long time ago…seem to remember liking it, so I guess I should go back for a review sometime…if I must…the things I do for Pizza
By the way, I’m liking the occasional Antares Porter that I buy from Norte every so often now!
All the best,
Alan
January 10th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
Hey, sorry, here I am again; I just need to say to short things:
-Don’t ever, none of you, compare Güerrin to Tuñin: you may end up in the hottest hell.
-If you haven’t already, please go to Güerrin, and have a “silce” (I’m not sure what word to use) at the bar. Yes, standing there, just with a plate, a slice, fork and knife (they even give some water in case you don’t want to’ have enough money to have a soda)
After that, you are, I guess, very much porteño…
Regards,
S.
January 10th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
Hey (this time) Subjuntivo!
What are you, the Pizza police?
I never thought the subject of Pizza would cause so much controversy…!
I’ve been meaning to do that stand up slice eating at Guerrin, but always have gone inside and eaten a whole pizza! Though I’d heard the pizza is not as good quality at the bar? Maybe that’s just a myth…
Anyway, as you say, I need to try it to be a better porteño!
Cheers,
Alan
January 10th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
>Don’t ever, none of you, compare Güerrin to Tuñin: you may end up in the hottest hell.
That’s right, Tuñin IS better
So much fighting over Guerrin, now I really want to try it.
>By the way, I’m liking the occasional Antares Porter
Good stuff, next time I’m up there maybe we can hit the Antares bar. One pint each of their 7 selections will do some good to the ol beer belly.
January 11th, 2007 at 11:35 am
Hey, Marc, DO try Güerrin, and let me know… =D
Antares rules, certainly.
Bestest,
S
January 11th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Hi Marc,
Without wanting to make you jealous, I was at the Antares bar here in BA the other day, and it’s great
Now I’m a fan of their Scotch Ale and Honey Beer, as well as the Porter. I have a few others of theirs still to try, so I will be back soon and posting a review…if any beer fans in Buenos Aires read this and want to join me, let me know.
But definitely Mark…would love to have a few pints with you in Antares when you’re next in BA…where exactly are you located “down south” at the moment?
Actually, there is another ‘brewpub’ in BA I really want to try…Cossab in Boedo, which is supposed to have the widest range of beers in the city…has anyone else been there yet?
All the best,
Alan
January 12th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
Apparently you know places I don’t…
Anywaym I’m happy just with a muddy Guiness.
S.
January 12th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
I like Guinness, but it just doesn’t taste the same to me over here…as 50% Irishman, I believe it is actually a sin to drink the black stuff so far away from St James’ Gate
January 12th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
I’m down in tierra del fuego sipping beers with guanacos and castores.
I really need to get an about page up.
September 18th, 2007 at 1:32 am
Guys! you may discuss forever wich is the best pizza. But as an argentinian pizza-eater sick male, i have to recommend:
Go to “el cuartito” , Talcahuano 937
You HAVE to go there.
My suggestion: try “el cuartito” pizza, special of the house. It would cost something (i think 39 or 49 pesos( but i am sure you will never taste something like that.
yes, nine portions(yep,nine)in the way to the heavens……
September 18th, 2007 at 1:33 am
Oh,yes,Güerrin is magnificent,of course.
February 8th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Haven’t tried Guerrin, but I have been to Las Cuartetas, Banchero, and El Palacio de la Pizza.
I put Las Cuartetas at the end of those three. There’s a strange taste that comes with the pizza there that I can’t put my finger on, but I don’t like so much.
A ‘a la molde’ at the Palacio is hard to beat for me. However, I ate at their bar last time and it wasn’t so good. The last time I had Banchero it was absolutely fantastic. So although the Palacio was tops on that list, I’ve dropped down its ranking now to second.
I’ll go and try Guerrin.