Five Top Tables: Where to Eat in Buenos Aires Right Now

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(Bloomberg) — Welcome to Five Top Tables, a column from Bloomberg Pursuits to guide your dining decisions in London, New York, Dubai, Paris, Madrid and other finance capitals around the world.

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Food has always been a major draw in Buenos Aires: Meat- and Malbec-infused meals have become a symbol of the city’s warmth and commanding personality. But that pairing no longer dominates the scene. In fact, if you focus on that meal — as good as it might be — you’ll miss the culinary revolution that’s sweeping the stylish South American metropolis. Instead of simply replicating European recipes or gaucho plates, chefs are giving Argentine cuisine a well-deserved spotlight. The country’s capital is bringing the best of Patagonia, the famed Pampas and high-altitude wines from the north to tables across the city with innovative menus, while standout bistros make it worth looking beyond the steaks and big-body wines.  

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Editor’s note: Due to the country’s high rate of inflation by global standards, most prices are written in dollars at Argentina’s official exchange rate at the time of writing. 

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New: Burdo, Colegiales 

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Rising star chef Lucila Rodriguez infuses classic Argentine dishes with modern energy at Burdo, an elegantly restored town house in the gentrifying neighborhood of Colegiales, where the vibe is reminiscent of Park Slope in Brooklyn, New York. Beyond the welcoming ambiance and sharp service, dishes such as the chato bread with garlic-honey (11,000 pesos, or about $7.50) or braised lamb topped with homemade chimichurri ($20) are the highlight. The bright indoor space has high ceilings that make it feel connected to the outdoor dining area. Downstairs, the wine cellar doubles as a dining room — private events and tastings only, for now — and features 300 labels, ranging from Patagonia’s pinot noirs to Mendoza malbecs and beyond.  Delgado 1199; instagram.com/burdo.resto  

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Business Meal: Nuestro Secreto, Recoleta 

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Located where the financial district meets the city’s top hotels, the Four Season Hotel Buenos Aires’s steakhouse Nuestro Secreto — “Our Secret” — exudes exclusivity with a side of top-quality meats. You can order everything from blood-sausage croquettes with green apple emulsion and meaty sweetbreads to wagyu cuts and a tenderized skirt steak. Red-meat entrées come with chimichurri and range from about 64,000 pesos to 89,000 pesos—roughly $44 to $62. Set in a refitted glasshouse, it’s a traditional carnivorous experience done at a very high level.

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If you can’t get in, the hotel’s main restaurant, Elena, has a broader menu and a Michelin guide listing. (Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are already fans of the place.) There’s also the chance to see other high-profile faces if you dine at the hotel: When JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon was in town for a visit, it’s where he stayed. Posadas 1086; fourseasons.com/buenosaires/dining/restaurants/nuestro_secreto/

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No Reservations: Las Pizarras, Palermo Soho

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If you’re looking for a table before most restaurants open in Buenos Aires around 8 p.m. — late-night dinners define this city — look no further than Las Pizarras, the elder statesman of the city’s restaurant renaissance. Opened in 2008, the cozy bistro strikes the balance between easy-going ambiance and thoughtful plates, with the entire seasonal menu written daily on the big chalk boards that adorn the walls. Grilled sea bass, asparagus gazpacho and saffron cavatelli highlight the menu for now, with entrées ranging from about $16 to $26.

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Its setting, in the Palermo Soho neighborhood, makes it accessible to a wide range of customers, from families to friends to diplomats — and even celebrities like Scarlett Johansson. Head chef Rodrigo Castilla likes to stop by tables to talk food and pour a little more wine. Reservations are available, but there’s invariably room for walk-ins at least until later in the evening, when  the place tends to fill up. Thames 2296; instagram.com/laspizarrasbistro/