Great Things to do in Buenos Aires: Neighborhood of Retiro

                               

These days, like Recoleta, Retiro is famed for its wealth which is noticeable in the wide leafy boulevards such as Avenida del Libertador and Avenida 9 de Julio. Furthermore, the architecture of this neighborhood defines an era of splendor and finesse.

Things to see and do

The barrio of Retiro is one of the nicest in the city for walking and offers some fantastic photo opportunities. At the barrio’s heart is Plaza San Martin, a popular hangout for local workers during their lunch breaks. The plaza houses two significant monuments; one dedicated to San Martin himself and another to commemorate the fallen heroes of the Malvinas War.

 

Within a short walk from Plaza San Martin are some of the finest examples of architecture present in Buenos Aires. Palacio San Martin on Arenales street is arguably the most celebrated and is today used as the offices of the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Relations. Originally home to the Anchorena family, tours are available of this Beaux Arts palace.

Brunch at Farinelli

The location is great: A bright, sunny corner of quiet Retiro with giant windows that are ideal for people-watching while you sit down and get settled. I like some booth action, but there are large tables in the middle that accommodate groups a bit better, though once the place is packed there isn’t a lot of room to spare. Fresh blooms from Florería Atlántico adorn the countertops and the day’s spread of fresh goodies – fruit salad, croissants, and the Bloody Mary bar (score!) – are poised to make your mouth water.

 

Lunch at Farinelli's

                            

So here’s the deal: Sunday brunch takes place from 11am-4pm only, with reservations available only for the 1pm time slot. Let’s not even mention the scene at 3pm – Tables bursting with hipsters and families alike, and sad people outside being told that they couldn’t be guaranteed a table before things wound down.

Address: Arroyo corner of Suipacha Street.

Admire the fabulous San Martin Palace

 

Palacio San Martin was designed by architect Alejandro Christophersen and boasts marble staircases, grandiose dining rooms and a garden containing a chunk of the Berlin Wall. A small but good museum displays pre-Columbian artifacts from the northwest, along with some paintings by Latin American artists. Free tours happen at 3pm on Thursdays (bring ID), but can be suspended at any time.

Originally built for the powerful Anchorena family, Palacio San Martín later became the headquarters of the Foreign Ministry; today it’s used mostly for official purposes.

Address: Esmeralda 1231.

 

Cour d' honneur and Main Staircase - San Martin Palace.

                        

Take a tour of the magnificent Paz Palace

Once the private residence of José C Paz – founder of the still-running newspaper La Prensa – this opulent, French-style palace (1909) is the grandest in BA. Inside its 12,000 sq meters are ornate rooms with marble walls, salons gilded in real gold and halls boasting beautiful wood-tiled floors. The pièce de résistance is the circular grand hall with mosaic floors, marble details and stained-glass cupola. Nearly all materials came from Europe and were then assembled here; there’s also a modest garden out back. Address: Santa Fe Avenue 750.

 

Magnificent Dome - Palacio Paz

 

Guided Tours:

In Spanish: Wednesday to Saturday, 11.00 am

Tuesday to Friday, 3.00 pm

In English

Thursdays 3.30 pm

 

Gardens - Palacio Paz

                            

Museo de Arte Hispanoamericano IsaacFernandez Blanco

 

Dating from 1921, this museum is in an old mansion of the neocolonial Peruvian style that developed as a reaction against French influences in turn-of-the-19th-century Argentine architecture. Its exceptional collection of colonial art includes silverwork from Alto Perú (present-day Bolivia), religious paintings and baroque instruments. There’s little effort to place items in any historical context, but everything is in great condition and well lit, and the curved ceiling in the main salon is beautifully painted. There's also a peaceful garden.

Also known as the Palacio Noel, after the designing architect, the museum building and its collections suffered damage (since repaired) from the 1992 bombing of the Israeli embassy, which at the time was located at Arroyo and Suipacha. The space where the embassy was located has since become a small memorial park; you can still see the outline of the building on a neighboring wall.

                          

 

 

Have lunch at El Federal

This traditional corner eatery is something of a neighborhood institution. You’ll find Argentinian comfort food – simple pastas, steaks and empanadas – as well as higher-end specialties like Patagonian lamb, ñandu milanesas (cutlets of the emu-like, flightless ñandu ) and northern river fish served here. Elaborate desserts top things off, and a rustic wooden bar adds charm.

Address: San Martin 1015. Retiro

Try the best Pizza of Downtown  

Filo

Filo Just off Plaza San Martin, this is a popular lunchtime haunt that fills up with workers from the nearby financial district who come to feast on pizza, pasta and salads. Opened in 1993 by six friends fed up with Argentina’s Italian cuisine, Filo has since succeeded in creating a cult following with those with a penchant for mushroom risotto, salmon carpaccio, tiramisu, and the like. Address: San Martin 975.

Pizza Piola

 

An Italian franchise, gone global, which first opened in Buenos Aires in the early 90’s. Pizza Piola claims to have revolutionized the Buenos Aires pizza scene and that local food critics talk of before Piola and after Piola pizza. Address: Libertad 1073.

Floreria Atlantico 

Floreria Atlantico - Flower Shop and Bar

 

One of BA's hottest bars, this basement speakeasy is located within a flower shop, adding an air of mystery and likely a main reason for its success. Hipsters, artists, chefs, businesspeople and expats all flock here for the excellent cocktails, whether they're classic or unique – and the lack of gas lines means all of the delicious tapas and main dishes are cooked on the parrilla grill.



Dinner at Floreria Atlantico

If you're a gin lover, note that the owner, Renato Giovannonni, produces and sells his own brand – called 'Príncipe de los Apóstoles' – aromatically infused with mint, grapefruit, eucalyptus and yerba mate . Reserve ahead for dinner.

Address: Arroyo 872.

 

To Bear in Mind...

• Retiro is also the starting point of Florida and Avenida Santa Fe, both of which are important shopping streets.
• Just around the corner on Esmeralda street is the Estrugamou Building, a French Baroque residence commissioned by Alejandro Estrugamou who was a member of an elitist Argentina family.
• Whilst in Retiro, be sure to check out the Kavanagh Building, an impressive 120-meter-high Art Deco skyscraper that stands out amidst the array of modern architecture that has since sprung up around it.

 

 

 





Private Walks and Group Bookings

 

Ideas tours are available for private bookings. Private tours can be arranged for a weekday or weekend, day or evening. We can provide multiple in-house trained guides for a more enjoyable outing. Walking tours are great for team building, special events, and entertaining clients. Contact Us for more information.

 

 

Best New Restaurants of Buenos Aires

 

The rencently opened Casa Cavia in the Palermo Chico neighborhood of Buenos Aires.
 

Buenos Aires is full of great restaurants and seems like almost everyday there is a new one that has opened up. Time will tell if all these restaurants can stay in business, but at the present moment the demand for culinary options in the city is at an all time high. It is amazing to see so many of them that are always full.

 

CASA CAVIA

 

Over the weekend, a hybrid concept space called Casa Cavia opened its doors in the upscale Palermo Chico neighborhood in Buenos Aires. Casa Cavia is housed in what was known as the Bollini Roca residence, designed in the gilded age of the 1920s as a personal gift to the owner’s wife by the Spanish-born architect and artist Alejandro Christophersen of Norwegian parentage.

 

Courtyard at CASA CAVIA

Inspired by local cafes from the 1920s and 1930s, she recruited KallosTurin architects to integrate marble, brass, leather and terrazzo floors into the space, which now houses a restaurant and bar, patisserie, flower shop, perfumery, bookstore and publisher all under one exquisite roof.

 

A spacious room with high ceilings and gilded moldings, framed by the stately trees of Plaza Alemania, this is the perfect place to sample the delicacies of Pablo Massey, Próspero Velazco and Inés de los Santos. At the back of the room you will find an unconventional alcove, punctuated with a flock (yes, a flock) of books suspended in the air, as well as the bookshop of Ampersand, and some reading material to enjoy over tea or dessert.

Address: Cavia 2985, Palermo Chico, Argentina, casacavia.com.

 

Ralph’s

Fantastic food and ambiance in Palermo Soho

A space with several very different environments each other, and fires by Hernán Taiana, last chef Astrid & Gaston. Various Peruvian dishes, Asian , American influence. And very good cocktails.

Tapas dishes and desserts that bring influences of Peruvian cuisine , Asian, Italian and American . The letter is a journey through international flavors , but not emulated : the chef works with quality products and genuine , simple and not pretentious preparations. From the kitchen come options for all tastes in carefully presented . The offer includes skewers, ceviches, tiraditos , risottos , pastas and meats , which promise to rotate several times a year , adapting to seasonal ingredients and new trends.

A hidden gem, call to reserve, well well worth it.

Address: 1830 Gurruchaga Street.

 

ELENA

 

Four Seasons Buenos Aires

Dry Aged Beef, Rotisserie, Charcuterie and Argentinian Wine

 

The restaurant is named for Elena Peña Unzué, the bride of La Mansión, a historic building that houses the Four Seasons’ Hotel’s most opulent suites and hosts the city’s most glittering social events. La Mansión is visible through the skylight at Elena.

In a gorgeous double-height space bathed in natural light, gourmands and people who simply love to share a great meal with friends and family will come together at Elena. Modeled as a courtyard - a traditional gathering place for important events and celebrations - the space features a dramatic spiral staircase to the balcony level, where private dining areas are available. The look is fresh and open, yet a welcome escape from the busy city just outside. Rich interior furnishings - including a glass doored dry ageing case, marble butcher’s table manned by an expert chef and locally-sourced antiques - seamlessly blend South American and European cultures in true Buenos Aires fashion, with hand-crafted finishes by local artisans adding a unique character.

On the menu at Elena, guests will find a broad selection of the meats so beloved by locals, from precision-cut dry aged steaks and Argentinian kobe beef to the highest quality pork, chicken and other meats, and abundant fresh seafood. Expertly prepared on the rotisserie, mains are accompanied by lushly presented seasonal vegetables.

 

Elena - Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires

 

I Latina

Unforgettable dining experience

In a beautiful French-style house, in the neighborhood of Villa Crespo 3 Colombian siblings: Santiago, Camilo and Laura Macias, launched a project that involves a 7 course tasting menu that celebrates the unique and electric tastes of Latin America.

Some of the dishes part of the seasonal menu include corn arepas with anise and Colombian hogao; Duck confit in tamarind sauce with quinoa salad and patacòn ; Caramelized prawns with spicy pineapple and fennel; Barú style ceviche with seasonal fish, mango niche coconut and lychee; Peruvian Chupe with grilled octopus; braised pork in coffee and sugar cane reduction. And for a double dessert; Ecuadorian cocoa truffle with patagonian sea salt crystals and olive oil followed by Avocado and Aguardiente ice cream.

The menu changes every 2 or 3 months and is only accessible by reservation. If a diner has any allergies or is vegetarian they can inform the chef in advance. While i Latina is by reservation only, it is not a “closed door restaurant”. Just make sure to pick a date and make your reservation.

Address: Murillo 725 – Villa Crespo.

 

I Latina - Ceviche de Baru con pesca de temporada, mango biche coco y lychee.

 

BASA

With a distinctly New York feel, Basa Basement Bar & Restaurant is a cool upmarket place for a meal and a drink in Recoleta. The music tends to be fast and furious with lots of drum and bass and the gourmet food -- think tapas, pastas, grilled meats and heavenly desserts -- skews Mediterranean. Though their cocktails are good and the wine list is extensive, you can find many types of liquor there that other places in Buenos Aires lack. Once you descend the steps you'll find a dining area towards the front, seating with low couches in the middle and the bar towards the back, but this is one basement you won't want to leave.

Basa can get packed on weekend nights, but as long as you have a seat, it's all good. Dinner reservations are generally recommended; however, they are essential on weekends."

Address: 1328 Basavilbaso – Retiro. Buenos Aires.

 

Cynthia, Carola and Silvina, foodies at Elena- Four Seasons

CHILA

Chila is considered one of the best restaurants in Latin America. Chila serves modern Argentine cuisine, including steak from Buenos Aires, trout from Bariloche and vieras from Usuahia, but the menu changes each season, incorporating different local products.

Many of the dishes are beautifully presented. The restaurant's décor is modern and upscale; it is not minimalist per se but they keep it simple and classy, paying attention to textures. Ask to sit by the window to enjoy a view of the water. While Chila is only open for dinner, it is open every day.

Address: 1160 Alicia Moreau de Justo – Puerto Madero.

 

Table at Chila - Puerto Madero.

Tarquino

 

A leader in the Nueva Cocina Argentina movement, chef Dante Liporace does classic Argentine food a different way, especially with his inventive Sequence of the Cow menu: a tasting menu that features nine courses each paying homage to Argentina’s most prized food possession

Address: Rodríguez Peña 1967. Recoleta.

Feel free to contact us for recommendations and our opinion about great dining restaurants of Buenos Aires.