While in Buenos Aires in March 2018, I had the opportunity to share in some very fun and enjoyable dining experiences. Two especially of note are Cafe Tortoni and Parrila Pena.
The Cafe Tortoni is a coffeehouse located at 825 Avenida de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The café itself was Inspired by Fin de siecle coffee houses and was selected by UCityGuides as one of the ten most beautiful cafes in the world.
The Cafe dates from 1858, and the name was taken from an establishment on Boulevard des Italiens, where the elites of Parisian culture would once gather. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the cafe was frequented by a group of painters, writers, journalists and musicians who formed the Agrupación de Gente de Artes y Letras (Arts and Letters Association).
Parrilla Pena is a very local establishment (only Spanish spoken) located at Rodriquez Pena 682 in Buenos Aries. It was packed at lunch and I dined on tenderloin and papas fritas with an empanada appetizer. The meal and atmosphere were perfect for my first meal in Argentina.