Foodies Paradise: San Telmo
To us wine and food go hand in hand, so throughout our mad search for wine in Buenos Aires, we've kept a discerning eye out for delicious places to eat along the way. So far, we've found some of our favorite places within a few blocks of each other in San Telmo. From curries to pizzas, to an understated but delicious Parilla, it's all here.
- Bar Seddon- Dark wood, dim candle-light and antique decor make this open-air bar/restaurant one of our favorite stops. The chicken with mushroom sauce and mashed pumpkin was a creative deviation from traditional Porteño fare and my cheese raviolis with a tomato/beet sauce was delish. They also offered a chopped salad with beets, carrots and tomatoes which was a great relief after days of menus with little to no vegetables.
- Desnivel Parilla- What a gem! We stumbled upon this place during the San Telmo street fair and as soon as we saw the line out the door we decided to stop in. Inside it was packed with old and young, locals and tourists and what it lacked in atmosphere (somewhat cramped, plain and a little dingy), it certainly made up for in cuisine. They offer nearly any cut of meat you can imagine, all of which are conveniently displayed in a meat cooler by the door. After seeing the portions, Jeff and I decided to split the bife de lomo con papas (filet with potatoes) and after polishing off the whole thing we agreed that it was one of our best meaty meals yet.
- Gibralter- Unmarked except for a big lantern outside, the ambiance is quintessential English Pub. The dark wood bar and booths, well-worn couches, low-lit lamps, and futbol on corner TVs are a heavenly respite from the streets, but it's the cheap beer and food that really set this place apart.
Pints of Quilmes are just $10 AR and the Red Vegetable Curry is hands-down my favorite meal yet. The fresh vegetables were coated in a creamy curry which had the perfect amount of spice, but we didn't need to wipe our brow or slam our beers. To complete the dish, they served plain noodles and peanuts in a separate bowl so we could add the curry and veggies as we needed.
- La Continental- A classic Buenos Aires pizza and empanada joint and our first taste of both Porteño favorites. Delivery motorbikes line up outside and a scene from an old movie featuring the restaurant covers an entire wall. We wanted to try a bit of everything so we ordered the carne, vegetable and caprese empanadas and a Napolitana pizza slice. They all came out piping hot and fresh, but the caprese empanada and pizza were our favorites.
