El Hornero Tucumano ★ 4.0
Balvanera empanada counter doing the Tucuman canon at lunch-budget prices. Stand-up service, half-dozen empanadas plus a humita at working-lunch cost.
Try: Tucumana empanadas, humitas
El Imperio de la Pizza is an argentine pizza al molde budget eat in Almagro, Buenos Aires.
Almagro pizzeria on Corrientes for the classic cheap-and-fast porteno move: a cuarta of mozzarella plus a slice of faina, eaten standing at the counter.
Address: Avenida Corrientes 3893, C1194 Buenos Aires
Balvanera empanada counter doing the Tucuman canon at lunch-budget prices. Stand-up service, half-dozen empanadas plus a humita at working-lunch cost.
Try: Tucumana empanadas, humitas
Stand-up pizza al molde since 1934. Order a cuarta de muzza or fugazzeta at the counter, fold and eat with a tin of moscato. Sit-down dining at the back.
Try: Pizza al molde (cuarta de muzza)
Corrientes institution since 1932 with two-tier service: stand-up counter slices for a few dollars, sit-down tables and full pies at the back.
Try: Pizza al molde (fugazzeta rellena)
Belgrano R milanesa hall: 20-plus toppings (napolitana, fugazzeta, calabresa), generous portions, beer-and-fries combos, packed with locals weeknights.
Try: Milanesa napolitana
La Boca bodegon since 1954. Soccer scarves on the walls, simple parrilla, daily specials chalked up; a famous Bono and Bourdain pilgrimage stop.
Try: Bife de chorizo and mashed potatoes
Chef-driven choripan counter from Pedro Pena and German Sitz: house-made sausages, four pickles, three chimichurris; the cheapest meal at Palermo quality.
Try: Choripan with house sausage