10 cafe rooms in Buenos Aires we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in Buenos Aires | Cafe across every city.
The cafe notable is a protected institution in Buenos Aires, and the grand historic rooms still set the tone. Gran Cafe Tortoni on Avenida de Mayo and Cafe de los Angelitos in the Microcentro are the postcard rooms, while La Biela in Recoleta and Las Violetas in Almagro hold their own crowds. San Telmo keeps the lower-key end alive, with Bar El Federal on Carlos Calvo and La Poesia on Chile.
Gran Cafe Tortoni ★ 4.4
microcentro · Avenida de Mayo 825, C1084 Buenos Aires
The oldest cafe in Buenos Aires, founded 1858 and on Avenida de Mayo since 1880. Cafe Notable, a Site of Cultural Interest; Borges and Gardel were regulars.
Cafe de los Angelitos ★ 4.1
microcentro · Avenida Rivadavia 2100, C1034 Buenos Aires
Cafe Notable at Rivadavia and Rincon, opened 1890 and rebuilt in 2007 after demolition. Gardel and Pugliese were regulars; upstairs tango show runs nightly.
La Biela ★ 4.2
recoleta · Avenida Presidente Manuel Quintana 600, C1014 Buenos Aires
Cafe Notable opposite Recoleta Cemetery, on Quintana and Junin since 1850. Renamed La Biela in the 1950s for its racing-driver clientele; Borges wrote here.
Las Violetas ★ 4.5
almagro · Avenida Rivadavia 3899, C1204 Buenos Aires
Voted best Cafe Notable in Buenos Aires, opened 21 September 1884 at Rivadavia and Medrano. Belle-epoque stained glass, Italian marble, legendary merienda.
Bar El Federal ★ 4.3
san-telmo · Carlos Calvo 599, C1102 Buenos Aires
One of the oldest bar-restaurants in BA, opened 1864 as a general store and rebuilt as the present Italianate corner. Bar Notable, Site of Cultural Interest.
La Poesia ★ 4.0
san-telmo · Chile 502, C1098 Buenos Aires
Bar Notable on the Chile and Bolivar corner of San Telmo; a small bohemian room declared a Site of Cultural Interest. Worn wood, soft lamps, slow Sundays.
LAttente Caffe ★ 4.4
palermo-soho · Costa Rica 4863, C1414 Buenos Aires
Specialty Palermo coffee bar from the LAB Tostadores roastery, a standard-bearer for third-wave coffee in BA. Filter, espresso, baked goods; laptops welcome.
El Gato Negro ★ 4.2
microcentro · Avenida Corrientes 1669, C1042 Buenos Aires
Cafe Notable since 1928 on Corrientes, half spice merchant and half cafe. Wood shelves of imported coffee and tea, marble counter, theatre lunch crowd.
El Preferido (cafe service) ★ 4.3
palermo-soho · Jorge Luis Borges 2108, C1425 Buenos Aires
Pablo Rivero's Palermo bodegon doubles as a morning and aperitif cafe with the 1952 marble counter. Sit at the bar for vermouth and tortilla pre-lunch.
El Preferido (cafe corner) ★ 4.3
palermo-soho · Jorge Luis Borges 2108, C1425 Buenos Aires
El Preferido (cafe corner) in Buenos Aires: Most visitors come for dinner; the morning-and-aperitif counter at the original 1952 bar is the locals' move.