Las Violetas ★ 4.5
Voted best Cafe Notable in Buenos Aires, opened 21 September 1884 at Rivadavia and Medrano. Belle-epoque stained glass, Italian marble, legendary merienda.
Signature drink: Merienda (tea, medialunas, tea sandwiches)
History
Italian immigrants brought gelato in the late 19th century and Argentine helado is a direct descendant: similar texture and density, but the Argentine version evolved its own canon led by dulce de leche granizado (caramel ice cream with chocolate chips). Cadore on Corrientes (since 1957), Volta and Rapanui became the gold-standard chains; small palerma artesanal shops compete for the best-dulce-de-leche-in-BA crown each summer.
Common allergens: Dairy
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 500ml whole milk
- 200ml double cream
- 150g sugar
- 5 egg yolks
- 300g dulce de leche (shop-bought or homemade)
- 100g dark chocolate, chopped into shards (the granizado)
- Pinch of salt
Method
- Warm milk and cream in a pan until just steaming, not boiling.
- Whisk yolks with sugar until pale. Slowly pour the warm milk over the yolks while whisking.
- Return to low heat. Cook gently, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard coats the back, 80-82C. Do not boil.
- Take off the heat. Stir in dulce de leche and salt until smooth. Strain into a bowl.
- Cover with cling film touching the surface. Chill 4 hours or overnight.
- Churn in an ice-cream machine 25-30 minutes. In the last 2 minutes, add the chopped chocolate shards.
- Transfer to a container, press cling film over the surface and freeze 2 hours to firm up.
Tip from the editors. Dulce de leche granizado, not chocolate chips: the Argentine version uses chocolate shards that shatter, not round chips.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Where to eat helado artesanal
Helado Artesanal in Buenos Aires
Gran Cafe Tortoni ★ 4.4
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.
Signature drink: Submarino (hot milk with chocolate bar)
La Biela ★ 4.2
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.
Signature drink: Cafe and tres medialunas
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