Eat in Microcentro, Buenos Aires

El Cuartito ★ 4.3

Buenos Aires' canonical pizza al molde pizzeria since 1934. Thick-crust mozzarella, fugazzeta and faina at stand-up counters; sit-down tables in the back.

Signature: Fugazzeta, Mozzarella, Faina

Pizzeria Guerrin ★ 4.3

Corrientes pizzeria since 1932, cited with El Cuartito as a BA pizza al molde institution. Stand-up counter for cuarta-de-muzza, sit-down tables at the back.

Signature: Fugazzeta rellena, Muzza, Faina

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)

Cafe de los Angelitos ★ 4.1

Cafe Notable at Rivadavia and Rincon, opened 1890 and rebuilt in 2007 after demolition. Gardel and Pugliese were regulars; upstairs tango show runs nightly.

Signature drink: Cafe con leche and medialunas

El Gato Negro ★ 4.2

Cafe Notable since 1928 on Corrientes, half spice merchant and half cafe. Wood shelves of imported coffee and tea, marble counter, theatre lunch crowd.

Signature drink: Spiced cafe and exotic teas

Havanna (flagship) ★ 4.0

Argentina's most recognised alfajor brand, founded 1948 in Mar del Plata. Now in every airport; the Florida pedestrian-street store is the busiest outpost.

Worth the queue: Alfajor de chocolate con dulce de leche

All Saints Cafe ★ 4.3

All Saints Cafe specialty roastery and espresso-and-filter bar on Av. Corrientes, focused on light-roast single origins; a downtown barista hangout.

Sources from: Colombia, Ethiopia

How they serve: Espresso, Filter

Aldo's Vinoteca ★ 4.6

Aldo Graziani's wine-led restaurant in Monserrat: 600-plus labels selected via blind tasting; bottles at retail plus modest corkage. Deep by-the-glass list.

Signature pour: Cabernet Franc from Lujan de Cuyo

Wine focus: Argentine focus, 600-plus labels, Malbec and Cabernet Franc

Food: Argentine bistro with parrilla

★ 4.2

Mate-ritual walking tour through downtown Cafes Notables: Cafe Tortoni, El Gato Negro and Cafe de los Angelitos plus an introduction to drinking yerba mate.

Buenos Aires Celebra Italia ★ 4.1

One Sunday celebration of Italian-Argentine identity along Avenida de Mayo. Free street fair with Italian-Argentine pasta, pizza al molde, gelato and music; one of the biggest Buenos Aires Celebra heritage Sundays.

El Cuartito ★ 4.3

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)

Pizzeria Guerrin ★ 4.3

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)

Pizzeria Guerrin ★ 4.3

Corrientes 1932 pizzeria, the canonical post-theatre slice. Cuarta de muzza standing at the counter; full sit-down service in the back room until close.

Try: Cuarta de muzza and fugazzeta rellena

El Cuartito ★ 4.3

Microcentro pizzeria since 1934, open until 01:30 daily. Fugazzeta and faina, paper napkins, tin tabletops; reliable mid-Corrientes post-club move.

Try: Fugazzeta and faina

Cafe de los Angelitos (tango show) ★ 4.2

Nightly tango show in the upstairs theatre of Cafe de los Angelitos. Dinner-and-show packages or show-only ticketing.

Los Galgos ★ 4.2

Bar Notable on Callao reopened after closure, runs late and lively. Cocktail program plus bar food until 02:00.