Dining in Buenos Aires

Tips for having an enjoyable dining experience in Buenos Aires.

Generally, given the exchange rate, eating in Buenos Aires is quite a bargain.
No matter what neighborhood you visit, you will find good cafés and restaurants. Parrillas are tipically small restaurants that specialize in grilled sausages and meats. Empanada and pizza shops are common, and are often open late. Empanadas are small pastries filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables. They are delicious and make a great snack or light meal. Excellent pastry shops abound. Try the facturas (like a danish), and tartas (like quiche). You will also find carry-out restaurants, providing food to go (comida para llevar), with a varity of meat, vegetable and dessert selectons. This is convenient if you want to dine in your apartment or hotel room.
In most neighborhood restaurants, the servers do not speak English. Some can provide a menu in English. My goal here is to provide some descriptions and definitions - in English, that might make ordering food a little easier and more enjoyable. I have taken a menu from a typical café, embellished and translated it. The banner on the left will take you to a section on fruits, vegetables, condiments, spices, and meats other than beef.
¡Buen provecho!

Tridente Bar

Café - Restaurante
Sándwiches - sandwiches
Cocido y queso - ham (jamón) & cheese
Crudo y queso - prosciutto & cheese
Atún huevo y tomate - tuna, egg & tomato
Pollo tomate y huevo - chicken, tomato & egg
Medialuna de Jamón y queso - ham & cheese croissant
Tostado mixto - toasted ham & cheese
Sándwiches c/guarnación de fritas - sandwiches & fries
Hamburguesa - hamburger
Hamburguesa c/ jamón y queso - burger w/ ham & cheese
Lomito - filet mignon (small)
Lomito c/ jamón y queso - filet mignon w/ ham & cheese
Churrasquito - little t-bone
Milanesa c/ lechuga y tomate - breaded meat w/ lettuce & tomato
Para Acompa�ar - side dishes
Arroz blanco - white rice
Papas fritas - French fries
Papas al horno - potato pieces - baked
Puré de papas - mashed potatoes
Puré de calabaza - pureed squash (like acorn squash)
Puré de espinaca - pureed spinach
Puré mixto - pureed mixed vegetables
Puré Tricolor - pureed potato, spinach, & squash
Huevo frito o duro - fried or hard-boiled egg
Empanadas - small pastry filled with meat, cheese, or veg's.
Carne - meat (ground beef)
Carne y aceituna - ground beef and green olive
Jamón y queso - ham & cheese
Verdura - vegetable (spinach)
Pollo - chicken
Humita - mashed corn & other ingredients
Queso y cebolla - cheese and onion
Queso tomate y albahaca - cheese, tomato, & basil
Mini Tartas Light - like croissant sandwiches
Jamón y queso - ham & cheese
Espinaca y calabaza - spinach and squash
Zapallitos - zucchini
Cebolla y queso - onion & cheese
Vegetales \ Puerro \ Pollo - vegetables \ leek \ chicken
Parrilla - from the grille
Asado de Tira - rib roast, short rib roast
Vacio - flank steak
Bife de chorizo - strip steak
Bife de costilla - t-bone
Bife de lomo - tenderloin, filet mignon
Bife angosto - porterhouse steak
Bife ancho - thin part of flank steak
Chorizo - spicy sausage
Salchicha parrillera - pork sausage
Chinchulines de ternera - veal entrails
Mollejas (de corazón)- sweetbreads (heart)
Pescados - fish
Merluza y calabaza - hake & acorn squash
Abadejo - grouper
Lenguado - sole
Salmón - salmon
Langostinos - prawns
Bacalao - codfish
Ensaladas - salads
Ensalada verde - green salad
Ensalada mixta - mixed - usually lettuce, tomato & onion; also may have carrots & beets
Completa - lots of things, & maybe hard boiled egg
Waldorf - Waldorf salad
Postres - desserts
Flan casero - homemade flan
Ensalada de frutas - fruit salad
Helado artesanal - hand-made ice cream
Mousse de chocolate - chocolate mousse
Bebidas - beverages
Agua con gas - carbonated water
Agua sin gas - bottled water
Jugo de naranja \ pomelo - orange juice \ grapefruit
Licuado (con leche \ con agua) - fruit smoothie (made with milk or water)
Café - coffee
Gaseosas \ Refrescos - sodas or colas
Cerveza - beer
Vino - wine