Where's Hot In Buenos Aires?

Buenos Aires is one of Latin America’s most popular tourism destinations, and with the 2016 World Cup in Brazil sending prices shooting up in that country, it is likely to see an upsurge of visitors. The city is divided into 48 separate barrios, or neighbourhoods, each of which offers something different to the newcomer. For anyone visiting the city soon, here is some advice on where to head in the evenings, some of the hottest joints in Buenos Aires at the moment.

Restaurants

Closed-door restaurants are a major trend in Buenos Aires right now. These are usually very small places, sometimes only a few tables, and often in someone’s front room. They are in effect paying dinner parties, unofficial and advertised through word-of-mouth or guerilla marketing. Many amateur chefs unable to find work are showcasing their skills this way, and you’ll often get a fantastic meal for a low price.

A good example is NOLA, run by a New Orleans chef and serving Creole, Mexican and French-style food. The menu is complemented by an excellent wine selection, and they’ve recently launched a beer-tasting night too.

For a more traditional restaurant experience, try Honor y Causa (In honour of good food) in Palermo. Serving innovative Argentine cuisine freshly made from local ingredients, the young chefs who run this place are considered rising stars in the restaurant industry. The meals are beautifully presented, in a calm, cool space clearly designed to make the food the centre of attention.

Bars

Like any major capital city, Buenos Aires in the evenings positively hums with activity. The bar scene is ever-changing, but one constant seems to be a love of well-made cocktails, often combined with tapas.

Sometimes the best (and cheapest) nights out are to be found in dingy dives with friendly locals, but for an upscale drinking experience, search out Floreria Atlantico. In a charming nod to speakeasies past, you enter the bar through a freezer door in the back of a flower shop, before finding yourself in a dark basement with walls covered in graffiti. Popularised by BA’s hip young things, a grill at the back provides traditional meaty snacks to keep you going, while an extensive cocktail menu is ordered by country of origin.

Rey de Copas, or King of Cups, is a bohemian art-bar in Palermo. With a distinctly Mediterranean feel, works of art dominate every available space making you feel as though you’re drinking in a gallery or museum. It’s rare to see cocktails that have been barrel-aged, but that’s what they do here, and the results are especially tasty.

Nightclubs

After-hours there’s something for everyone in Buenos Aires. This is one of Latin America’s most vibrant cities and there’s a massive selection of music to be heard here, and places to hear it. One of the most unique and entertaining is Fiesta Bauamara, a Balkan Gypsy night that alternates venues a couple of times a month, so you need to work to track it down. Live bands and djs play traditional bouncy music that is guaranteed to have you dancing all night. A great mixed crowd attends, and it’s always full of mad energy. Bring flat shoes, and clothes you don’t mind getting drenched in beer and sweat, and prepare to have a good time.

The best thing about Voodoo Motel, besides an eclectic and unpredictable music style and decent pricing, is the snacks you can enjoy away from the dancefloor. There’s a restaurant, a cocktail bar, and even a sushi joint which may seem strange for a club, but in BA makes perfect sense!

Get the best out of Buenos Aires with an action-packed itinerary from Trek America. View online for more details.