First things first — what exactly is a tostado? Alongside café con leche and the medialuna, it’s a key part of Buenos Aires’ food identity. A classic of everyday life, it can appear at breakfast, a quick lunch, or afternoon snack. At its core, it’s a grilled white-bread sandwich simply filled with cooked ham and melted cheese.
Its story dates back to Italian immigration, which brought the tramezzino to Argentina. At first, the tostado was a luxury item — served only in distinguished cafés and functioning as a symbol of urban sophistication. The local twist was to toast that delicate triangular sandwich, often brushed with a thin layer of butter to achieve the golden sheen that became its hallmark.
Over time, the tostado became democratized, no longer confined to historic cafés. Today it’s enjoying a new chapter, appearing in specialty coffee shops and modern bars that play with the original recipe. You’ll find it made with pita, brioche, or sourdough bread; filled with tomatoes, cheese blends, vegetarian variations without ham, or even chef-style sauces. Of course, mixto purists will say that with such tweaks, it shouldn’t even be called tostado.
Whether paired with a double espresso, a glass bottle of Coke, or a cold beer, the tostado remains a porteño ritual. In this guide, we spotlight the classics that never disappoint — and a few modern twists worth trying.
