The bodegón with hearty dishes that feels like a trip back in time

Dining out doesn’t usually require much more than this: sit at a table, pick a dish you like, try it, have it meet your expectations, and enjoy pleasant service. But in some cases, the experience offers something extra. That’s what happens at El Boyo, a bodegón in La Plata that was born as such and has never pretended to be anything else — inviting you to enjoy a hearty meal while traveling back in time.

El Boyo, One of the Best Bodegones in La Plata

History is part of the identity of this corner in Villa Elisa. This is where Don Gaudino’s general store —the first in the area— once operated. The spot was located along the old Camino Real, which connected the city with the rest of the country, making it a must-stop for travelers.

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It also became the place that safeguarded for years the few pieces of furniture rescued from the fire that destroyed the Palacio Uriburu, which belonged to Francisco Uriburu and his daughter Elisa —the namesake of this town.

“People choose El Boyo because they feel like they’re entering a museum where everything can be touched. Everything can be read, you can take photos, and spend a moment in the past without any restrictions,” explains Lisandro Arnold, the owner.

"At El Boyo, everything can be read, you can take photos, and step back into the past for a while without any restrictions"

Stepping into El Boyo truly feels like going back in time: there’s an old candy counter offering treats to children, and countless objects from bygone days that draw the eye and attention of everyone who visits.

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On the walls, you’ll find old black-and-white photos, enamel signs from famous brands, and even vintage editions of Periquita and Billiken magazines. By the entrance, there’s a mailbox, a kerosene pump from a well-known brand, antique telephones, and even a circus clown figure.

A Bodegón Where Tango Takes Center Stage

As if all this history weren’t enough, El Boyo has a special section called Los Cafetines, dedicated to tango, where the first thing you notice is an old record player spinning genre classics on vinyl. This part of the restaurant once housed a boarding house where Mercedes Simone —better known as La Dama del Tango, an iconic singer in Argentina and Latin America— once lived.

“I always say we’re not a bodegón designed by architects and decorators. We’re a little piece of history, facing a plaza, on a corner that smells of memories,” says Lisandro, adding that La Plata’s Department of Culture officially named the site The Tango Corner.

"We are a little piece of history, facing a plaza, on a corner that smells of memories"

Nostalgic details include peanut shells on the floor, coffee served from a kettle, a small glass of liqueur to finish the meal, wine poured into traditional penguin pitchers, and flan prepared in recycled quince paste tins.

What to Eat at El Boyo

As any good bodegón should, El Boyo’s menu has two defining traits: generous portions and classic flavors. Think pasta with beef stew slow-cooked for four hours, or massive 18-slice pizzas (60 cm in diameter) perfect for sharing with family or friends, served alongside a cold draft Imperial beer.

“One of our most requested dishes is the empanadas. We have the Pitusas, with 400 grams of filling that includes breaded beef, French fries, onions, bacon, and cheddar cheese. There’s also our chicken-and-leek empanada, which was voted one of the best by a well-known cooking channel. We make everything ourselves —nothing is bought ready-made for resale. Something I often hear from customers is that it’s cheaper to eat at El Boyo than to cook at home,” Lisandro adds.

"We prepare every dish ourselves; nothing is bought to be resold"

The menu names themselves deserve a mention. For dessert, you can order a Chumbazo —a chocolate truffle with ice cream, walnuts, almonds, and red berry cream. If you’re a milanesa fan, the Tracalada is a must, topped with ham, mozzarella, tomato, and chopped egg. For something more elaborate, El Polaco is irresistible: beef tenderloin wrapped in bacon, with mushroom sauce and French fries.

El Boyo is more than just a place to eat hearty, flavorful food —it’s somewhere you can visit any time you want to reconnect with pieces of the past that, while they may seem like distant memories, are still alive on this corner of Villa Elisa.

Where: Calle 6 & 50, Villa Elisa, La Plata.