Gastro World Cup in Buenos Aires: Where to Eat Across the Tournament Bracket

Despite being one of Argentina's classic football rivals thanks to several unforgettable finals, Germany's culinary presence in Buenos Aires remains surprisingly limited. One landmark restaurant helping to close that gap is Extrawurst, a Microcentro institution. Its menu features a wide variety of bratwursts (the iconic German sausages), served alongside traditional potato salad, cabbage, and sauerkraut. If you're dining with friends, order a tasting platter to sample a bit of everything. Keep an eye on their online shop, where you can buy sausages to grill at home.

Extrawurst

Tres Sargentos 427, Retiro.

An eternal football rivalry and a shared passion unite Argentina and Brazil. Yet Brazilian cuisine remains largely unexplored in Buenos Aires. Its blend of Portuguese, Indigenous, and African influences creates a colorful and nuanced culinary tradition that deserves much more attention. Roberto Menezes Mathias, the driving force behind Robertinho Food, has become one of its leading ambassadors in the city and recommends feijoada as the essential dish for first-timers. Another specialty that instantly transports you to São Paulo is the coxinha, the beloved fried dough croquette stuffed with shredded chicken.

Robertinho Food

Ciudad de la Paz 2130, Stalls 24 and 25, Mercado de Belgrano.

Just as Colombia's national football team is known for its technical flair, its cuisine stands out for abundance, vibrant colors, and the warmth of its Caribbean and Andean roots. Thanks to recent immigration, Buenos Aires now offers excellent examples of Colombian cooking. At Los Guaduales, the community's most popular gathering spot, the star of the menu is the bandeja paisa: a generous feast featuring rice, beans, meat, crispy pork belly, fried egg, and sweet plantains. To start, you can't go wrong with crunchy tostones or corn arepas, ideally paired with an ice-cold beer or a refreshing lulo juice, made from a fruit that resembles a tomato on the inside and a persimmon or small orange on the outside.

Los Guaduales

Uruguay 943, Retiro.

Korean cuisine may be the immigrant food scene that has grown the most in recent years. Once concentrated almost exclusively in Bajo Flores, it has now spread across the city. The richness and diversity of Korean gastronomy make it difficult to summarize in a single recommendation—and that's exactly why Time Out already has a dedicated guide.

To understand the hype surrounding Korean fried chicken, start at Maniko. Its ultra-crispy fried chicken is tender inside and coated in sweet-and-spicy or fiery sauces. For a more traditional experience, Biwon is a must. This temple of Korean cuisine serves classic banchan (the small side dishes that fill the table) alongside tabletop Korean barbecue. Finish your culinary tour at Gurum Café, the perfect place for Asian pastries and specialty coffee.

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Maniko

Pasaje Ruperto Godoy 733, Flores.

Bi won

Junín 548, Retiro.

Café Gurum

Concordia 559 2°, Floresta.

A national team that looks poised to become South America's next big surprise deserves not one but two culinary ambassadors in Buenos Aires.

The first is a restaurant dedicated to Ecuador's national icon: ceviche. At La Cevichería, they prepare it beautifully. Order the house trilogy and pay special attention to the Jipijapa, whose peanut-based sauce is truly unforgettable.

When temperatures drop and comfort food becomes essential, head to Sazón de Mamá. Their encebollado—a fish stew with cassava and onions—is famously restorative, while classics like hornado and traditional fanesca round out the menu.

La Cevichería

Serrano 971, Villa Crespo.

Sazón de Mamá

Av. Pueyrredón 659, Balvanera.

Buenos Aires has a long tradition of Middle Eastern cuisine, but El Egipcio is the city's first grill focused specifically on the flavors of Cairo. Run by its owners, this restaurant revolves around live-fire cooking. The menu ranges from traditional kofta (lightly spiced minced-meat skewers) to shish taouk (marinated chicken skewers) and its signature lamb ribs. Complete the feast with hummus, mutabal (smoked eggplant dip), and shawarma, all elevated by spices imported directly from Egypt.

El Egipcio

Palestina 1107, Villa Crespo.

Spain is by far the hardest country to reduce to a single recommendation, given the immense diversity of Iberian cuisine represented in Buenos Aires.

For Basque traditions, Iñaki is the striker that never misses. Chef Matías Cucco continues to expand its reputation with standout rice dishes, octopus, and Spanish omelets.

For Catalan cuisine, El Casal remains San Telmo's great stronghold, celebrated for its impeccable socarrat and a crispy suckling pig so tender it can be cut with the edge of a plate.

And for a taste of Spain's heartland, El Burladero is impossible to overlook, thanks to its seafood fideuà and rich callos a la madrileña.

Iñaki

Posadas 1052, Retiro.

El Casal

Chacabuco 863, San Telmo.

El Burladero

Uriburu 1488, Recoleta.

Our American representative pays tribute to New Orleans, arguably the richest culinary city in the United States when it comes to Creole cooking.

NOLA specializes in Cajun cuisine, a style that may sound exotic but shares the same DNA as Argentina's beloved neighborhood eateries: rustic, spicy, hearty, and deeply comforting flavors. The setting and service, however, lean toward a casual street-food vibe.

The must-order dish is gumbo, a thick, spice-laden stew made with sausage, chicken, or seafood and served over rice. Its fried chicken—whether in a basket or a sandwich—is among the best in the city, especially when paired with one of the house-made sauces.

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NOLA

Gorriti 4389, Palermo.

First, we must acknowledge the historical prestige of French gastronomy. Second: France.

Putting World Cup rivalries aside, Brasserie La Petanque remains the city's great ambassador of traditional French cuisine. Located in Monserrat, its dining room overflows with warmth and energy thanks to its charismatic host, Pascal Meyer.

When Buenos Aires temperatures begin to drop, ordering a soupe à l'oignon (French onion soup gratinée) at the bar becomes almost mandatory. The classics are equally dependable: pâté en croûte, a steaming boeuf bourguignon, and tender duck confit.

Brasserie La Petanque

Defensa 596, Monserrat.

You don't need to travel to London to understand Britain's love affair with curry—a relationship born from colonial history that has become an everyday part of British identity.

At Mash British Curry House, the experience is complete: an intimate dining room with subtle vintage touches where the star attraction is the chicken tikka masala, featuring yogurt-marinated chicken in a creamy tomato-and-spice sauce.

More complex curries also shine, including the aromatic massaman and the spicy beef panang, both inspired by Southeast Asian flavors. Since the restaurant has only a handful of tables, reservations are essential.

Mash British Curry House

Defensa 1338, San Telmo.

Japan is one of those teams that always threatens to pull off an upset on the pitch, but at Buenos Aires dining tables it is no longer a rising contender—it is an established powerhouse. Given the vastness of Japanese cuisine, the best way to approach it is through its specialties.

For ramen and takoyaki (those addictive octopus-filled street-food balls), Mirutaki sets the standard with its captivating anime-inspired aesthetic. If you're craving yakitori, Tori Tori is the undisputed mecca of charcoal-grilled skewers. When it comes to sushi, setting aside the city's exclusive omakase experiences, the best value for money belongs to the classic dining room at Nikkai Shokudo. And as a late-game substitute, Enso stands out in Villa Urquiza by combining the izakaya format (Japanese tavern) with deeply satisfying comfort food.

Mirutaki

Carranza 2339, Palermo.

Tori Tori

Ecuador 1175, Recoleta.

Nikkai Shokudo

Av. Independencia 732, San Telmo.

Enso

Holmberg 2248, Villa Urquiza.

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If Argentina proudly boasts its World Cup titles, Mexico can do the same with a cuisine recognized as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. While the city offers countless Mexican restaurants, Taquería Díaz stands out for its strictly handcrafted approach, its devotion to street-style tacos, and an atmosphere that transports diners straight to a cantina in Mexico City.

This is more than a restaurant—it is a celebration of Mexican culture. The house trophy is the suadero taco, a slow-cooked delicacy that is notoriously difficult to find in Buenos Aires. It goes head-to-head with classics like tacos al pastor and contemporary options such as grilled sweet potato or crispy cauliflower tacos.

Taquería Díaz

Av. Monroe 3915, Villa Urquiza.

A resilient team on the football field and a remarkably generous culture in the kitchen. Despite its proximity to Argentina, Paraguayan cuisine often remains confined to home cooking, yet it is full of surprises and built around a deep devotion to corn and cassava.

The leading ambassador of this culinary identity in Buenos Aires is Karu. Its display cases showcase flawless versions of classic staples such as sopa paraguaya and chipa guazú. To fully immerse yourself in Paraguayan culture, however, you should venture into the main dishes: the glorious vorí vorí, a rich chicken broth filled with corn-and-cheese dumplings, or payagua mascada, an unbeatable croquette made from cassava and seasoned ground beef.

Karu

Constitución 2733, San Cristóbal.

Buenos Aires owes Portugal an apology. For decades, dishes labeled “Portuguese-style” bore little resemblance to actual Portuguese cuisine.

Today, the closest thing to an authentic taste of Portugal is Amo Resto, a classic neighborhood eatery located inside the Portuguese Club of Caballito. Here, you can enjoy bolinhos de bacalhau (codfish fritters) and the iconic pastel de Belém alongside an eclectic menu that also includes pasta, milanesas, and rice dishes.

Amo Restaurante

Av. Pedro Goyena 1468, Caballito.

Swedish cuisine deserved a place in this fixture. Its national team promises consistency, and the local food scene safeguards a golden secret.

At the historic Swedish Club, the ultimate experience is the smörgåsbord: an impressive all-you-can-eat buffet where salmon lovers—whether they prefer it cured, smoked, or pickled as herring—reach a state of pure bliss.

Following the closure of the beloved restaurant Sál, neighboring Norway's cuisine no longer has a permanent embassy in the city, and tracking down an authentic fårikål (the country's iconic lamb-and-cabbage winter stew) has become increasingly difficult. The best alternative is to follow the social media channels of the Norwegian Embassy, which regularly organizes pop-ups and food fairs throughout the year.

Club Sueco

Azopardo 1428, San Telmo.

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Long before the trend of heating half a wheel of cheese, scraping it onto potatoes, and flooding Instagram feeds took over, one restaurant had already embraced the ritual from day one.

A decade later, Je Suis Raclette has become an unquestionable classic inside San Telmo Market. Beyond the irresistible spectacle of melted cheese, the menu is worth exploring in depth. Highlights include Zürcher Geschnetzeltes (delicate strips of veal in a creamy mushroom and white wine sauce) and the inventive rösti pizza, which replaces traditional dough with a crispy grated-potato base. To finish, the chocolate fondue provides the perfect finale to this Swiss culinary journey.

Je Suis Raclette

Bolívar 954, Mercado de San Telmo.