Restaurants near Avenida Corrientes for dinner before or after the theatre

As soon as it opened, the food hall at Complejo La Plaza quickly established itself as a favourite in the neighbourhood. Designed to bring together a variety of dining concepts, its offerings range from Buenos Aires classics to contemporary culinary ventures.

Among its highlights is Los Platitos 57, the iconic steakhouse formerly located along the waterfront, famous for its traditional steak sandwich. The line-up also includes burgers from Gordis, ceviche from Asu Mare, baos from Koko, New York-style pizza from La Fina, vermouth from Sifón, and ice cream from Scannapieco.

Top tip: Don't miss the steak sandwich with Provençal-style garlic and parsley sauce at Los Platitos 57.

Where: Av. Corrientes 1660, San Nicolás.

Founded in 1907 and relocated to its current corner on Libertad Street in 1933, Zum Edelweiss is a true piece of Buenos Aires history. It has preserved its old-world charm, complete with wood-panelled interiors and classic Thonet chairs. Once a favourite haunt of performers from Teatro Colón and the theatres along Corrientes, the restaurant still offers a menu featuring more than 150 dishes.

Its culinary offering has remained virtually unchanged for decades. With draught beer served through a 250-metre cooling coil, its specialities include Bavarian sausages with sauerkraut and smoked pork shoulder.

Top tip: Order the Kassler, a smoked pork chop served with sausage and sauerkraut.

Where: Libertad 431, San Nicolás.

A landmark of Buenos Aires' dining scene, Los Galgos was among the first of the city's historic cafés to reinvent traditional recipes using premium ingredients and refined cooking techniques. Its dining room evokes the timeless ritual of the Buenos Aires aperitif and vermouth, making it a favourite for a meal or drink before or after the theatre.

Three must-try dishes: First, the Revuelto Gramajo, one of the restaurant's signature dishes and widely regarded as one of the best in Buenos Aires, thanks to its perfect balance of crispy shoestring potatoes, soft eggs and ham. Then there's the breaded sirloin steak (milanesa de bife de chorizo), with its beautifully golden crust, served with chips or homemade mashed potatoes. And, of course, the unmissable flan mixto, made with free-range eggs and served with dulce de leche and perfectly whipped cream.

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Top tip: Check the venue's events calendar, as it regularly hosts live music and performances in its upstairs dining room.

Where: Av. Callao 501, San Nicolás.

A great alternative in the theatre district for anyone looking beyond the usual neighbourhood restaurant classics. Sansei explores Japanese cuisine beyond traditional sushi, offering an extensive menu divided into categories: donburi (seasoned rice bowls), ramen (noodle soup), katsu curry (breaded pork cutlets with traditional Japanese curry), yaki sakana (grilled fish), and poke bowls.

Top tip: Try the Tamago Sando, a Japanese sandwich made with soft, fluffy milk bread and a creamy egg salad filling.

Where: Suipacha 527, San Nicolás.

Capochetta was born with a simple idea: to challenge pizza's dominance as the go-to quick bite after the theatre. Instead, the focus here is on oversized sandwiches, each packed with approximately 500 grams of ingredients. The recipes follow the traditional Italian panini-making approach, using only high-quality products.

"El Splendido" is an indulgent combination of pistachio mortadella, stracciatella, confit tomatoes, rocket and pesto. It's a little taste of Rome's Trastevere neighbourhood, with indoor counter seating and pavement tables. Pair your sandwich with a glass of rosso vermouth for the full experience.

Top tip: Try the porchetta sandwich, toasted between slices of soft sandwich bread.

Where: Av. Corrientes 1282, San Nicolás.

To capture the avenue's legendary pizza scene without singling out just one establishment, we've selected five essential stops: Güerrin, where thick-crust, pan-baked pizza loaded with mozzarella and traditional fainá (chickpea flatbread) keep the queues coming; Banchero, the birthplace of the iconic fugazza con queso (onion and cheese pizza); and Los Inmortales, known for its thin-crust, stone-baked pizza and classic Neapolitan-style variety.

Completing the route are Las Cuartetas, an institution famous for its thick-crust pizza and empanadas, located near the Gran Rex and Ópera theatres, and Sbarro, bringing a taste of New York with its enormous XXL slices.

Top tip: At Güerrin, follow up a slice eaten standing at the counter with its classic Copa Melba (ice cream, fruit salad, cream and nuts).

Where: Güerrin, Av. Corrientes 1368; Banchero: Av. Corrientes 1300 y Av. Corrientes 1604; Las Cuartetas: Av. Corrientes 838; Los Inmortales: Av. Corrientes 1369; Sbarro: Av. Corrientes 1267.

One of the city's 24 officially recognised iconic restaurants, Chiquilín has been an experience in its own right since 1927. Its history is closely intertwined with tango, and the place embodies the spirit of Buenos Aires through its tablecloths, hanging flags and old-school waiters.

Its menu is like a perfectly struck penalty kick: straightforward, powerful and right down the middle. Beef takes centre stage, particularly the traditional bife de chorizo (sirloin steak), alongside homemade pasta, ranging from simple classics to more elaborate creations such as black fettuccine with prawn sauce.

Top tip: The kitchen stays open past midnight, making Chiquilín one of the best places for a late-night dinner after a theatre performance.

Where: Sarmiento 1599, San Nicolás.

A classic for some and a hidden gem for many. What is certain is that Sattva has long been a reference point for vegetarian dining in Buenos Aires. Its menu brings together recipes inspired by different culinary traditions — Indian, Mexican and Italian — adapted to a plant-based approach. Highlights include flavour-packed spiced dishes, tofu pizzas, cannelloni and wraps, all prepared with seasonal ingredients. With its peaceful atmosphere and entirely meat-free offering, it's the perfect spot for a nourishing, mindful dinner after the theatre.

Top tip: Order the pumpkin and blue cheese cannelloni or the spiced adzuki bean tacos.

Where: Montevideo 446, San Nicolás.

For something a little different, Jianghu invites diners to discover authentic contemporary Chinese cuisine through three key experiences. At the heart of the concept is hot pot (or huo guo), a communal dining ritual in which a pot of bubbling, aromatic broth is placed at the centre of the table, allowing guests to cook meat, vegetables, mushrooms and noodles themselves.

To accompany the meal, the bar serves bubble tea, the popular Taiwanese drink made with tea, milk or fruit, served cold and famous for the chewy tapioca pearls at the bottom of the glass. The experience is rounded off with BBQ, which in the Chinese context is quite different from Argentine grilling or American-style smoking. Here, it's all about Sichuan BBQ: skewers of meat, pork belly or seafood, marinated and charcoal-grilled with a bold coating of Sichuan peppercorns, cumin and chilli.

Top tip: Order the mixed hot pot (half mild broth, half spicy broth) and cook the ingredients to your liking.

Where: Av. Callao 141.

This is exactly the place you need when you're looking for something good and affordable, and you're not particularly concerned about fancy surroundings. It's the kind of traditional Buenos Aires neighbourhood restaurant you head to after the theatre when you're ready to sit down to a seriously generous meal. The menu celebrates the city's distinctive Italian-Spanish culinary heritage, a combination that Buenos Aires does exceptionally well.

Bear in mind that portions are enormous, but if you're feeling adventurous, start with the croquetas de vacío (croquettes made with Argentine flank steak). When it comes to pasta, the best choice is to order it with slow-cooked meat stew. The roast beef shoulder with oven-baked potatoes is a solid option, while the Cervantes-style pork flank steak comes in a truly massive portion. As long as you know what to expect, Cervantes won't disappoint.

Top tip: The croquetas de vacío are among the most popular starters and a great way to begin your meal.

Where: Juan Domingo Perón 1883, San Nicolás.