The Best Picadas in Buenos Aires: a Porteño Ritual Served on a Platter

At Copetín, the picada goes back to what it has always been: a simple, generous porteño gesture, meant to be shared over conversation and vermouth. Their “copetines,” named after the streets surrounding the corner, capture the neighborhood spirit that defines the place.

El Enciso features Mar del Plata cheese, confit cherry tomatoes, marinated olives, fainá polpettas, and potato chips; El Fernández adds aged prosciutto, preserved roasted peppers, and fainá; and El González leans into nostalgia with Spanish omelette, vitel toné, and marinated eggplant. Everything is prepared in-house, straightforward and with quality ingredients.

These are picadas that bring back the charm of old-school bars: tasty, hearty, and perfect for kicking off the night—or stretching it a little longer.

Where: Fernández de Enciso 4370, Villa Devoto.

In this porteño Bar Notable, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, the picada has its own spotlight and adapts to any plan: late breakfast, post-lunch vermouth, or an unhurried late-night spread.

The Picada Academia comes with cooked ham, prosciutto, longaniza, salami, mortadella, and a selection of olives; Sambo, blue, and sardo cheeses round out the board. The vegetarian version holds its own: potato omelette, vegetable omelette, Swiss chard fritters, and eggplant milanesas, all garnished with peppers and carrots for color and contrast.

What sets it apart: the veggie option and the chance to picar at any hour in a classic spot that still pulses with its signature bohemian vibe.

Where: Montevideo 341, San Nicolás.

If you’re looking for a properly done picada—the kind that makes life feel perfectly in order—Buche Salumería is the place. Here, the picada isn’t a side dish: it’s the star. Artisanal cheeses from across Argentina, carefully cured cold cuts, preserves, antipasti, and breads come together on generous boards that travel through Argentina, Italy, France, and Spain.

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You can build your own selection by portion (perfect if you want to try everything) or go straight for the house-curated boards, featuring cured trout, premium salamis, cheeses from small producers, and thoughtful accompaniments. For something more filling, the “san-buche” sandwiches take the picada concept into sandwich form.

Vermouths, amaros, and Negronis round out the experience, pairing seamlessly with every bite. Whether on the terrace, in the dining room, or standing at the bar, Buche turns a simple picadita into a plan, a ritual, and a great excuse to stay a little longer.

Where: Asunción 4085, Devoto.

Pasillito brings the charm of tapas bars to Palermo: a small bar, long afternoons, and an easy, delicious picadita. Ramiro Suárez Plata’s menu combines cheeses and charcuterie in generous 150-gram portions—perfect for sharing—with products from Ventimiglia and makers in San Juan, Córdoba, and Tandil.

Camembert, blue cheese, Cuatro Esquinas, prosciutto, bresaola, salami… everything is served with just the right drink: wines by the glass or bottle, house vermouth, and craft beer. The plan is simple: choose your favorites and build your own board, just like in a Madrid bar—only in the heart of Palermo.

Where: Gorriti 4391, Palermo.

At this downtown classic, the picada carries that timeless neighborhood-bar vibe, perfect from an early vermouth to the last round before closing. The Picada de Campo is simple and satisfying: fuet, blood sausage, country-style cheese, green and black olives, mortadella, serrano-style pork loin, and house bread—exactly what you expect from a traditional board with familiar flavors.

What defines it: it’s the same picada they’ve served for years, no frills, with products that make you feel like you’re in a historic neighborhood bar rather than a trendy gastro spot. Ideal with a cold beer or a classic red wine as the conversation drags on.

Where: Sarmiento 1702, San Nicolás

Abreboca takes the old pulpería tradition and brings it into the present with a menu designed for sharing, tasting, and celebrating. Here, the picada turns distinctly local: house-made charcuterie, pickles, preserves, cured meats, and hot and cold plates that pay homage to Argentine cuisine with modern technique.

The experience starts in its cured-meats cellar—an uncommon luxury in the city—and continues with dishes meant for “let’s try a bit of everything”: liverwurst with vinegar chili, blood sausage with egg and reviro, Brussels sprouts with honey and almonds, lamb sausage with bean purée and pear pickle. All served in a space that blends pulpería roots, modern design, and an Andalusian-style patio that feels like a getaway without leaving Chacarita.

For those seeking a different kind of picadita, full of Argentine character and identity, Abreboca is a must. Reservations: +54 11 3154-3707.

Where: Fraga 541, Chacarita.

An Italian picada to take away—or to enjoy at the trattoria. Biasatti isn’t just a temple of premium pasta; it’s also a great stop for putting together an Italian-inspired picadita. At its Pastificio Centrale in Colegiales, you can stock up on cheeses like pecorino, bocconcino, or fiordilatte mozzarella, plus premium cured meats and extras like anchovy fillets, organic olive oils, and a selection of boutique wines. Perfect for assembling a board at home or heading out on a picnic with a spread that always delivers.

If you’d rather stay, the Biasatti trattoria supports the plan: you can enjoy part of this selection at the table, alongside house dishes and a distinctly Mediterranean atmosphere. A versatile option for picar, eat well, and travel to Italy without a passport.

Where: Jorge Newbery 3202, Colegiales.

At Corte Charcutería, the picada becomes haute cuisine. This Belgrano restaurant combines technique and product with house-made charcuterie crafted by César “Wilson” Sagario: Angus or Wagyu bresaola, speck, cecina, finocchiona, black salamis, Asturian blood sausage, terrines, and pâtés. All of this pairs with an impeccable selection of artisanal cheeses from small Argentine producers—brie, stracchino, fontina, English cheddar, crottin, and mushroom-ripened goat cheese, among others—ready to build a memorable board.

Enjoy it in the dining room with top-notch service, or take the products home for your own picada. Boutique wines, aperitifs, and non-alcoholic drinks complement each bite without stealing the spotlight. Corte is where the picada becomes a serious—yet delicious—experience.

Where: Echeverría 1290, Belgrano.

Café de García is a historic porteño classic, declared a Bar Notable, open since 1927 and filled with stories and photographs lining the walls. Its picada is a multi-step ritual designed for sharing: first the cold dishes arrive, then the hot ones, and to finish, house-made pan dulce with draft cider—a signature tradition preserved for decades.

The Picada García comes in two versions (for two or for four people) and combines small plates ranging from marinated beans, vitel toné, and pickled eggplant to croquettes, panzottis, meatballs, and fried calamari. The experience isn’t just about variety, but about the three-course service that ends with a sweet, traditional touch that gives it a unique identity.

Where: Sanabria 3302, Villa Devoto.

In this classic porteño café with a bohemian air inspired by Julio Cortázar, the Picada Deshoras is an ideal plan to share with wine, vermouth, or beer at any time of day. The board includes house-made cured pork loin, bocconcino, cherry tomatoes, gourmet stuffed olives, fried ravioli, cantimpalo, and Calabrian sausage, all served with house bread that invites endless dipping and nibbling.

What makes it unique: the in-house cured loin and fried ravioli give a distinctive twist to the classic porteño picada, turning it into something with real personality on Cortázar’s menu. Perfect for a couple or two friends looking for a well-rounded picadita with that late-night porteño bar vibe.

Where: José A. Cabrera 3797, Palermo.