Like many other aspects of Argentinian culture, its cuisine has been heavily influenced by European immigration. Mix Spanish and Italian flavours with Argentina's top quality (and affordable!) beef and dairy products, and you have a combination worth jumping on that long-haul flight for. Check our guide on all things food in South America.
It’s important to keep in mind that dinner is eaten late in Argentina. Most restaurants close in the afternoon and do not reopen until 8 pm, though locals typically don't actually begin dinner until 9 or 10 pm.
Here are some must-try dishes and drinks in Argentina:
1. Asado
With Spanish origins, asado describes succulent barbequed meat, slow-cooked on a metal frame over an open fire or a bed of hardwood charcoal. In Argentina, asado is equal parts a dish and a social gathering – both of which you'll want to experience.
2. Provoleta
Soft provolone cheese is grilled in a skillet and topped with oregano, chilli flakes or other herbs. A typical asado starter, provoleta is crisp on the outside, warm and gooey on the inside and delicious all around.
3. Chimichurri
A piquant combination of diced garlic, chopped parsley and oregano, olive oil and vinegar, this classic Argentinean condiment is the quintessential accompaniment to grilled meat.
4. Malbec wine
Argentina has one of the world’s most renowned wine regions. Malbecs from the wineries of Mendoza are famous around the world (and happen to pair well with steak), though other provinces also produce quality wines, including Torrontes from Cafayate and Syrahs from San Juan.
5. Alfajores
Argentina’s favourite sweet biscuit. Take two round shortbreads, fill them with dulce de leche (a decadent caramel made from condensed milk) coat them in chocolate... et voila.
6. Helado
Argentineans take ice cream seriously. Don't miss helado de dulce de leche, the national flavour of Argentina.
7. Dulce de leche
Condensed milk is slowly reduced and sweetened to create a thick, sticky caramel. Find it in alfajores (a crumbly biscuit sandwich filled with dulce de leche), dessert empanadas, drizzled on ice cream or just eat it by the spoonful!
8. Yerba maté
This is Argentina's national drink. A caffeine-rich concoction of chopped and dried yerba maté is prepared in a gourd (maté) and drunk through a silver straw (bombilla). It's rich in antioxidants and polyphenols and has long been used by Indigenous people in South America.
Learn more about drinking mate in Argentina