300 Restaurants have closed in recent months

[jb5]

Just an anecdotal point, as a tourist in BA in December, I found it difficult to get into some of the top restaurants anytime within a week! Lunch or dinner. And the better restaurants we went to were full. Certainly there are still enough tourists to keep these places busy. And a large Italian restaurant we loved in Puerto Madero, don't remember the name, was packed nightly with what seemed mostly to be locals.

The owners seem to be working the marketing. Several asked if we had found them via Tripadvisor or Chowhound. They were spot on.

 

[steveinbsas]

Just an anecdotal point, as a tourist in BA in December, I found it difficult to get into some of the top restaurants anytime with a week! Lunch or dinner. And the better restaurants we went to were full. Certainly there are still enough tourists to keep these places busy. And a large Italian restaurant we loved in Puerto Madero, don't remember the name, was packed nightly with what seemed mostly to be locals.

The owners seem to be working the marketing. Several asked if we had found them via Tripadvisor or Chowhound. They were spot on.

Reis said it best when he made this post in the thread Has there been a decline in tourism / expats?

I rent my apartment out when I am not in BsAs, and I know that I am getting more, not less, friends who want to stay there.

I know nothing about mass market tourism, and could care less about it- but I do know that among people who are NOT interested in the cheapest place, but, instead, are interested in Argentina and BsAs for what it IS, not what it ISNT, the international "Buzz" about Argentina is building more and more.

So cultural tourism is climbing, even if we dont get the planeloads of students from the UK looking for the cheapest drunk.

At ArteBA last May, I saw a LOT of US and European artworld types, many of whom had not been here before. The buzz about the large, low profile private collections in BsAs is building. The artists from Brazil who premiered a video at the Brazilian embassy that week recently opened a major museum show in Seattle.
Argentinian music, particularly new hybrid forms of tango or argentinian folk with electronic, is getting a lot of attention worldwide- XLR8R Magazine recently did a piece on the Zizek collective, for example, and included tracks on their monthly free CD, which goes all over the USA.
http://www.xlr8r.com/podcast/2008/07/zizek-urban-beats-club

Plenty of people still come to Tango, as well.
The literature and architecture still draw afficianados.

And of course, the wine is all the rage, worldwide. All the WineSnobs I know have either been, or will travel, to the wine country.

Nope, none of these are comparable to cruise ships full of middle americans, or package tours- all of these cultural and intellectual draws attract smaller numbers of tourists- but they are discerning, caring tourists, and they probably spend more per capita, at Martin Churba or Los Hermanos Estebecorena, or at restaurants like La Cabrera or Sucre, than the mass market tourists do buying knickknacks on Florida.

 

[jb5]

I'll also note that several of the restaurants we ate at produced some of the best meals I've had anywhere, at any price, for very little. My well travelled friends are lined up to go after seeing the pictures and hearing of our experiences. Europe and Asia are expensive now, so SA is a great option for those who still want to travel without paying huge prices. Airfares are also cheap with business/first class being half empty on many flights so upgrades are readily available.

I noted a few savvy restaurateurs taking quite the mark up for wine to go. We sat next to couples who left with several bottles which we later bought at local stores for one third the price. Have to believe these restaurants are doing very well.

 

[Conorworld]

In a city so large and vast as Bs As 300 restaurants may not be that much. Are any big named restaurants closing? I suppose it is still early yet in this crisis and the end of the summer period might also have an effect.

What I would like to know is have price rises began to stop and do you think that this year we may even see a price drop in some of the restaurants?

 

[citygirl]

December is high season so your experience not being able to get into the restaurants isn't the best benchmark.

I've seen probably 4-5 restaurants close in my neighborhood in the last 2 months. Nothing has gone into the space as of yet. As for prices - they have gone up in all my local restaurants.

 

[Grazie]

steveinbsas, I think life can be good wherever you are, WHEN (and not IF) you make it good. Coz regardless of where you are, there you will be, and Life is what you make of it. In the US if you use coupons, membership cards and make the most of sales, you can do the grocery for less money than you would spend anywhere else in the world. Not sure if Coto and Carrefour do cut out coupons or rainchecks or even Jumbo for that matter.
Oh btw, Il Gran Caruso in Las Canitas - cerro!

No matter where you are if you are happy, you are happy. Don't you agree?

 

[steveinbsas]

steveinbsas, I think life can be good wherever you are, WHEN (and not IF) you make it good. Coz regardless of where you are, there you will be, and Life is what you make of it. In the US if you use coupons, membership cards and make the most of sales, you can do the grocery for less money than you would spend anywhere else in the world. Not sure if Coto and Carrefour do cut out coupons or rainchecks or even Jumbo for that matter.
Oh btw, Il Gran Caruso in Las Canitas - cerro!

No matter where you are if you are happy, you are happy. Don't you agree?

Yes, I agree, but I am even happier in BA than I ever was when I was living in the USA. I know that would not be the case for many others.

Disco has coupons automatically issued at checkout and occasionally they are good for a 15% discount on the "next purchase" at the Disco supermarkets or at Easy. There are always discounts at Cotto, Carrefour, and Dicso when using certain debit cards, depending on the bank and the day of the week. This is also true for some items at electronics stores like Compumundo.

There has been an increase in the number of retail stores that have closed recently, but not yet an alarming number. Most have been small, speciality shops. Only a few restaurants have closed thus far.

 

[TomAtAlki]

Just an anecdotal point, as a tourist in BA in December, I found it difficult to get into some of the top restaurants anytime within a week! Lunch or dinner. And the better restaurants we went to were full. Certainly there are still enough tourists to keep these places busy. And a large Italian restaurant we loved in Puerto Madero, don't remember the name, was packed nightly with what seemed mostly to be locals.

The owners seem to be working the marketing. Several asked if we had found them via Tripadvisor or Chowhound. They were spot on.

Just curious because I probably can't afford them but what restaurants are these that need a weeks notice that I'm coming.