Disappointed with Food in Argentina

[Ries]

You can get great food here, the difference is they are - presumably - on vacation, so have the time to go out and eat in nice places.

The challenge, at least for me personally, is when you have busy daily schedule of work, sports, hobbies, eating a healthy and varied diet and good quality food is practically impossible without spending a fortune or compromising taking hours to cook (buy it all, one ingredient at a time, cook, wash the dishes etc)

hmm- I have actually "compromised" by buying food, cooking it, and washing dishes all my life.
Seems completely normal to me. I did a lot of the cooking when my kids were still in the house for the first 18 years or so, and often had to make a couple different versions of some things.
To me, cooking is kinda a natural thing.
I grew up in a time when minimum wage was $1.65 an hour, and we each put ten bucks A WEEK in the kitty in the hippie house I lived in during the mid 70s, and if I was lucky, I had money for beer once a week.
The idea that you always eat out, is not the way I have been living the last 60 odd years.
We do go out once or sometimes twice a week here, and I buy sandwiches for lunch on days I work in the studio, which I consider the height of decadence- heck, I have been making my own sandwiches since the late 60s.
Different strokes, different folks, I guess.
I do like going to nice restaurants here- but its hardly an every day thing.

 

[Ries]

@Ries


Glad you mentioned the pizza a la Fugazzeta my favorite , for years when I order a Fugazzeta pizza I ask the waiter to make sure the onions are roasted golden brown.. The waiter makes a note, says sure, but the onions turn out white...

Last weekend went to La Academia at Coronel Dias and Guemes ordered a Fugazzeta, the waiter agreed that the onion would be browned. The Pizza had little onions and the onion was white, as usual. Plus the dow border of the pizza, was burnt black hard to cut with a knife .

Will check the Bar Roma Abasto to try out if their Pizza a la fugazzeta

I lived around the corner from that Acadamia for 15 years. It sucks. Its always sucked. For really good fugazetta, you have to walk 3 more blocks to los muchachos de punto y banco, on Mansilla and Guise. If you ask for it browned there, they will do it for you. And their frito empanadas, especially the cebollo verde y queso, are killer.
Also, for thin crust, a couple blocks the other way on Guemes and Gallo is Nero, which is really good as well, but naples style, no fugazetta, although they do have peperoni.

 

[DarrenKK]

I’ve played my part in this discussion. It continues to give me comfort that I’m not mad or unique in thinking food here is generally terrible with all the usual caveats and exceptions.
Then I watch a lot of YouTube vloggers come here for a few days and report how the food is the best in the world or best in South America etc.
Well yeah, it’s great when you come here temporarily and stuff your face with steak, empanadas and choripan for a few days!
Now to refocus…
The way I see it now, and by the way I’m not a permanent resident in Argentina but I’m here a lot, is that the central issue is that obtaining good ingredients to eat and/or cook at home requires a combination of money, time spent finding a good verdularia and building a good relationship with them so that there mutual trust between you , and then the time it takes sourcing and buying the higher quality foods you want.
I’m of the British variety of expat. We can one stop shop once a week and get what we need. Shopping isn’t time-consuming; we know what we will get and it’ll be fine.
So it’s that research, that relationship-building, that time, that money, that gets you closer to a better eating experience at home.
But it’s too difficult mostly.
And so we come full-circle. Food in Argentina is mostly terrible.

 

[ksm76]

I’ve played my part in this discussion. It continues to give me comfort that I’m not mad or unique in thinking food here is generally terrible with all the usual caveats and exceptions.
Then I watch a lot of YouTube vloggers come here for a few days and report how the food is the best in the world or best in South America etc.
Well yeah, it’s great when you come here temporarily and stuff your face with steak, empanadas and choripan for a few days!
Now to refocus…
The way I see it now, and by the way I’m not a permanent resident in Argentina but I’m here a lot, is that the central issue is that obtaining good ingredients to eat and/or cook at home requires a combination of money, time spent finding a good verdularia and building a good relationship with them so that there mutual trust between you , and then the time it takes sourcing and buying the higher quality foods you want.
I’m of the British variety of expat. We can one stop shop once a week and get what we need. Shopping isn’t time-consuming; we know what we will get and it’ll be fine.
So it’s that research, that relationship-building, that time, that money, that gets you closer to a better eating experience at home.
But it’s too difficult mostly.
And so we come full-circle. Food in Argentina is mostly terrible.

Long time lurker here and I just have to chime in on the Food in Argentina.

I've been here alittle while and have also come to the conclusion that the food here maybe the worst I have ever experienced in any country and I have travelled quite a bit. Brazil absolutely destroys Argentina in the majority of food groups (especially fresh produce) and I say this because they are neighbors yet the Argentinians could care less to improve.

Issues----

Fresh produce is usually sitting for long periods of time in a non air conditioned Verdularia and thus, the food goes bad very fast. The owners don't seem to care about regular turn over when things get bad and wilted. It's City wide. I've checked. There might be a few that aren't but they are few and far between. However I think their business strategy is to sell old produce regardless of freshness.

Grocery store Produce is generally very bad and of bad variety. Some exceptions are located on the very most wealthy Streets. It appears they have a huge storage facility of produce somewhere and keep it there for extended times even past it's expiration dates, then try to sell it. How else could you explain the Carrot debacle. Looks like it was cut a year ago lol.
Side note. I've literally seen Apples double in price since Last June 2025..lol I guess apples are in HUGE demand. Aside from this Apples here don't hold a candle to Organic USA apples. Plus side the cheese here is decent.

The majority of bread and pastries(including empanadas)have Margarine for their main fat in the dough. I thought the world has moved on from Margarine? I guess not for Argentina. Explaining this to them on how bad it is for you is useless. They have so much beef fat, why not use that instead? Just an idea guys lol. As such I avoid all the majority of breads and pastries. If you do get all butter in the dough, you're gonna pay insane prices. Similar to USA.

Meat prices are soaring and now the quality I'm finding is subpar. My guess is most of the high quality stuff is being sent to the USA or Very high end Restaurants, as the recent meat export agreement is kicking in.

Restaurants{majority} for the most part are very subpar and the quality is hit and miss and waaay overpriced. One day the meat will be wow, yet a few days later I get the same meat{bife de chorizo} and it's tough and tastes like nothing. Btw it wouldn't hurt to salt the meat while cooking it, lol. Once again Brazilians destroy Argentina at the meat game in restaurants. The chicken used for milenasa is not even chicken...lol I''m kidding of course but why is it so weird? Peruvian Food in BA is actually very good.

Pizza------Just NO...lol what is that? Thick sauce less bland taste. Do they even know how to make a proper dough? I can make a superior Pizza in my place for a fraction of the price and I know what I'm eating.

Where is the Chocolate? I'm a huge chocolate lover and Argentina has a very small market for this. Why? In Brazil Chocolate is KING. I get it that it's mostly imported but jeez, why not import more of it. There are very few chocolate brands I see.

I could go on. Just had to rant a bit as I'm now cooking more than ever and finding a source that is reliable is like find a gold mine.

 

[Rich One]

I lived around the corner from that Acadamia for 15 years. It sucks. Its always sucked. For really good fugazetta, you have to walk 3 more blocks to los muchachos de punto y banco, on Mansilla and Guise. If you ask for it browned there, they will do it for you. And their frito empanadas, especially the cebollo verde y queso, are killer.
Also, for thin crust, a couple blocks the other way on Guemes and Gallo is Nero, which is really good as well, but naples style, no fugazetta, although they do have peperoni.

As you suggested tried the Los Muchachos Fugazetta Pizza, from a rating 1 to 10 would give it an 8.
The dow has a biscuit crusty type, the Onions are browned as requested, the cheese abundant.
The Place is small and very simple no decor as such, Salvation Army sale furniture.
Would go back or order from Rapi.

 

[val halla]

I’m of the British variety of expat...
And so we come full-circle. Food in Argentina is mostly terrible.

My gosh. Here we go again. You claim to be British. Have you ever eaten British food? Just terrible. Then you indicate it's just too much work to develop relationships at the local vegetable proprietor? What are you even doing here? Don't answer - it's a rhetorical Q.

 

[nikad]

I lived around the corner from that Acadamia for 15 years. It sucks. Its always sucked. For really good fugazetta, you have to walk 3 more blocks to los muchachos de punto y banco, on Mansilla and Guise. If you ask for it browned there, they will do it for you. And their frito empanadas, especially the cebollo verde y queso, are killer.
Also, for thin crust, a couple blocks the other way on Guemes and Gallo is Nero, which is really good as well, but naples style, no fugazetta, although they do have peperoni.

I used to go to Punto y Banca and it was really reeaaaally good a few decades ago. I hope these muchachos live up to it.

 

[nikad]

Long time lurker here and I just have to chime in on the Food in Argentina.

I've been here alittle while and have also come to the conclusion that the food here maybe the worst I have ever experienced in any country and I have travelled quite a bit. Brazil absolutely destroys Argentina in the majority of food groups (especially fresh produce) and I say this because they are neighbors yet the Argentinians could care less to improve.

Issues----

Fresh produce is usually sitting for long periods of time in a non air conditioned Verdularia and thus, the food goes bad very fast. The owners don't seem to care about regular turn over when things get bad and wilted. It's City wide. I've checked. There might be a few that aren't but they are few and far between. However I think their business strategy is to sell old produce regardless of freshness.

Grocery store Produce is generally very bad and of bad variety. Some exceptions are located on the very most wealthy Streets. It appears they have a huge storage facility of produce somewhere and keep it there for extended times even past it's expiration dates, then try to sell it. How else could you explain the Carrot debacle. Looks like it was cut a year ago lol.
Side note. I've literally seen Apples double in price since Last June 2025..lol I guess apples are in HUGE demand. Aside from this Apples here don't hold a candle to Organic USA apples. Plus side the cheese here is decent.

The majority of bread and pastries(including empanadas)have Margarine for their main fat in the dough. I thought the world has moved on from Margarine? I guess not for Argentina. Explaining this to them on how bad it is for you is useless. They have so much beef fat, why not use that instead? Just an idea guys lol. As such I avoid all the majority of breads and pastries. If you do get all butter in the dough, you're gonna pay insane prices. Similar to USA.

Meat prices are soaring and now the quality I'm finding is subpar. My guess is most of the high quality stuff is being sent to the USA or Very high end Restaurants, as the recent meat export agreement is kicking in.

Restaurants{majority} for the most part are very subpar and the quality is hit and miss and waaay overpriced. One day the meat will be wow, yet a few days later I get the same meat{bife de chorizo} and it's tough and tastes like nothing. Btw it wouldn't hurt to salt the meat while cooking it, lol. Once again Brazilians destroy Argentina at the meat game in restaurants. The chicken used for milenasa is not even chicken...lol I''m kidding of course but why is it so weird? Peruvian Food in BA is actually very good.

Pizza------Just NO...lol what is that? Thick sauce less bland taste. Do they even know how to make a proper dough? I can make a superior Pizza in my place for a fraction of the price and I know what I'm eating.

Where is the Chocolate? I'm a huge chocolate lover and Argentina has a very small market for this. Why? In Brazil Chocolate is KING. I get it that it's mostly imported but jeez, why not import more of it. There are very few chocolate brands I see.

I could go on. Just had to rant a bit as I'm now cooking more than ever and finding a source that is reliable is like find a gold mine.

Why is not Brazilian cuisine famous and big worldwide is yet a mystery...

 

[ksm76]

Why is not Brazilian cuisine famous and big worldwide is yet a mystery...

Its a mystery for sure. They do alot of great cuisine. Their cheese and dairy for example is quite impressive.

When I was there I went to a few weddings and the food at the wedding was some of the freshest food I've ever had. Very diverse too, unlike Argentinia.

Argentinia has potential but so far has failed.

I forgot to mention I went to cordoba a month ago and could you believe it, the food there was worse than BA, worse quality, more expensive and waay less options . Lol if thats even possible.

 

[Ries]

I used to go to Punto y Banca and it was really reeaaaally good a few decades ago. I hope these muchachos live up to it.

The original punto y banca was one of my favorites. Old pictures of race horses owned by the owner and his friends, it was a classic pizzeria. Unfortunately Kentucky bought it and now it serves the same factory made product that the other 100 or so Kentucky locations do.
I used to go to Kentucky when there were just two of them on Santa Fe, it was decent greasy spoon pizza then…