Buenos Aires’ drink scene is going from strength to strength, thanks to a swell of new bars opening in 2017. Mixed in with some hot new kids are old favourites, and this is our round up of the bars you cannot miss out on in 2018.
New kid on the block 416 Snack Bar has been making waves on the Palermo scene since it opened last year. The team behind the snack-tastic bar restaurant hail from Toronto and bring the hip crowd that frequents this Hollywood haunt, tasty small plates of food and delicious drinks. The wine list is also seriously legit.
416 Snack Bar, Palermo | © Photo courtesy of 416 Snack Bar
Anyone who knows their Malbec from their Bonarda will feel right at home in this fancy wine bar. Serving a selection of over 140 wines through self-service taps, even if you know nothing about wine, this is a great place to start, as you can sample many different varieties in one sitting without breaking the bank. Reserve a table outside for the full Vico experience.
Espacio Ro has taken over a former pulled-pork sandwich joint and is drawing a cool young crowd who come to dance the night away to electronic music on the darkened dancefloor. Located right in the heart of Palermo Soho, Ro brings different DJs to the decks every night at the weekend, so head there from Thursday to Saturday, and prepare to stay late.
A few doors away from Espacio Ro is Chori, not technically a bar, but actually a gourmet choripan eatery that only has a few drinks options, but they are worth going for. Craft beer and yerba mate-infused gin are the order of the day, and Chori’s corner location means that folks come and hang out, chow down on some tasty chori and wash it back with a stiff gin and tonic.
Buenos Aires’ favourite fried chicken shack does a roaring trade, and is packed nightly with chicken fiends who take a pew on the pavement when the small interior fills up. Nola is great for mingling while you chomp on your chicken nuggets, and their drinks list has expanded to include some new cocktails as well as the beer and wine that made it famous in the first place.
This craft beer container bar is a popular spot at weekends, and is a great place to head for a few drinks before you hit the clubs. Darsena’s sprawling premises has a nook or cranny for more romantic encounters, and plenty of free outdoor space if you want to go with a group of friends.
The city’s preferred speakeasy-style bar has to be Floreria Atlantico. A stalwart of the Buenos Aires drinking scene, this narrow, dim enclave is located underneath a flower shop in the upscale neighbourhood of Retiro. Take a seat at the bar and indulge in some tasty tapas and exemplary cocktails.
Los Divinos is a secret wine bar on the border of Palermo and Almagro and is a little slice of French heaven. Selling only organic wines and an array of casual French cuisine that will make you say “Oh la la!”, this tiny bar can be visited with reservations only and has sporadic opening hours, so get in touch on Facebook to secure yourself a seat.
This elaborate cocktail bar in Palermo Soho has an extensive cocktail menu featuring inventive and unusual concoctions, as well as all of the classics. Drowning in ethnic art from all over the world, Rey de Copas also has a fully stocked bar on the roof terrace, perfect for those hot and humid summer nights in the city.
This low-key craft beer bar is a firm favourite with locals, so much so that it recently opened a second located a few blocks away. With a selection of over 80 crafts beers and some local brews on tap, the food on offer at Cerveceria Nacional is just as good as the drinks themselves. Try and get a table outside for the full Palermo experience.
