Argentine food is delicious, yes, but so are the drinks.
Most people may already know about mate, malbec, and our obsession with fernet, but there’s a lot more to be said about traditional Argentine drinks.
In this article, we’ll share some hot tips about popular Argentine drinks you should try during your stay. Read on, and, as we say, salud! (cheers).
Best wines from Argentina
The best wines from Argentina are Malbec and Torrontés. Many other varieties are produced locally, like Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot, Bonarda, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. However, if you could try only two, those would be the ones we’d recommend.
Looking for a wine-tasting experience? Try our Palermo Food Tour, which features a wine-tasting stop as part of a fantastic dining experience.
Wine bars to try in Buenos Aires:
- Pain et Vin (Gorriti 5132)
- Naranjo (Ángel Justiniano Carranza 1059)
- Nilson (Av. Carlos Calvo 463)
- Vico Wine Bar (Gurruchaga 1149)
- La Cava Jufré (Jufré 201)
Malbec
The Malbec grape is a winemaking star in Argentina, as the Mendoza region has ideal growing conditions for the grape.
Malbec is originally from France, but it was brought into the country during the late 1800s. It has become the signature Argentine wine, with international recognition.
Malbec is best paired with red meats: order some with steak at a typical parrilla or bodegón.
Torrontés
Torrontés is the most popular white grape wine in the country. The best torrontés grapes are to be found in high-altitude vineyards in Salta, with the Cafayate region being particularly known for producing torrontés of excellent quality.
Torrontés is floral and fruity, often served as a dessert wine, but it is a great match for empanadas as well. It is usually made with grapes from the late harvest (cosecha tardía), as these have the highest sugar content.
Hot beverages
The most popular beverage in Argentina is indubitably the mate, but coffee takes second place. While Argentines may drink mate anytime, anywhere and with pretty much anyone, coffee is a favored drink for breakfast or merienda (afternoon tea). Another popular drink is the submarino, a fancier chocolate milk.
Yerba Mate
Mate is the quintessential Argentine drink. The first to drink mate were the guarani, an indigenous people that hail from Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.
Yerba refers to the chopped yerba mate leaves, which are not steeped in water but rather poured into a container typically made from a bottle gourd. Mate is drunk through a straw or bombilla, after water is poured into the yerba-filled container (which is also called mate).
Drinking mate is a lot like a ritual for us Argentines, as there are many rules and traditions to follow when sharing a mate with someone.
Want to try mate? Check out The Argentine Experience - this a crash course to Argentine Cuisine where you learn how iconic dishes are made (and eat them too).
Coffee
Argentines love a good cup of coffee, often paired with medialunas (croissants). There’s a big divide in Argentine cafés when it comes to coffee.
- Old-school cafés serve the traditional solo, cortado (espresso with a few drops of milk), café con leche (milk coffee) and lágrima (one-third coffee, two-thirds milk).
- Specialty cafés - a trend that has taken over the country and its capital by storm - offer a modern menú, with lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites and iced coffee, among other options.
Looking for a great cup of coffee? Here are some places you should try in Buenos Aires:
- Lattente Café (Thames 1891)
- Bicho Café (Agüero 2039)
- Café del Moderno (Av. San Juan 350)
- Plaza Café (Av. Rivadavia 4732)
Submarino
Submarino (submarine) is a fantastic take on chocolate milk. This drink consists of a chocolate bar melted inside a glass of very hot, foamy milk and then stirred with a special long spoon. Submarino is beloved by children and adults alike, and is a great alternative to coffee.
Where to try submarino in Buenos Aires:
- Café Tortoni (Av. de Mayo 825)
- La Giralda (Av. Corrientes 1453)
- El Federal (Carlos Calvo 599)
Cocktails, Mixers and Aperitifs
Contrary to what you may have heard, it’s not all fernet. Learn about the signature argentine drinks and cocktails and some spots to hit in Buenos Aires if you are thirsty for a well-made drink.
Fernet
Argentina is the #1 consumer of Fernet globally, and if you’ve ever tried this bitter spirit you may be wondering: why?
Fernet is drunk with coca cola, in a two-ingredient cocktail known as Fernandito or Fernet con coca. Everyone and their mother drinks fernet, and close friends have been known to argue over the perfect proportions of the ideal fernet con coca.
Vermouth
Vermouth (or vermú, as we like to pronounce it) is a fortified wine, flavored with botanicals. It has been produced in Argentina since 1925, after being brought over by Italian immigrants.
Vermouth has slowly but surely become a signature drink in Buenos Aires, where there are even some vermuterías dedicated to serving vermouth cocktails.
Traditional vermouth is served with ice, soda water and a slice of orange.
Clericó
If you are a fan of sangría, then you are gonna love clericó. Instead of using red wine, clericó uses white Torrontés wine. Together with fresh fruit, sugar and soda water, clericó is the ideal summer drink and is often present at Christmas or New Year gatherings.
Aperitifs
Argentina’s love affair with aperitifs has a long history, and the flame has been recently reignited as new specialty bars have modernized traditional cocktails.
Aperol, Hesperidina and Campari, among others, were big hits with our grandparents, and they are coming back with a vengeance.
Where to get a drink in Buenos Aires:
- Presidente Bar: Av. Pres. Manuel Quintana 188
- La Florería Atlántico: Arroyo 872
- Harrisons: Malabia 1764