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Argentina’s restaurants shine brightly with the announcement of its first-ever MICHELIN Stars! - (Michelin Guide)
Discover the selection of restaurants in the new MICHELIN Guide Buenos Aires & Mendoza 2024, which includes 1 Two MICHELIN Star and 6 One MICHELIN Star establishments, as well as 7 Bib Gourmands and 7 Green Stars.
The world of gastronomy is in celebratory mode as it welcomes The MICHELIN Guide to Argentina, revealing the best places to eat in Buenos Aires and Mendoza.
The selection is curated by our inspectors, who were overwhelmed by the hospitality they received in Argentina, and the breadth and depth of the cooking they experienced. The Guide showcases a total of 71 establishments (52 in Buenos Aires and 19 in Mendoza), where diners will quickly appreciate that Argentinian cuisine offers so much more than just its famous grilled meats. There is a high level of technique across the selection, along with establishments that show great consideration for sustainability and a desire to champion the plethora of ingredients grown or produced around the country.
The magnificent city of Buenos Aires is dazzling from every perspective, demonstrating high levels of culinary expertise, whether you’re eating in a small bistro or a highly exclusive restaurant. Mendoza, less well-known than the capital, proves to also be an undoubted attraction in its own right. Here, the culture and heritage of food and wine go hand in hand, impressing every visitor with impressive wine bodegas that are often home to restaurants of the highest standard.
We view Argentina as a destination with myriad culinary possibilities and we are certain that you will be truly captivated by your visit to the country.
The 2024 MICHELIN Guide Buenos Aires & Mendoza counts:
- 1 Two MICHELIN Star restaurant (Buenos Aires)- 6 One MICHELIN Star restaurants (2 in Buenos Aires and 4 in Mendoza)
- 7 MICHELIN Green Star restaurants (4 in Buenos Aires and 3 in Mendoza)
- 7 Bib Gourmand restaurants (all in Buenos Aires)
- 57 restaurants also recommended for the quality of their cuisine (42 in Buenos Aires and 15 in Mendoza)
Let’s take a closer look at the awarded establishments!
1 Two MICHELIN Star restaurant
Aramburu, Buenos AiresEveryone is talking about this restaurant and the chef at the helm, Gonzalo Aramburu, who captivates guests’ taste buds with his imaginative, highly technical and mature cuisine that always showcases the best Argentinian seasonal ingredients. His thoroughly original cooking, which is designed to elicit an emotional response as well as delight the taste buds, is presented via a succession of courses (between 16 and 18) to be savoured in an unhurried fashion. Throughout this gastronomic journey, Aramburu’s aim is to introduce guests to the full extent and variety of Argentina’s bountiful produce and to explore its every facet, while deliberately avoiding beef – which can be found in almost every other restaurant in the country. The sheer excellence of his cooking is present in every mouthful!
6 new restaurants awarded One MICHELIN Star
Azafrán, MendozaChef Sebastián Weigandt showcases authentic Mendoza cooking, with a focus on ingredients from across the region and his close relationship with trusted small-scale local producers. He strongly believes that the extraordinary ingredients from this area can be enjoyed in different ways and, based around this idea, his daily aim is to delight his guests’ taste buds.
Brindillas, Mendoza
If you’re keen to experience a tasting menu that showcases the local area, look no further! Here, Chef Mariano Gallego has created a space that will definitely meet and even exceed your expectations, in terms of both the cuisine and the service on offer. His modern cooking, featuring a heavy dose of imagination as well as a nod to international recipes, is centred around the best local ingredients.
Casa Vigil, Mendoza
Almost everyone is familiar with oenologist Alejandro Vigil, known more widely as ‘the Messi of Wine’, but not everybody is aware that his bodega is home to a restaurant surrounded by vineyards that takes its inspiration from Dante’s The Divine Comedy. At Casa Vigil, Chef Iván Azar demonstrates his commitment to the Mendoza region, expertly showcasing the area’s authentic flavours.
Don Julio's grill during the tomato festival © Agustino Mercado/Don Julio
Don Julio, Buenos Aires
Much more than just a restaurant, Don Julio has developed into an institution for grilled meat. In Argentina, cooking on the ‘parrilla’ has acquired a cultural status that is now branded into the DNA of its people, hence the constant flow of gastronomes to this restaurant that has mastered the art. Under the auspices of Chef Guido Tassi, Don Julio focuses on the best ingredients, strong technique and even the type of charcoal it uses… all of which combine to honour this culinary technique with superb execution.
Trescha, Buenos Aires
Having trained in legendary MICHELIN-Starred restaurants in various countries around Europe, Chef Tomás Treschanski is the perfect example of someone who has returned to his homeland to showcase everything he has learnt on his travels, but with the imprint of his own personality stamped firmly on it. Exclusivity is the buzzword here, evidenced in both the ingredients he uses and the service he offers, combined with perfect control of myriad techniques that will wow diners. The tasting menu is presented in stages or ‘moments’, and changes every three months.
Zonda Cocina de Paisaje, Mendoza
This restaurant, located inside the Lagarde winery, encapsulates the true essence of Mendoza, along with the authentic character of this land situated at the foot of the Andean cordillera. In the kitchen, under the watchful eye of Chef Augusto García, the chefs’ strong bond with the region of Cuyo and its people is clearly evident; menus feature haute cuisine embedded in traditional roots and a constant commitment to local, sustainably produced ingredients.
7 MICHELIN Green Stars
An integral aspect of The MICHELIN Guide since 2020, Green Stars are much more than a simple distinction; they recognise the endeavours of those restaurants which incorporate sustainable practices into their daily work. These establishments demonstrate an ethical commitment to their surroundings, employing every effort to ensure that the ingredients they work with - many from their own organic gardens - reach customers with the smallest possible carbon footprint and maximum traceability. In turn, this enhances guests’ knowledge about small-scale local producers who do their utmost to offer the best possible ingredients. Our inspectors were impressed by numerous sustainable initiatives (energy self-sufficiency, respect for seasonality, waste management, contribution to the local economy, championing of locally sourced ingredients, biodiversity), but what pleased them most was how these initiatives translated into what was served on every plate, showing that all of us can contribute in our own way and work together to ensure a better world.The selection of restaurants chosen by our inspectors features seven establishments which are worthy recipients of this award, with four located in Buenos Aires and three in Mendoza.
Anchoíta, Buenos Aires
Casa Vigil, Mendoza
Crizia, Buenos Aires
Don Julio, Buenos Aires
El Preferido de Palermo, Buenos Aires
Riccitelli Bistró, Mendoza
Zonda Cocina de Paisaje, Mendoza
Loin, demi-glace, romanesco, purple cauliflower, potatoes, rocket pesto and smoked paprika © Ipage/Casa Vigil
7 Bib Gourmand restaurants offering great value for money
The Bib Gourmand, a distinction that is one of the most popular awards with our readers, was first introduced to The MICHELIN Guide in 1997 to recognise those establishments offering good quality, good value cooking. It is often mentioned that these are some of our inspectors’ favourite restaurants, as they offer straightforward, recognisable cuisine that is still full of personality. In Argentina, they have found plenty of restaurants worthy of this distinction. A visit to any of these seven restaurants won’t leave you disappointed.Anafe, Buenos Aires
Bis Bistró, Buenos Aires
Caseros, Buenos Aires
La Alacena Trattoria, Buenos Aires
Mengano, Buenos Aires
Reliquia, Buenos Aires
República del Fuego, Buenos Aires
Vegetable lasagne with tuco-pesto © Mengano
57 other restaurants, of differing styles, are also recommended by The MICHELIN Guide
In addition to those restaurants awarded a legendary Star or Bib Gourmand distinction, The MICHELIN Guide Buenos Aires & Mendoza 2024 features a further 57 restaurants that merit inclusion for the quality of their cuisine. Of these, 42 are located in Buenos Aires and a further 15 in Mendoza.As expected, many of these restaurants are centred around traditional and local cuisine, with a special focus on meat and the popular ‘parrilla’, such as at Benedetta, Duhau Restaurant & Vinoteca, El Preferido de Palermo and La Carniceria in Buenos Aires and Abrasado, Fogón Cocina de Viñedo, Quimera Bistró and Renacer in Mendoza.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for international cuisine and restaurants that take your taste buds on a journey of discovery, you’ll find an impressive selection in Buenos Aires that showcase the best of Mediterranean (Basa), Japanese (Buri Omakase, Kōnā, Uni Omakase), Israeli (Mishiguene), Korean (Na Num), Italian (La Alacena Trattoria, Raggio Osteria, Sottovoce) and even Scandinavian (Sál) flavours.
Smoked lentil pâté, red onion gherkins, pumpkin and sriracha crisps © Palacio Duhau-Park Hyatt Buenos Aires/Gioia Cocina Botánica
The MICHELIN Guide presents its Special Awards for Young Chef and Sommelier
In line with other countries, The MICHELIN Guide is also keen to recognise Argentina’s most talented professionals, hence its two Special Awards.• MICHELIN Young Chef Award 2024 - Tomás Treschanski (Trescha, Buenos Aires)
This award recognises the work of Chef Tomás Treschanski, who, at just 25 years of age, is delighting the taste buds of his guests in the kitchens of Trescha. Trained at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in London and in restaurants of global standing such as Azurmendi in Spain, Frantzén in Sweden and the erstwhile 108 in Denmark, he is a chef that views gastronomy as a true art form. After a period working abroad, he returned to his homeland due to the pandemic, and it was then that he took the decision to open his own restaurant, incorporating all the techniques and processes learnt elsewhere but adding his own unique personality in a constant quest for individuality – he displays fun interaction with his other chefs too.• MICHELIN Sommelier Award 2024 – Martín Bruno (Don Julio, Buenos Aires)
Martín Bruno, who is in charge of the wine cellar at Don Julio, receives the Sommelier award in recognition of his hard work over the years, which has deservedly elevated him to his status as one of the most influential wine experts on the entire South American continent. His selection of wines and his level of service are quite simply spectacular, showcasing highly renowned wines from across Argentina and original labels from small, almost unheard-of vineyards. Don Julio’s superb cuisine reaches another level through his pairings, which focus on diversity to bring added appeal to the tasting menu, and which are presented with great passion and enthusiasm. In the words of Martín Bruno himself: “A good sommelier is one who listens and who makes wine more accessible to people.”The full list of restaurants and detailed information about them, including all those in Buenos Aires and Mendoza, can be viewed on the MICHELIN Guide website and app (available on iOS and Android).
This list of restaurants is complemented by The MICHELIN Guide hotel selection, which showcases the most original and trend-setting places to stay in Argentina and across the globe. Every hotel in The MICHELIN Guide is selected for its unique style, service and personality (with options for every budget), and can be booked directly on the MICHELIN Guide’s website and app. The MICHELIN Guide is a respected reference point in the world of gastronomy. Today, it is setting new standards of quality in the hotel sector as well.
Source: https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/ar...announcement-of-its-first-ever-michelin-stars
