what’s new, Buenos Aires?
One might be tempted to call Buenos Aires the Paris of South America. Its grand boulevards, belle époque architecture and tree-lined plazas certainly lend to a European sense of grandeur and style. But Argentina’s bustling capital is a vibrant city beyond comparison, where old-world heritage and Latin flair are elevated by the boundless creativity of its ever-fashionable citizens, known as porteños.
Food
Last April, chef Germán Martitegui made waves throughout South America when his Tegui — a contemporary-Argentine eatery in Palermo that serves nine-course tasting menus — snagged a coveted spot on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. But Martitegui isn’t the first celebrity chef to rise from Buenos Aires: legendary grill master Francis Mallmann is a worldwide sensation for his artful Patagonian cuisine, and Gonzalo Aramburu’s Aramburu, which serves 18 courses of molecular magnificence, graced the World’s 50 list last year. Next year may find Martitegui passing the baton to Leo Lanussol and Augusto Mayer, the duo behind Buenos Aires’s latest culinary to-do, Proper. Housed in an unmarked former mechanic’s garage, the Palermo restaurant features a weekly rotating menu of shared plates that focus on market-fresh Argentine ingredients masterfully prepared in a large wood-fire oven. Don’t miss the dulce de leche flan.
Drink
Long known for its sultry milongas (tango clubs), Buenos Aires has a new underground — literally — nightlife scene in secret speakeasies. Impresario Andrés Rolando started the clandestine trend when he opened the Harrison, a Manhattan-themed Prohibition-style bar hidden in the back room of a Malabia Street sushi joint. Rolando’s newest venture is another covert operation: tucked beneath a restaurant in the busy Palermo district, Uptown so faithfully re-creates a New York City subway station that passersby often stroll past without a second look. Nearby, disguised behind a brick wall in a café, lies the industrial-chic Victoria Brown, which pours decadent whiskey-based libations. And for a taste of mixologist Renato “Tato” Giovannoni’s cult-favorite yerba-maté-infused gin, head to the unassuming Florería Atlántico flower shop, where a secret set of stairs behind an enormous refrigerator door leads to the entrance of a swanky subterranean lounge.
Art
Long an influence in the art, fashion, and design worlds, Buenos Aires was also the host of Art Basel Cities last November, a multiyear initiative by the venerable Swiss art institution to support, promote and exhibit Argentina’s best and brightest. The showcase coincided with annual homegrown fairs like ArteBA — a contemporary-art show — and exhibitions such as the Fundación Proa’s highly successful Ai Weiwei retrospective.
Polo
Every November in Buenos Aires is polo season. This means the annual Argentine Polo Open Championship, where top players like Ignacio Figueras compete while jet-setting spectators rub elbows at glittering after-parties. But the competition isn’t just about the matches. For the polo devotee with a hankering for more, Maita Barrenechea, founder of the luxury outfitter Mai 10, arranges exclusive experiences every year like behind-the-curtain access to the stables and introductions to the sport’s top players. VIP tickets in the coveted Tribune C section offer privileged views of Argentine superstars like Adolfito Cambiaso and Facundo Pieres. Post-match, Barrenechea can also open doors to the championship’s biggest parties, presented by brands like Moët & Chandon and Stella Artois, and private events hosted at elite polo clubs.
