Argentine food isn’t just about restaurants and wine lists. Argentine gastronomy is also about what you grab standing on a corner, at a market, or after a soccer match. Street food in Buenos Aires is messy, delicious, and full of folklore. These everyday bites may not come with white tablecloths, but they carry the same weight in local culture as any fine-dining menu.
In this article, we’ll walk you through some of the best street food in Buenos Aires: choripán sizzling on the grill, empanadas that change flavor depending on the province they come from, and the beloved “sánguches”, which Argentines eat with the same devotion they reserve for soccer. We’ll also share how you can take this experience further at The Argentine Experience, where you’ll learn to cook like a local while enjoying Argentina’s food and drinks at their best.
Best Street Food in Buenos Aires
Street food in Buenos Aires isn’t just about grabbing something quick to eat; it’s part of Argentine culture, woven into daily life and local traditions. These bites might not compete with a long sit-down meal, but they carry stories, rituals, and plenty of flavor. If you’re curious about what locals snack on between games, bus rides, or nights out, here are the essentials of Buenos Aires street food.
Empanadas: A Bite from Every Province
While we gladly leave the smoky choripán carts and messy sandwiches to the streets (we want to keep your shirts clean for the evening!), there is one handheld legend we absolutely had to bring into our dining room: the empanada.
If you are new to Argentine food, you will quickly learn that empanadas are everywhere, but no two are exactly the same. Each region of the country proudly claims its own signature style. You might find them spicy and stuffed with potatoes in Salta, or incredibly juicy and onion-heavy in Tucumán. Here in Buenos Aires, you’ll find a little bit of everything, usually baked to a perfect golden brown. Just a fair warning: the best, juiciest ones are famous for dripping down your chin (and onto your shirt!). But that is all part of the fun, and tasting the different regional versions is like touring the entire country, one bite at a time.
Because it is such an essential pillar of our culture, we made it a centerpiece of The Argentine Experience. During our interactive dinner, you won’t just taste our carefully curated recipe, but you will actually learn and master the art of the repulgue (the traditional, intricate fold that seals the empanada). And if you want to dive even deeper, you can roll up your sleeves in our daytime Cooking Class and build them completely from scratch alongside our chefs.
Want to dive deeper? Check our article on the Best Empanadas in Buenos Aires.
Choripán: The Stadium Classic
If there’s one sandwich that defines Argentine street food, it’s the choripán. A chorizo sausage, grilled until smoky and juicy, tucked into crusty bread and topped with chimichurri or salsa criolla. You’ll find it at markets, street fairs, and especially outside soccer stadiums. Eating one after a match is almost as important as cheering during the game. It’s messy, flavorful, and 100% Argentina.
Because a full choripán is a heavy, bread-loaded street food staple, serving the whole sandwich would leave you with no room for the rest of our multi-course menu! However, we couldn’t possibly let you leave without experiencing its absolute best parts.
At our interactive dinner, we skip the bun and go straight for the star of the show: a premium, perfectly grilled and seasoned chorizo. But the real magic happens before the meat even arrives. We guide you step-by-step to mix, balance, and customize your very own authentic chimichurri right at the table. It is a hands-on, incredibly fun activity, and we promise you will be taking the recipe back home to upgrade your own backyard barbecues!
Sánguches: The Argentine Art of the Sandwich
Before we dive into the specifics, you need to learn a crucial piece of local vocabulary: sánguche. It is our very own Argentine twist on the word “sandwich,” spoken with a heavy local accent and eaten with absolute devotion. While you can put almost anything between two slices of crusty bread, there is a holy trinity of sánguches that rule the streets.
Sánguche de Milanesa (The Comfort Classic)
Despite the Italian name, the milanesa has become one of Argentina’s most beloved staples. It features a thin slice of beef or chicken, breaded and fried to golden perfection, stuffed into bread with lettuce, tomato, and sometimes ham, cheese, or a fried egg. In some provinces, it’s practically an institution.
Sánguche de Bondiola
If you take a walk along the city’s riverside (Costanera), you will smell the bondiola carts before you even see them. This is thick-cut pork shoulder, slow-grilled until it is caramelized on the outside and incredibly tender on the inside. Hit it with a squeeze of fresh lemon, grab a heavy stack of napkins, and enjoy one of the juiciest, most intensely flavorful street bites the city has to offer.
Lomito (The Pride of Córdoba)
This is the undisputed king of Argentine sandwiches, but we have to be honest with you as local experts: its true home is the province of Córdoba, not Buenos Aires! While you can find decent versions in the capital, Córdoba is where the Lomito reaches its legendary, massive status. It bridges the gap between high-end steakhouse quality and late-night cravings. It is made with a juicy, tender steak of lomo (tenderloin) and stacked high with melted cheese, ham, a fried egg, lettuce, tomato, and a generous smear of mayo. If your travels take you to Córdoba, eating one is mandatory.
The Argentine Experience: a Journey through the Traditional Flavors
If you want to dive into Buenos Aires street food but with elevated quality and meaning behind every bite, The Argentine Experience is the place where tradition meets craft. Alex Pels is the mind behind it—known for projects like Secreto Tango Society, Fogón Asado, and Sherpa Food Tours—he’s deeply passionate about Argentina’s roots and traditions, and builds experiences that feel real, not rehearsed.
At The Argentine Experience, you’ll enjoy a curated multi-course tasting menu that brings together the flavors you’d usually find on the streets of Buenos Aires and the fine dining you’d expect at the city’s top restaurants, all prepared with the care and quality of a truly professional kitchen. It even includes a hands-on empanada lesson, where guests learn to fold and shape their own before enjoying them fresh out of the oven. The menu also covers essential Argentine bites, from grill classics like chorizo to sweets and regional dishes that give a sense of the country’s diversity.
Drinks are part of the journey as well. Throughout the experience, you taste Argentine wines carefully paired with each dish, ensuring the food and drink go hand in hand.
The atmosphere manages to feel like a lively dinner party, where laughter and stories flow naturally, yet nothing is lost in terms of flavor, technique, or quality. If you want to experience the full breadth of Argentine food and culinary culture in one night, this is the perfect place to do it.
FAQs About Buenos Aires Street Food
What street foods are considered essential to try for an authentic local experience in Buenos Aires?
Some of the best street food in Buenos Aires includes the famous choripán with chimichurri, freshly baked empanadas, and the sánguche de milanesa. These are everyday staples that reflect Argentine culture. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, don’t miss dulce de leche treats or facturas from bakeries.
Where can I find the best street food in Buenos Aires?
Markets like San Telmo Market and Feria de Mataderos are packed with vendors serving authentic Argentine street food. You’ll also find “carritos” (street carts) outside soccer stadiums and in parks like Bosques de Palermo. These spots offer some of the best street food experiences in Buenos Aires, surrounded by locals.
Are there vegetarian or vegan street food options in Buenos Aires?
While Argentine street food is often meat-heavy, there’s a growing plant-based scene. You can find veggie empanadas, choripanes made with seitan, and creative vegan sandwiches in neighborhoods like Palermo and Villa Crespo. It’s not yet the norm on every corner, but the options are expanding fast.
Street Food as a Window Into Argentine Culture
As we said, Buenos Aires street food is more than just a quick bite, it’s part of daily life and a reflection of Argentine culture. From grabbing a choripán outside the stadium to enjoying a sánguche de milanesa on a street corner, these simple meals connect you to the city’s rhythm and traditions. Empanadas, choripanes, and other classics may not be fine dining, but they’re experiences that show you what it means to live like a local.
If you want to dive deeper into the flavors of Argentina beyond street food, check out our full guide on Argentine Food or book your Argentine experience and taste it all!