As we prepared to leave the US and told all our family, friends, and coworkers of our plan to spend an extended amount of time in Argentina, the most common response I got was something along the lines of “How are you gonna be a vegetarian there??!” or “You know they’re famous for beef….right?” In all those moments I confidently quipped a quick answer, “oh, I’ll be fine!” or “haha…guess we’ll find out, huh!”
I wasn’t going to give anyone the satisfaction of passing along a smug look that questioned my sanity and criticized why I stopped eating meat in the first place, so I rode the wave. But, truth be told, I had no idea what it would be like until I got here. I didn’t know if hunks of steak would be falling from the sky every time it rained or if people would greet me at the mall with beef empanadas, but either way, I was determined to make it work.
Have I Given Up on my Meat-Free Ways?
No, Argentina hasn’t broken me yet. I don’t really miss beef or pork, so even when we are at a great steak place or surrounded by lots of meat, it’s not like my tastebuds are begging me to betray being a vegetarian. In terms of finding places that offer veg-friendly options, it adds an extra layer into our restaurant searches and we can’t as easily just walk into a random lunch spot, but we make it work. I try to remind Dan that this also prevents us from going to bad restaurants accidentally, and that seems to have gotten him on my side.
To be blunt, two things are making it very easy to be successful…okay actually 3…First, Dan is incredibly supportive of my high-maintenance dietary guidelines. He never complains about not going to restaurant x because they didn’t have anything I like, and he NEVER makes me feel bad about being vegetarian. Secondly, we live in Buenos Aires, a large, international city. In the US, it’s much easier to be a vegetarian in San Diego than it is in Interior, South Dakota, and I’m sure I’ll run into the same thing in smaller towns here. Third, I’m vegetarian, not vegan, meaning I don’t have to avoid cheese. This makes a HUGE difference in the ease of finding places to eat, though I will say there is an abundance of vegan pizza places and ice cream shops always have vegan options.
Veg-Friendly Eateries in Buenos Aires
I’m sure will continue discovering new places, but I’ve been pretty impressed with some of the vegan/vegetarian places we’ve eaten at thus far. I also find that veggie spots are more likely to have done fun things with the vegetables, making them that much more tasty and delicious. Sometimes, restaurants will have vegetarian options that are clearly an after-thought, as if the kitchen said “oh…uh…make a vegetarian sandwich and we’ll just have it be the same as the meat sandwich but take the meat off.” Going to a restaurant committed to vegetarians/vegans usually delivers better results. Here are some of the top places:
Hierbabuena
A hub of vegan and vegetarian options, Hierbabuena has three parts: a burger place, a bakery, and a more upscale café area. They are all side-by-side, but each section operates on its own. This was a bit confusing for us during our first visit, but we got it sorted out. The bakery has amazing deserts and baked goods of all kinds, as well as specialty spices in bulk. The burger spot is your classic burger, milkshake, and fries getup where everything is vegan. The café has a wide range of menu options and super smoothies but going there between 2-6 will mean that their kitchen is only partially operational, and they’re serving basically a “snack” menu.
La Reverde – Parilla Vegana
So many people recommended this spot to us, even locals who are vegetarian! So of course, we made a whole event out of it. We showed up, ordered what felt like one of everything, and got to eating. Remember, “parilla” is the typical word for steakhouses and meat-centric dining spots, so this was meant to mimic that.
Most of their “meat” products are made from seitan, and a lot of it had a squishy/chewy texture I could NOT get behind. They had a good criolla empanada and a great vegan choripan (chorizo sandwich), but all the cuts of meats from the “Parilla for 2” plate gave me the heeby jeebies. I’d go back for the choripan though because their chimichurri sauce was AMAZING.
Vegan Fox
It took me a while to find a good burger in Argentina. A lot of places have opted for quinoa burgers, which make me crinkle my nose. I mean, just think about it, quinoa, smushed into a patty, then put between to buns?? It’s dry, flavorless, and more disappointing than I am to my parents. Vegan Fox (Megan Fox WAY??) doesn’t play. They have amazing burgers, all of which are vegan, and they’re delicious. I tried it while Dan was out of town and I can’t wait to show him the glory.
Saigon Noodle House
This spot isn’t meant to be a vegan/vegetarian restaurant, but most Asian eateries have a wide range of veg-friendly options, and Saigon Noodle House is no different. We’ve eaten here a few times, and each time been so happy with our food. They have great spring rolls with mango, delicious fried spring rolls with mushrooms, and a ton of noodle/rice dishes with tofu or veggies.
BAO Kitchen
A bit on the expensive side, but worth it if you want good Bao and good noodles, BAO Kitchen is a quiet spot on a busy street in the Recoleta neighborhood. We’ve dined in and gotten takeout from here and been impressed with both!
Jiro Sushi
You can find a slew of regular sushi rolls here (that all looked delish as they were coming out around us), but they also have an entire separate menu for vegan/veg options. This was another spot where I didn’t feel like an afterthought. You could get different sampling platters with rolls that were so different from one another, and we really enjoyed how they took veggies and turned them into a classic sushi experience!
Pietra’s: Pizza a la Piedra
This is just a normal pizza place but has been one of my favorites so far. The people who work there are kind, the options are vast, and the crust is the perfect crispiness. I believe there are a number of vegan pizzas as well.
La Morada Empanadas
Again, just a normal empanada spot with 5 or 6 different vegetarian empanadas to choose from. I don’t believe there are any vegan options here – empanadas usually use cheese as a binding for the mixture inside, but these are perfect for my veg self.
Meat-Centric Doesn't Mean Meat-Only
Don’t be scared if you’re a vegetarian traveling the world, you will be able to make it work. At the beginning of our travels, I remember wondering if I’d cave — maybe there’d be a piece of meat that I just couldn’t resist, or I’d get tired of having to give it thought, but now, I feel more determined than ever.
I’ll keep you posted if my feelings change, but the added challenge of finding veg-friendly options on the road makes things that much more interesting to me. I like to see how different countries have adopted the meat-free lifestyles that are becoming more and more common. Oh, and for all you nay-sayers, you should probably worry about your own cholesterol instead of how other people are gonna find enough vegetables.
This is a fabulous guide!! Thank you Jan!:)
viven en argentina