In this blog post, you will find the details for our date idea recommendations in Buenos Aires. If you live in Buenos Aires, you may have already done some of them. If not, you’re in for a treat! We spent a weekend in this vibrant city and really enjoyed our date nights. Buenos Aires is a great place to create memories with your spouse. This comes as no surprise being that it’s considered to be the Paris of South America.
Below are our date idea recommendations:
- Eat at the Renowned Steakhouse
- Go to the World’s Most Beautiful Book Store
- Take Tango Lessons
- Take in the Art and Architecture
- Dine at a Closed-Door Restaurant
Eat at the Renowned Steak House, Don Julio
Argentina is known for having great beef. So lots of restaurants in the country claim to be the best steakhouse. One that stands out amongst the pack is Don Julio. It consistently tops every list. When something is really good, I’m known to tell LJ this is “something to write home about.” I’d definitely write home about Don Julio’s as it 100% lived up to the hype.
We thought it might just be commercialized for tourism so, we also checked out another place that was less popular but recommended by a local. In our humble opinion, Don Julio’s was much better.
The steak was mouthwatering and seasoned to perfection. We had the ribeye and short rib steak cooked medium with a salad and a side of mashed potatoes. I had a glass of red wine. I don’t remember the name but, I do know that they have a pretty extensive wine list. We had empanadas as our starters and they, too, were delicious.
Y’all, the food was so good that I literally fell asleep at the table. LJ has footage of me nodding off after our meal. Needless to say, we were way too stuffed for dessert. But if you decide to get dessert when you go, let us know what you think!
We highly recommend making a reservation online before your trip to ensure that you get a reservation time that works for you. The restaurant also had a pretty nice ambiance. The lights were low, and the tables all had candles. We sat upstairs overlooking the main dining area. It was cozy and romantic.
This was one of my best steak experiences and I can be a pretty picky steak eater. While the meal was more costly than other steakhouses in Buenos Aires, it was a phenomenal value when compared to steakhouses in the USA. So, treat yourself!
- Category: Romantic
- Location: Buenos Aires
- Cost: $100 USD and up
- Website: Don Julio Parrilla
- Social: IG: @DonJulioParrilla
Go to the World’s Most Beautiful Book Store
The Ateneo Grand Splendid bookstore is located in what was once a stunning antique theater. It has been recognized as the Most Beautiful Book Store by several different publications. The store contains thousands of books, DVDs, CDS and receives over a million visitors a year.
You and your love can grab one of the former luxury boxes and cuddle up to a good book or just look out and take in the grandness of the bookstore. If you and your spouse want to feel like stars head to the cafe, which is the theater’s former stage. Here you can sip your coffee and imagine your name in lights.
- Category: Budget
- Location: Buenos Aires
- Cost: Free
It Takes Two to Tango
In our three days in Argentina, we met a shoe designer, a marketing professional, and a therapist who all individually moved to Buenos Aires because of their love for tango. It was really mind-blowing to think that the love of dance had brought so many people from different professions and walks of life to Buenos Aires. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to take a class, but we did get to see a tango performance, and our wonderful tour guide, Jamila, was a tango instructor.
So we were able to learn more about the tango culture from her. If we find ourselves in Buenos Aires again, we will definitely prioritize taking a tango class, and you should, too. Let’s find out for ourselves what all the hype is about!
Jamila says tango can help you connect and communicate with your partner in a special and unique way. She offers private tango classes in Buenos Aires that can be scheduled at your convenience. If you are feeling adventurous, she or another instructor can escort you to a local milonga, aka tango dance party, where you can try your new steps on the floor with the locals. Below are the details on how to set up a class with Jamila or one of her peers.
- Category: Romantic
- Cost: 1800 ARS per person (class only). 4000 ARS per person (class plus guided milonga outing)
- Website: Buenos Aires Tango Tour
- Social: FB: BuenosAiresMilongaTours IG: @Milongatours
Take in the Art and Architecture
There is beautiful art and architecture all over the city. We did a guided photo walk so that we could take it all in. You will find murals in the Palmero neighborhood. Some of them are just beautiful or artsy, but many have a lot of symbolism and speak to current events. The best architecture and retail therapy in the city can be found in the neighborhood of Recoleta.
You’ll see lots of French and Italian style palaces as well as charming colonial architecture, high-end boutiques, and gorgeous hotels. Even the cemetery is famous for its architecture and elaborate tombs.
- Category: Cultural
- Location: Buenos Aires
- Cost: Free
Dine At A Closed-Door Restaurant
Closed-door restaurants, also known as secret suppers, were started by enterprising chefs after the 2001 economic crisis in Argentina. They opened up their homes to tourists to provide an authentic, intimate dining experience. You can think of the closed-door restaurant as something in between a private dinner party and a restaurant. The economy in the country has since significantly improved, but the closed-door concept is still around.
However, it is now more known for experimental cooking and specialty foods. It gives the chefs an opportunity to be more creative than in a standard restaurant.
This experience is still on our bucket list because we, unfortunately, didn’t get to go to a closed-door restaurant while we were in Argentina. Don’t be like us, find one that you want to go to and make your reservation as soon as you can. To keep with the intimate setting, the reservations per day are very limited, and many places are only open a few days a week. There are several places to choose from.
However, the top five closed-door restaurants, according to The Travel Channel are Bajollave, iLatina, Ocho Once Maison du Chef, La Cocina Discreta, and Mi Coleccion de Vinos. Below is a little bit of information about each one to help you choose.
Bajollave: In addition to a multicourse Argentinian menu, Bajollave also offers wine tastings, cooking classes, and tango classes. Website: Bajollaveresto Instagram Handle: @BajollaVeresto
i Latina: This restaurant specializes in Latin-American cuisine. Every season there is a new seven-course tasting menu created by the three Colombian siblings who run the restaurant. Every meal is capped off with coffee from Colombia! Website: iLatina Buenos Aires
Ocho Once Maison du Chef: This restaurant is known for having creative dishes such as Brazilian fish stew and cheesecake trifle. Facebook Handle: @ochooncemaison
La Cocina Discreta: This restaurant is often described as a hybrid between restaurant, bar, club, and gallery. You are able to choose from a six-course menu or order a la carte. Website: La Cocina Discreta
Mi Coleccion de Vinos: As you probably guessed, this restaurant specializes in wine. Here you can expect to uncover lesser-known wines while indulging in a five-course menu. Some nights even include live piano. Website: MCDV
As you can see, you will not be bored or hungry in Buenos Aires, especially if you are a carnivore foodie. Not to leave out our plant-based readers, here is a link from Lonely Planet on the best vegetarian restaurants.
We hope that you and your love enjoy this wonderful city and have some fun dates! Please let us know in the comments which date idea you like most.
