Christmas Day can be an odd day in Buenos Aires. As Argentines devote the biggest fanfare to celebrating Christmas Eve, December 25 is one of the few days of the year when the city grinds to a complete halt, with most of its shops closed for the day. Things can get especially dicey if you wake up with a hangover and have no leftovers from the day before.
Luckily, however, there are still places to bail you out on Christmas Day. And there’s something for everybody. From hangover-extinguishing lunches and traditional parrillas to a Michelin Guide recommendation and even a Jewish Christmas experience, here are some of our favorite options to spend a good old Christmas night out.
1. Nine stages of asado at Fogón Asado
Fogón Asado will open its two Palermo branches on December 24, 25, and 31 for lunch and dinner. Expect their classic 9-course menu covering the different cuts of a traditional Argentine asado (from chorizo and blood sausage to sweetbread and ribeye).
This will all be accompanied by a welcoming toast, a dessert table, and a special pairing with selected wines, like Susana Balbo Signature White Blend, Otronia Pinot, Gran Enemigo Gualtallary 2019, José Zuccardi Magnum, Solería, and Rosell Boher 70 months.
Fogón Asado
Gorriti 3780 and Uriarte 1423
Instagram: @fogonasado
2. A Jewish-Chinese Christmas at Sheikob’s
Sheikob’s Bagels is a bit of a fan favorite for our newsroom (the Herald Nights used to be hosted there). On Christmas Day they will host the “Jewish-Chinese Christmas,” an event honoring a New York City tradition, as cinemas and Chinese restaurants are the only things open on the 25th in the Big Apple.
The gathering will combine Sheikob’s own bagel-based menu — which includes a vegetarian option — with a Christmas movie (that’s yet to be announced, but past showings featured It’s a Wonderful Life, Batman Returns, andThe Nightmare Before Christmas).
There will be two shifts, one at 12:30 p.m. and the other at 2:30 p.m. To book a spot, just DM the restaurant on Instagram.
Sheikob’s Bagels
Uriarte 1386
Reservations via Instagram
3. Christmas drinks up in the Sky Bar
Located on the top floor of the Pulitzer Hotel in downtown Buenos Aires, Sky Bar will open on the 25th at 5 p.m. (hopefully, your Christmas Eve hangover will be gone by then). In addition to a wide array of cocktails, the Sky Bar’s menu includes finger food and a charming view of the city from its outdoor terrace on the 13th floor.
Sky Bar
Maipú 907, 13th floor, Pulitzer Hotel
4. A light cocktail at Sifón Sodería
From 7 p.m. to 1 a.m., Sifón Sodería will offer an array of traditional porteño cocktails: vermouth and club soda straight from a sifón, tinto de verano (roughly translated as “summer red,” which combines red wine with club soda), and some of their own creations. The menu also includes finger food to go with the drinks. The restaurant is set in an architectural icon, the Casa Chorizo (The Sausage House), a mid-20th-century house built following the traditional narrow but elongated form (like a sausage).
Sifón Sodería
Av. Jorge Newbery 3881
5. Luxury Christmas at Buenos Aires’ five-star hotels
Sofitel Recoleta
Who can say no to a five-star brunch? Sofitel offers a fixed-price Christmas brunch with a light selection of appetizers and main courses that includes wine, sparkling wine, and a soft drink. The main course options are skirt steak with spinach and Parmesan risotto, grilled catch of the day with rustic mashed potatoes, or pumpkin gnocchi with sage butter. Desserts include vanilla panna cotta with berries, pistachio and raspberry mille-feuille, and a delicate cocoa tart with namelaka. The price is US$130 for adults and US$80 for children under 12.
Alma Restaurante / La Patisserie
Sofitel Recoleta
Posadas 1232
Elena
The Four Seasons Hotel’s Michelin-recommended restaurant Elena will be open on the 25th for both lunch (12:30 p.m.) and dinner (7 p.m.). On the pricier end of the spectrum, Elena is known for its dry-aged beef options, which include Argentine wagyu ribeye and T-bone.
Elena will also offer a multi-course Christmas Eve dinner for US$300 per adult and US$250 for children 6 to 12. The menu includes Patagonian trout tartare, black arancini with octopus, and homemade pasta in carbonara sauce, as well as white fish and grass-fed beef. Dessert is a peach-based dish with 70% dark chocolate ganache with coffee toffee and caramelized pine nuts.
Elena
Four Seasons Hotel —Posadas 1086/88
Reservations can be made here
6. Escape the pizza or parrilla trap in La Pescadorita
Managed by chef David Ribulgo, La Pescadorita will open at 7 p.m. on the 25th to offer a seafood-only menu, an unusual feat in a Buenos Aires ruled by the triple P (parrilla, pasta, and pizza). Their seafood comes straight from Argentina’s oceans and rivers (from Patagonian trout to Mar del Plata squid), an assortment of dishes all served paired with a selection of Argentine wines.
Paella and grilled fishes are a highlight, while desserts include some star options like the key lime pie and the tiramisu, which is prepared right on your table. Don’t forget to say hi to the bearded merman statue right outside the door.
La Pescadorita
Humboldt 1905
Reservations can be made online or via Whatsapp at +54 9 11 3146-7699
7. An Asian-influenced feast at Gran Dabbang
A hole-in-the-wall on bustling Scalabrini Ortiz Avenue, Gran Dabbang offers some of the tastiest Thai and Indian food you’ll find. A favorite of local chefs and voted as one of the 50 best Latin American restaurants in 2022 (the Michelin guide continues to ignore it, as our columnist Sorrel Moseley-Williams explains here), Gran Dabbang is a flavorful cultural melting pot that made pakoras, chickpea dosa, and roti enter the local foodie vocabulary.
While all the curries are exceptional, we recommend you follow Sorrel’s lead and try the chard pakora, the mandioca bread with goat cheese and tomato chutney, and the lentil makhani.
Photo: Dabbang
Gran Dabbang
Scalabrini Ortiz 1543
8. Two choices for a fusion Christmas: Osaka & Lima
Osaka
An undisputed referent of Nikkei food in Buenos Aires, Osaka delivers a sophisticated blend of Japanese technique and Latin American flavors. In addition to the amazing ceviches and tiraditos, there’s also a wide range of tokusen (premium) choices, from a wagyu tataki to a grilled octopus with a Japanese-style chimichurri.
Osaka
Concepción Arenal 2913.
Reservations via WhatsApp: +54 9 11 28150727
Lima Estilo Nikkei
This Recoleta restaurant fuses Peruvian and Japanese culinary techniques — a win-win in this world. Go in for the tiraditos and ceviches, stay for the nigiris and sashimis — you can also try the omakase option — and revel in their main courses, like the Parrillada limeña (white fish, seafood, octopus and grilled vegetables) or the Tako Chimi-Yaki (confit octopus with Nikkei chimichurri, served with Andean potato chips, rosti potatoes, and smoked yellow chili sauce)
Lima Estilo Nikkei
Rodríguez Peña 1967.
Reservations via WhatsApp: +54 9 11 31522492