In Argentina, the culinary awards just keep coming: bakery and café Ninina has been included in South America’s 100 Best Coffee Shops 2025 ranking.
The list, a regional version of the World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops, recognizes the hundred most outstanding coffee shops in the region. The ranking was determined by 140 coffee experts, after sifting through over 1,800 establishments from across South America. The selection criteria included coffee quality, barista experience, customer service, innovation, ambiance and atmosphere, and sustainability practices.
“Being among the top 100 coffee shops in South America is a big honor,” said Ninina creator Emmanuel Paglayan. “We started talking about specialty coffee in 2013, when it was not yet as widespread in Argentina as it is today.”
Founded in 2013, Ninina is the result of a long family legacy. Emmanuel’s mother Marta Gueikian created a leading bakery brand back in the 1980s called “Selvi,” which she named in honor of her mother. Years later, Paglayan paid tribute to his Armenian roots by naming the coffee house Ninina, after his grandmother.
Ninina currently has three branches in Buenos Aires: in Palermo, Villa Urquiza, and the El Solar shopping mall in Las Cañitas. Since 2017, they have roasted their own coffee in an open lab at their Palermo location.
Earlier this year, Ninina was also named top coffee shop in the city and ranked 64th overall in the 2025 World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops.
Argentine cuisine on the rise The Argentine gastro scene has been garnering recognition from major international rankings and awards in recent years.
In April, restaurants Crizia, Angélica Cocina Maestra and Riccitelli Bistró each won a Michelin star, world gastronomy’s most prestigious award. During the ceremony, Aramburu rested on its laurels as the only Argentine eatery with two Michelin Stars. The Michelin Guide currently recommends 60 Argentine restaurants. Between 2024 and 2025, 10 stars have been bestowed upon establishments in Buenos Aires and Mendoza. In 2023 and 2024, Tres Monos, CoChinChina, and Floreria Atlántico were named among the World’s 50 Best Bars as well.