To call the drinking of yerba mate a fixation in parts of South America would be an understatement. Yerba mate (MAH-tey) in Argentina and Uruguay is consumed regularly by an estimated 98 percent of the population, and, like tea in other countries, has social and cultural significance and rituals associated with friendship, business relationships, leisure, hospitality, etiquette and national identity. As a social ritual, mate brewing requires a bit more than just yerba, the vessel (calabaza), straw (bombilla) and hot water (80 degrees C – 175 degrees F – is the usual temperature, but around 50 degrees C or 120 degrees F is preferred); if you are in a group setting, you’ll also need to know a bit of its language of respect and solidarity.

Los Galgos has been a fixture of Buenos Aires life since 1930. Revived and reimagined, it remains a gathering place where history and modern food culture meet.

Irina Widuczynski, the voice behind Buenos Paladaires, shares her favorite spot for Argentina’s iconic sweet pastry — and why it’s always her first stop back in Buenos Aires.