In Argentina and Uruguay, asado – beef cooked over a parrilla, or open pit grill – is a fundamental part of local culture. On weekends, Sundays especially, grill smoke can be seen rising from backyards, rooftops and even small balconies, as well as, of course, from restaurant ventilators. Out of town, there are asados in chacras (small countryside farms) and in parks and picnic areas in forests. Asado’s defining role in these countries has existed for quite some time; it was even mentioned by Charles Darwin in his journals from 1833, when he was traveling towards Buenos Aires in the company of gauchos and native people.

The Clarito is a classic Buenos Aires cocktail of gin and dry vermouth, originally created by legendary Argentine bartender Santiago “Pichín” Policastro.

At the edge of Almagro, Las Violetas pairs Belle Époque grandeur with old-school porteño café culture, from sandwiches de miga to an extravagant merienda spread.