Top 10 cafés in Palermo, Buenos Aires

Natural Deli cappuchino, Buenos AiresTea and cake in a good cafe is one of my favourite things, and during my time in trendy Palermo in Buenos Aires there was no shortage of options to choose from. This is a round-up of my favourite 10 cafes in Palermo in no particular order. All have wi-fi and vegetarian options.

1. Porota

Gorriti 5881, Palermo Hollywood

Porota cafe, Buenos AiresPorota was without a doubt home to our favourite cakes in Buenos Aires. There’s a mouth-watering selection including banana and dulce de leche muffins, chocolate raspberry cupcakes and sprinkle-covered truffles. With a huge menu of excellent freshly brewed teas, it’s the perfect place for an afternoon break. There’s also a savoury menu of good value sandwiches, soups and salads. Inside is cosy and pretty, and there are seats outside too. If you’re lucky, you’ll go there on a day when waiter Alejandro has bought his beautiful dog Homero into work.

2. Bartola

Nicaragua 5935, Palermo Hollywood  and Gurruchaga 1795, Palermo Soho

Outside Bartola cafe, Buenos AiresBartola is delightfully kitsch with bunting, mismatched furniture and a pastel palette. There are cakes, teas and juices and a good breakfast/brunch menu, as well as sandwiches and pizza.

Bartola cafe, Buenos Aires
There are two branches – a small, cosy one with lovely outdoor seating on one of Palermo Soho’s most pretty roads; and another bigger one in Palermo Hollywood with a small outdoor courtyard.

3. bBlue Deli and Natural Bar

Armenia 1692, Palermo Soho

Meal at bBlue Buenos AiresThis was my favourite post-yoga stop for a healthy smoothie or salad. The light filled, yet cosy, place is owned by a blueberry farmer and serves a delicious crumble. The breakfasts are huge, and there’s also a great tea menu. it’s the kind of place you tend to leave feeling refreshed.

4. Oui Oui

Nicaragua 6068, Palermo Hollywood

Oui Oui hot chocolate, Buenos AiresSteve and I were looking for a good brunch and Oui Oui perfectly delivered. This charming cafe seems made for weekend mornings. It’s the ideal pace to enjoy a breakfast of eggs and coffee amid the bustling Palermo streets. It served the best submarine (a glass of hot milk with chocolate to melt into it) that I tasted in the city, with lots of crumbly chocolate so you could make it just right.

5. Pani

Nicaragua 6044, Palermo Hollywood

Pani cakes, Buenos AiresPani is a girly delight, full of pretty crockery, and even prettier cakes. The pink lemonade even comes in a pink jug in the shape of a penguin. You probably shouldn’t go there without trying something sweet like one of the tempting macaroons.

Pink lemonade at Pani, Buenos AiresThere is a also a menu of savoury dishes such as pizza, wraps and salad. There’s an outdoor courtyard as well as plenty of seats inside beside shelves full of cute teapots.

6. Voltaire

1946 Carranza, Palermo Hollywood

Voltaire cafe, Buenos Aires

Sitting here on a sunny day is a wonderful way to appreciate Palermo’s charms. Outside the cafe, the lamp posts, signs and trees are wrapped in colourful crochet and inside is cosy and inviting. Whenever I went there it always had a bustle to it and was a great place to while away some time working. Unlike most places in Buenos Aires, it’s possible to get a light lunch rather than a portion fit for two. It gets very busy at the weekends.

7. Sans

Serrano 1595, Palermo Soho

Initially, we were worried that this place might be a bit of a soulless tourist trap due to its location on the popular Plaza Serrano, but we were eventually lured in by the sunny terrace upstairs. We were happily surprised to find inside was charmingly decorated with cheerful colours, wooden furniture and a table full of cakes. There were plenty of Argentines inside too. Our favourite thing on the menu is a cucumber, mint and lemon juice. On a sunny day, the roof terrace is a great place to people watch over the square below.

8. Meraviglia

Gorriti 5796, Palermo Hollywood

Tofu sandwich at Meraviglia, Buenos AiresThis little corner cafe/restaurant was just around the corner form my home in Palermo and is best enjoyed in the sun when you can take advantage of the pavement tables and roof terrace. The menu is short but has some great food including a good tofu sandwich and a hearty stir-fry. There are also daily specials such as tarts and burgers. My favourite meal was a courgette and onion tart dusted with seeds and accompanied by a salad with a sweet dressing I’d love to re-create. It’s a popular place for breakfast, sat reading the papers and watching the world go by.

9. Libros del Pasaje

Thames 1762, Palermo Soho

From the balcony at Libros del PasajeI’ve already raved about this in my post on Buenos Aires best bookshops, but it has to be included on this list too as the cafe is one of the best parts of it. It’s at the back of the bookshop, next to a small music section so you can sit surrounded by books and music. It’s wonderfully cosy and possibly my favourite place to sit and read in the city. I miss it, just writing about it now.

 10. Eterna Cadencia

Honduras 5574, Palermo Hollywood

Cafe in Eterna cadencia, Buenos Aires

If I’m including Libros del pasaje then Eterna Cadencia deserves a mention too. It’s a more classical bookstore than Libros del Pasaje and the cafe feels rather more grand with high ceilings and a glass roof. My favourite place to sit was at the back on the sofas where you could peek into the bookshop and stare up to the sky.  You can see more pictures on my Buenos Aires bookshops post.

Best cafes in Palermo, Buenos Aires

Other options include Crack Up bookshop cafe and Helena (Nicaragua 4816) where the bunting is made from woolen hats. I’ll be adding a post shortly on Vegetarian restaurants in Buenos Aires. Many of the restaurants double as cafes, including Natural Deli, which is where I took the photo at the top of the page. Let me know if there are any you think I’ve left out.

Posted on June 10, 2012 by Victoria in Argentina, Destinations, Vegetarian 8 Comments

8 Responses to Top 10 cafés in Palermo, Buenos Aires

  1. Lauren

    I can’t wait until August 26th, when I land in BA. The best part? OPTIONS. After 2 years in rural South Korea, I think my head is going to explode!

     
  2. Monica

    Wow, these look amazing, especially no.9 with the bookshop/cafe. That is my kind of cafe!

     
    • Victoria

      I loved it in there. It was the perfect place to cosy up and read or write when the skies turned grey in BA. The cakes are great too!

       
  3. trev

    Never left palermo soho, hollywood by any chance?

     
  4. Dani

    This is an excellent post – we will totally refer to this when we finally get to Buenos Aires! They all look gorgeous and we can’t wait to explore Buenos Aires!
    Dani recently posted..Polaroid of the week: Vintage car in Bisbee, ArizonaMy Profile

     
    • Victoria

      Thanks Dani! Buenos Aies is amazing for excellent cafes and vegetarian food. You’ll have an awesome time. We can’t wait to get Central America to try the fruits you talked about!

       

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