I bet you have never heard anyone say, “I went to Argentina and had the best salad ever!” Why? Simple. Overall the salads are sucky, consisting of wilted greens and boring unripe vegetables, either not dressed at all or drenched in some weird mayonnaise-based “dressing” sauce. When ordering a salad, many will respond in ridicule – judging you for attempting to eat consciously in a country known for its beef. But you can now tell all those nay-sayers to shove it, and show them this round-up of the best salads Buenos Aires has to offer.
La Cresta – Salad bar
THANK YOU ALMAGRO LORDS, Bulnes is blowing up with people making the long porteño line for La Cresta’s salads. This deli style to-go small shop serves more than 10 different types of inventive salads – creative flavor combinations that is delicious for not just Buenos Aires vegetarian standards.
Sudestada – Lunch special appetizer
Not only does Sudestada offer one of the best lunch specials in Buenos Aires, they also have an incredible salad as the first course. Light, fresh and simple, this salad with greens, bean sprouts, tomato, onion, a fried hard boiled egg and peanuts in a drink-the-leftovers-in-the-bowl lime-sesame-tamarind(?) dressing might just be the most scrumptiously simple aderezo in the city. I’d really like to bottle it up and put it on everything.
Baking BA – Caesar Salad
Catering to the microcentro lunch crowd, Baking BA’s success is easy: healthy food, fast service, and quality products. Comida para llevar, most all of Baking’s salads are pretty fantastic. Caesar salad with dressing that is much more than mayonaise, it’s probably the best take on the real deal this city has to offer. Kansas comes in a close second, but Baking’s under AR$35 price tag is hard to beat.
Miranda Parrilla – Antonia y Jacinta Salads
The salads at most parrillas remain very simple, consisting of a lettuce, tomato and onion combination. But the salads at Miranda are much more invented and elaborate, and can easily feed two people. Massive plates of grilled vegetables, fresh greens and even.. wait for it… dressing!
Marfa – Pollo y Espinaca / Pollo y Palta
Off of Marfa’s summer menu, this salad is packed with fresh greens, addictive crunchy chicken, mushrooms, avocado and cherry tomatoes. You really can’t go wrong with any of Marfa’s salads because they are all OH SO GOOD. Sometimes the dressing is a bit lacking with little flavor, so I like to whip up my own batch of a balsamic vinaigrette.
Pain et Vin – Quinoa, Lentil & Spinach
The sourdough bread bakery / wine shop might specialize in the bread/wine/sandwiches, but there’s something about ordering the simple spinach, quinoa, lentil and goat cheese salad that’s utterly enjoyable. Add on a glass of white wine, and you’ll be set for the afternoon.
Ninina Bakery – Mezze Plate
A solid brunch and lunch spot with super fresh, high quality products. The mezze plate has a good mix of babaganoush, hummus and tabbouleh for the Middle Eastern lunch trifecta.
La Alacena – Palta Salad
It’s a fact that avocado makes everything taste better. La Alacena’s salads might be a bit on the small side, but the fresh ingredients and crazy delicious mustard dressing make it worth it to watch my girlish figure and practice portion control.
Yeite – Salad Bar
This off the track Villa Crespo cool lunchtime hangout rotates the salads daily, which are colorfully displayed on the counter front and center of the room.
Hierbabuena – Falafel or Italian Eggplant Salads
If a zapper transporter existed in real life, I’d use it to beam me to Caseros street in San Telmo to Hierbabuena, a great (weekday) lunch spot on the Barracas border. The Italian Eggplant salad has grilled rolls of eggplant stuffed with queso de almendras (yup, your heard right, ALMOND CHEESE) and sprouts, and served with fresh spinach, peppers, sun dried tomatoes and basil. I’m pretty picky about falafel, and although it may not be the most authentic balls of garbanzo beans, it’s served with a bunch of fresh vegetables and with a tahini vinaigrette that almost takes me back to Aroma café in Israel.
Latino Sandwich – Too hard to choose just one
Even though this spot specializes in sandwiches (glorious, delicious sandwiches), they also make mean fresh salads as well – for both the ultra healthies, and ultra fatties. It’s hard to choose exactly which salad to order – so maybe just order one of each and have a ensalada fiesta.
Juana M – Salad Bar
A gem in the vegetarian world, Juana M makes both meat and vegetable lovers happy. Not many places can serve a great steak and still offer a salad that includes more than just lettuce, tomato and onions. With an unlimited salad bar, this is bound to please even the snobbiest of salad eaters.
Efímero Festín – Salad Bar
While most salad bars lean towards the make-your-own style – Efímero Festín does something a bit different: they offer about 8 different types of already salads already armados, using fresh, in-season and high quality ingredients. A great inexpensive lunch spot that never fails. (Photo from their FB page)
Any other Buenos Aires restaurants with great salads?? Spill it and share the food knowledge!
Agencia Bubba says
Prueben El Club de la Ensalada. Saludos!!!
Luke says
Check out the chicken salad at Bar Refuerzo in San Telmo ta muy buena!
Mary Sweeting says
Hola, loving your blog, I’ve been recommending this post to the girls travelling who love steak but not every day! I love your pics too, great job! Mary
Anywhere Home says
Had an awesome salad for lunch yesterday at bBlue Deli and Natural Bar in Parlermo SoHo. They also have fresh squeezed juices and their specialties include blueberries. It was tres delicious!
Mia says
Great selection, thanks!
I would add Quimera del Arte, in Palermo Hollywood.
They offer a lovely salad bar for lunchtime… quinoa, tabule, potatoes and different options every day + gorgeous books and selected art pieces.
Sady says
Oh, and salmon salad in The Oldest is amazing too!
Sady says
Awesome. You should try Bonjour natural bar in the centro!!
boombast says
Want to try them all!
GreenGo used to be great, but the last few times I ordered ingredients were not fresh at all, and last time I had one, I had food poisoning with the chicken in their salad.
Not recommended at all! (unless they freshen up their produce).
Daniel says
Sabó in Belgrano on Juramento and Vidal. They made me the svelte piece of ass you always craved.
Elizabeth Con says
You went to Tea Connection! Love that place.
Brad says
I love the salads at the tea connection! If you’re still in Buenos Aires and looking to fulfill your craving for fresh hummus in a jar (Shocking, I know), check out the Fábrica de Hummus in Buenos Aires at FabricaDeHummus.com. There you can order it fresh during the day, and have it delivered in the evening. Good stuff!!
Duane Storey says
I’ve only had two real salads here. One was at Don Julio in Palermo Soho, and it was actually pretty good. The other once was probably one of the worst salads I have ever had in my life – it was a caesar, but it had some type of fish taste that didn’t remind me at all of anchovies. I couldn’t even finish it.
Amelia says
I am again a big fan of the Matilda salad – the Jacinta is a force to be reckoned with – don’t attempt it alone. I never know where I stand ordering a salad in Argentina – it is making me go mad – can I have it by itself as a main, will it fill me up, well there be anything green in it…..or am I still expected to order a massive chunk of cow? But muchaaassss graciaaaaasss for this info – should help a lot!
Jotaele says
What??? Where did you order salads?
Mayonnaise in argie lettuce and tomato salad? NEVER.
The worst salads I ate EVER were in the USA, with those dressings!!! Ranch…
rotaface says
You must be on crack, come on you can’t deny salads here are a joke, most places ruin your salad with a ton of mayo without even asking first, and there’s no variety, lettuce-tomato-onion and shredded carrot (for when argies feel “crazy”) is NOT a salad and that’s what you find everywhere, there’s a reason why someone needed to write an article on the few places where you can get a decent salad!!
sam says
I love Miranda for their salads. Big enough for 2 to share and whilst your friends have parilla you can eat the best salad ever!!
http://www.parillamiranda.com
Hannah says
Pastry Bistro on Uriarte and Soler has greatttt salads!
Marlies says
A good Mexican? Frida Kahlo in Nuñez!!!! Great food!! Lovely restaurant
I don’t know if there is a website, this is what i found:
http://atexaninargentina.blogspot.com/2007/12/frida-khalo-mexican-food-quest-part-ii.html
Migue says
http://www.thepickmarket.com.ar/
for people in Recoleta (we never go out of the neighborhood)this are the best best salads in the area. They are big, tasty and the ingredients are fresh they have from mexican style to salmon and Philadelphia. Simply the best. The dressings are so good too.
amyteiko says
ensalada en yo face.
Hamish says
These look good, I also like the salads at Mathilda’s and (although pretty pricey) John’s Deli. Next thing to find here is a decent Mexican restaurant…
razalba says
Yes, Mathilda’s salads are quite nice too. Decent Mexican is a tough one… la fabrica del taco and taco box are the best i’ve had so far
Paul Strobl says
Great post! I did take note that at $25 pesos per kilo, they did go a little light on the quinoa at Marfa….que codos, no?
razalba says
You’re right Paul.. in order to be called a quinoa salad it should be at least 1/4 filled with quinoa
ruhtra razal says
Love your blog and these pictures are so professional.
Pearl says
Will try to make some of these at home…..your descriptions make it easy to do this…………………….and I love the photos!
Marlies says
Hi, this is my favourite place for healthy shakes, smoothies , sandwiches and salads! You have to try this place!
Love your blog!
http://www.b-blue.com.ar/
Saludos desde Holanda!!
razalba says
i’ve tried bBlue once a long time ago but I’ll have to go back and try a salad
Ani says
Sadly it is not what it use to be… For example for their breakfast b-healthy they frozen fruits and the yogurt is too liquid (moreover the jugo de naranja is not included anymore…)
FrancesRenHuang says
Love the post. I’m a salad snob and can’t wait to try these out.