That home video is of me, Allie Lazar, 4 years old, in 1989 at my grandparent’s 50th wedding anniversary (yes, I was a large kid). Ever since a young age, growing up in the mean streets of suburban Chicago, I’ve been a good eater — intensely devouring all things edible like a possessed chubby demon child. Since I’ve always spent my days eating, cooking, dreaming about food and travel, reading and writing about food, and planning my next meal, it was only fitting to channel this food obsession in the form of something a bit more socially acceptable: become a professional eater and communicator. Plus, working as a freelance food writer was a legit excuse for never going on a diet.
I came to Buenos Aires in 2006 to study Political Science at the Universidad de Buenos Aires during a semester-long exchange program, and five ten fifteen (!) years later I’m still here, crazy enough to have fallen in love with this wonderfully chaotic country. I started writing Pick Up the Fork food blog in 2010 as a hobby to document my love-hate relationship with food in Argentina, attempting to liven up traditional restaurant reviews with a little bit of honesty and a lot of bit of silliness. Living so far away from home isn’t always easy, but the blog helped work through any homesickness. My hobby turned into an obsession, which eventually transformed into a profession, and here I am, still on an endless quest to eat delicious things and find interesting stories behind those foods.
I have been grateful to see lots of hungry people enjoy and use the blog, and have received chubby praise for my Buenos Aires food expertise with features in publications like the New York Times, Rolling Stone Magazine, New York Magazine, Travel + Leisure, Bon Appétit, Condé Nast Traveler, The Travel Channel, The Food Network, BBC, and the Netflix show Somebody Feed Phil and Street Food. I even helped out President Obama and Justin Trudeau choose restaurants when they were in Buenos Aires! (I’m sorrynotsorry, but I had to throw in that humble brag because, well, it’s the OBAMAS and the TRUDEAUS.)
Professional Experience:
For nearly two decades I’ve traveled around the world eating, drinking, and writing about food and culture. My writing and photography have appeared in publications like The New York Times, Condé Nast Traveler, Eater, The Guardian, Food & Wine Magazine, Saveur, New York Post, National Geographic, Vice Munchies, Lucky Peach, Serious Eats, La Nacion, Clarin, Roads & Kingdoms, BBC Travel, New Worlder, Travel + Leisure, The Infatuation, among many others. I’m the former Food & Drinks editor of Time Out Magazine Buenos Aires (RIP), and I even created a TV series “Pick Up the Fork” about restaurants in Buenos Aires. I organize customized Buenos Aires food tours when food-obsessed travelers come to Argentina. I also work as a fixer helping out production companies find the best food locations when in filming travel and food shows in Argentina and Latin America.
From street food vendors to top chef tasting menus, I don’t think I’ll ever stop my endless voyage for discovering the great foods in Argentina and around the world. I hope you enjoy reading my labor of love and find it as a useful guide just as much as I have fun eating and writing it. And if you don’t like it, go suck a chorizo.
Yours Truly,
Allie
P.S.
– All of the reviews are my honest opinion based on personal experience, even if you think they are wrong. You don’t owwwwwn me, restaurant owner, chefffff, Yelp elitist, or press dude.
– I took all of the photos on the site (unless otherwise noted), so please don’t steal them. Or if you do, give me credit for being the fab photog I pretend to be.
– I’m also one of THOSE PEOPLE who post photos of food (and maybe sometimes cats, dogs, and Seinfeld references). So if you don’t roll your eyes at #foodporn posted at a healthy rate, twatme, likeme, and insta-assme on da worldwide social media webz –> @pickupthefork
– Questions, comments, complaints all welcome. Feel free to tell me if you want to be my new best friend…. or if you think my drivel is full of shit. Comment below or shoot me a fax —> imhungry@pickupthefork.com
cazbag says
I love your blog, YUM! We went to Aldo’s on Saturday for brunch. I can’t believe you can sit there and eat and drink for 6 hours for only 160! Not sure you’re supposed to stay there that long, but…never mind.
While we were there the girls in the group hatched a plan for a girls’ late lunch. My request is, please would you recommend somewhere light and airy for a late lunch perhaps stretching to dinner anywhere around San Telmo to Palermo? Excellent food a must of course. Not fussy about cuisine. It’ll be a Tuesday.
Thanks so much, Caroline
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Tess says
Normally I never comment on blogs, but I’m studying abroad here in Buenos Aires for the semester and am SO happy that I found yours! Otherwise I would be lost within the porteño labyrinth of mediocre parillas y cafes…I’ve only gone to El Peruanito Ray y El Nono Amigo from your list so far, but they were both great and I look forward to working my way down the list (especially for Cheap Bastards). Keep it up!
Kelli says
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carey says
I absolutely love your blog and find a lot of your post’s to be exactly I’m looking for.
Juan Decaneo says
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Keneth Kazmer says
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Casandra says
I savor this, lead to I found exactly what I was looking for. God Bless you man.
romana franceza says
Thanks for all of your time & work.
Erin Avery says
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misstrickky says
I’m here to echo the praise in this thread! My (foodie) boyfriend and I are here for 6 weeks on a working holiday. We live in Melbourne. Australia and are obsessed with trying new restaurants and more generally, eating and drinking well. This blog has been my bible since arriving 10 days ago, we went to Aipim for the brunch degustation this morning, A-MAZING. Thank you for all your rigorous ‘research’ – keep up the good work!
forkyou says
BIBLE?! Woah, so nice to hear! What have been some of your favorite spots (and least favorites)?
misstrickky says
Loved Chan Chan, Baraka, Aipim, A Nos Amours. Got burned ordering pizza at La Fachada (didn’t see your note about going for empanadas NOT pizza). Not on your list is Bar 6 on Armenia, they have awesome bagel sandwiches and lemonada is all sorts of flavours. Buena onda tambien!
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