• Home
  • About Me
    • Humble Bragging
    • Freelance Eater
  • Food Tours
  • Guides
    • Delivery & Takeaway Guide
    • Restaurant Guide
    • Bar Guide
    • Argentine Food Glossary
    • Parrilla Steakhouse Guide
    • Food Shopping Guide
    • Ice Cream Shop Guide
    • Coffee Guide
    • Expat Resources
  • Travel
  • Videos
    • Episode 1 – A La Parri
    • Episode 2 – Invasión Asiática
    • Episode 3 – Latinoamérica Unida
    • Episode 4 – Gringo Food
    • Episode 5 – Brunchear
    • Episode 6 – Al Paso
    • Episode 7 – Pizza Conmigo
    • Episode 8 – Nueva Cocina Argentina
    • Episode 9 – Barras
    • Episode 10 – Comunidades
  • Tip Jar

Pick Up The Fork

A Serious Eater's Guide to Buenos Aires and Beyond

A Feria de Mataderos Photo Food Tour

Posted on October 6, 2013 17 Comments

IMG_6571

It’s hard to believe that after living in Buenos Aires for over 7 years, I never made it to the Feria de Mataderos. I guess I always passed it off as a pointless touristic activity, crawling with La Boca Caminito types; big boned tourists who are suited up to go trekking in foothills of San Telmo, grey haired middle aged liberals with walking sticks sporting an urban sombrero, and shady peddlers scheming to give you Argie-monopoly money as change while their accomplice slips her hand into your fanny pack. None of the above are correct, I was wrong yet again, and the Feria de Mataderos has made me fall back in love with Argentine street food.

IMG_6516

A new discovery that reassured my love for Buenos Aires, Feria de Mataderos is an Argentine food and crafts haven filled with great renditions of street food classics, market foods, local families, gauchos, horse shows, free concerts, and folklore music and dancing. Nothing forced or unauthentic about it, not overrun with tall Nordic-looking tourists, it’s a fair made by locals for locals.

_MG_6602

The trip to Mataderos took only about 45 minutes on the #55 bus, far less than the 2 hour journey that some guidebooks warn tourists about. Right when I got off the colectivo, I instantly became a bit worried when there was no food in sight (the horror) and only vendors selling the same old junkity market crafts and fake Nike shoes. But I spotted a mechanical bull, smelled chorizo smoke in the distance, and knew all would be good in the world, as long as I followed that smell of the sausage.

IMG_6552

Seek and thou shalt find.

IMG_6574

IMG_6585

Known as the gaucho fair with over 300 stands selling all sorts of those cowboy-like crafts and goodies, I came for the edibles. And edibles I done eat.

IMG_6583

I started at the street food section, where ladies in white bonnets slave over an outdoor fryer and cook up hot Argentine specialties to order: empanadas of all flavors, humitas, tamales, torta frita, and locro. I had a hot tip that the best empanadas in the city were at “the stand on the left.” Thanks for nothing, I eyed rolled into my computer thinking it was an empty recommendation. On the left of what, idiot? How the hell am I going to find the empanada stand “on the left?” 

IMG_6576

I take it back. I take it all back. I totally (and easily) found the stand to the left (aka …Con sabor Argentino) and it was all I dreamt it would be and more. Much more, with some of the best empanadas I’ve had in Argentina — I ordered one of each style, salteña, tucumana, jamón y queso and pollo and was not disappointed. Especially by the sexy salteña and hot tucumana.

IMG_6575

Nice ladies in funny hats perfectly hand repulgue-ing empanadas before plopping into the deep fryer. That’s authenticity, bitch.

IMG_6580

Fuck elaborate party centerpieces made out of “flowers,” tamale and humita bouquets are the new black. I will carry this down the aisle at my wedding.

_MG_6590

_MG_6594

And then open it up and eat it right before I say my vows.

_MG_6599

While my future husband will get down on one knee with a tamale.

_MG_6618

Most of the stands serve the same Argentine fare, except for one of the only spots to try Paraguayan food in the city. What’s Paraguayan food consist of, might you ask? (Or maybe you didn’t but I’ll tell you anyway).

IMG_6632


IMG_6633

_MG_6626

A whole lot of consonants-accent-mark names in Guaraní and even more chalky pesado carbed out corn-mandioca-flour-cheese: Chipa so’ó, mbejú, chipa guazú (the winner).

IMG_6562

It’s not every day you stumble across a cast iron pan on the street filled with hot sizzling oil. But I suggest if you do, you should probably order one. These empanadas are truly awesome on so many levels (AND I WILL NAME EVERY LEVEL).

IMG_6549

1. They are floating around frying in oil. 2. They are filled with a perfectly seasoned beefy filling. 3. They give off a wonderful golden brown shimmer of what greasy acne faces are made of. 4. They are fried right on the street over a wonky flame.

IMG_6559

5. Hot damn, utter empanada perfection. 

_MG_6609

Embracing an #Empanadaselfie, ain’t no shame.

IMG_6539IMG_6541

Moving on to more fried goodness, the crowds be of great length and line-up-long-time for a piece of this torta frita action. I’m no hater of the fried persuasion, but no piece of fried dough is worth a long wait.

IMG_6542

Look I can see Jesus in my torta frita. I guess I will wait in that long line(?)

IMG_6509

And don’t be fooled by the delicious looking cake, it don’t taste so hot. Total butter face.

_MG_6649

_MG_6645

_MG_6592

Once you collect your goodies and barrel wine served in a plastic cup, grab a spot on a coveted picnic bench along the romantic cobblestone street and dig in. 

IMG_6501

While the kids (and me?) take turns riding on Lil’ Sebastian, adults can head over to buy more local artisanal delicacies like jams, cheeses, meats, licors, and all that awesome bullshit you’d want to buy from your favorite artisan fair.

_MG_6700

Eat some cheebus.

_MG_6702

Gnaw on some cured meats.

_MG_6699

Get scolded (and then hit on) by a delicatessen.

_MG_6713

_MG_6706

_MG_6726

_MG_6720

Homemade licors, jelly and jam, home cured meats, providers from all across Buenos Aires come to sell their goods — most of which are quite excellent in quality.

_MG_6695

The dulce de leche makes for a great buy, as does the light, sweet and delicious Los Panqueques de Mataderos.

_MG_6694

Waaaaaait for it… Live dulce de leche pancake flippage.

_MG_6739

In the middle of the fair set up you’ll notice a huge stage where some pretty famous Argentine folklore bands and singers perform, people of all ages come to sing and dance along.

IMG_6518

Feria de Mataderos is also a great spot to pick up unique Argentine souvenirs and gifts, beyond the food items you can’t (or probably wouldn’t want to) eat. Like these hooves mate gourds.

IMG_6524

Or an old haunted lady selling regular mate gourds.

IMG_6527

A place to hold your fucking keys.

IMG_6532

A wicker framed photo of your favorite animals.

IMG_6531

A soothing bathroom wall decor just for you, cat weirdos.

IMG_6521

A joint smoking Rastaman.

_MG_6730

Or perhaps a wooden framed photo of your favorite celebrity, horse, flower, sailboat, or female back.

_MG_6745

So head out to Feria de Mataderos this Sunday and set forth to eat, drink, shop, be merry and folklore the day away.

More photos of the Feria de Mataderos here.

Feria de Mataderos
Av. Lisandro de la Torre y Av. de los Corrales
Open Sundays and Holidays, 11am – 8pm (Hours change during summer)
Buses: 55, 63, 80, 92, 103, 117, 126, 141, 155, 180
Feria de Mataderos on Trip Advisor 
Feria de Mataderos on Facebook

Author: ForkYou

EAT IT:

Comments

Filed Under: Cheap Eats, Culinary Tour, DrinkDrankDrunk, Favorite Hits, Food Porn, Food Travels, Forking it on the road, Products, PUTF, Raunchy Restaurant Review, Sexy Veggies, Shit I Like, Spicy, Travel Tagged With: best empanadas, best fairs buenos aires, best markets buenos aires, domingo en buenos aires, feria de mataderos, ferias de buenos aires, mejores empandas, mercados de buenos aires, sundays in buenos aires

Comments

  1. Lauren Aloise (@spanishsabores) says

    July 12, 2015 at 12:15 pm

    Your post brings back memories from when I visited in 2007 while studying in Buenos Aires. I’m pretty sure I tried the empanadas on the left– and still dream about them!

    Reply
  2. gigi says

    July 9, 2015 at 6:11 pm

    I legit live 10 blocks away from the fair, and never in my life visited it (well, if you don’t count my toddler age where I couldn’t taste a good empanada). Thank you for inspiring me to go!

    Reply
  3. Viet says

    December 9, 2013 at 4:29 pm

    Discovered you via airbnb! Makes me want to visit even more!

    Reply
  4. Luann says

    October 12, 2013 at 6:25 pm

    Want to make sure this market is open this Monday, October 14. It is a holiday!

    Reply
  5. Thiago Medeiros (@geodesigner) says

    October 10, 2013 at 8:56 pm

    Oh crap, I left BA last Friday and never knew this place existed. Will have to return real soon! So glad it’s a 2h45m flight :)

    Reply
  6. MartinFierro says

    October 10, 2013 at 6:12 pm

    Utterly fantastic post – bitch! Really great writing and beautiful photographs. Please keep up the great work.

    Reply
  7. felipe says

    October 10, 2013 at 11:24 am

    I am aware that the description “the one on the left” was not very precise, but it’s hard to remember a name after you eat so much!
    Awesome review!

    Reply
  8. leandro says

    October 7, 2013 at 10:28 pm

    thanks lady for taking a shot of “mermelada de batatas”, the second place in buenos aires where somebody sell it

    Reply
  9. Lauren McCrea says

    October 7, 2013 at 1:21 pm

    THE ONE ON THE LEFT

    Reply
  10. Dick Town says

    October 7, 2013 at 12:27 pm

    A great review! You missed it a few months ago when the Mataderos fair came to Plaza Italia, it was mighty.

    Reply
  11. patpy says

    October 7, 2013 at 11:52 am

    aaaaaaaaaahhhh comida paraguaya!!!!!!!

    Reply
  12. Anna says

    October 6, 2013 at 7:46 pm

    Those hooves mate grounds are quite freaky!
    “Big boned tourists” and “grey haired middle age liberals” -LOL :) Exactly the same types I spotted today in Bioferia in Lima -they are generic.
    Great photos and funny post -as usual!

    Reply
  13. Al Gore Geous says

    October 6, 2013 at 7:21 pm

    Those are some damn good looking empanadas. Legend has it there’s a big pot filled with those at the end of every rainbow.

    Reply
  14. The Wanderita says

    October 6, 2013 at 6:18 pm

    I’m hungry

    Reply
  15. @SantiMateo says

    October 6, 2013 at 12:39 pm

    Awesome, just awesome.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Inside Barrio Boliviano: A Food Tour of Mercado Andino de Liniers – Pick Up The Fork says:
    August 17, 2016 at 1:51 pm

    […] a beautiful working class barrio filled with edible treasures. Plus, it’s not far from the Feria de Mataderos, my favorite fair in Buenos […]

    Reply
  2. culture: the word on cheese says:
    October 9, 2014 at 9:00 am

    […] By Laurel Miller Adapted from Recipe adapted from reciplex.com Adapted from Recipe adapted from reciplex.com culture: the word on cheese http://culturecheesemag.com/ Photo Credit: Image courtesy of Pick Up The Fork […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Facebook Twitter Instagram e-mail

Are you always hungry? Pick Up the Newsletter:

Instafoodporn

Facebook Twitter Instagram e-mail


Pick Up The Fork has been featured on:

© 2016 Pick Up The Fork | Buenos Aires Restaurant, Food and Bar Reviews