Heladería Heatmap: The Best Ice Cream in Buenos Aires

Yo screamo, vos screamás, todos screameamos for helado! Many will say that Buenos Aires does meat best, and while that is true, I say the real star of the Argentine food scene is the ice cream. From mom and pop gelato shops to big chains, here is everything you need to know about devouring ice cream in Buenos Aires. Welcome to Argentina’s summertime bliss!

• Búffala – Av. Pueyrredón 2100. Tel 4808 0587
• Cadore – Av. Corrientes 1695, Centro. Tel 4374-3688: Get the nutella italiano
• Chungo -Ice cream shop chain, Multiple locations
• Compañia de Chocolate – Multiple locations
• *The Creme Lab – El Salvador 4872, Palermo. 2757-6729
• *Dolce Morte – Elena & Pony Line, Four Seasons Hotel: Dark After Eight, Chokotorta
• Dumbo – Av. Rivadavia 3929, Almagro. Tel 4981-4814
• Freddo – Argentina’s most popular chain, Multiple locations
• El Fundador – Old school chain, Multiple locations
• *Gruta – Mariscal Antonio José de Sucre 2356, Belgrano. Tel 4780-0603
• Heladeria Guindi – Eva Perón 2830, Flores. Tel. 4612-1243
• Jauja – Multiple locations across Argentina
• *LadoBueno – Ciudad de la Paz y Jorge Newbery, Belgrano. Tel 4553-9321 — Julián Álvarez 2533, Palermo. Tel 4828-0019: Chocolate rocher, choco almendras, chantilly frutillas
• Lucciano’s – Multiple locations: Specialize in ice cream bars
• Monte Olivia – Fernández de Enciso 3999, Devoto. Tel  4501-0593
• Nonna Bianca – Estados Unidos 425, San Telmo. Tel 4362-0604
• *Occo – Dorrego 1581, Chacarita. Tel 4777.9302; Juramento 4948, Villa Urquiza; El Salvador 4177, Palermo.
• Persicco – Ice cream shop chain, Multiple locations
• *Pistacchio Helados – Santos Dumont 3429, Colegiales/Chacarita: Baileys, After Eight, Grapefruit, FREE CHOCOLATE DIPS
• *Rapa Nui – Arenales 2302, Recoleta; Elcano 3127, Colegiales; Pedro Goyena 1515, Caballito; Uruguay 1284, Recoleta: Frambuesa balls!
• Saverio – San Juan 2816, San Cristobal
• Scannapieco – Av. Alvarez Thomas 10, Colegiales/Palermo Tel. 4777-3528
• Shaba – Mariscal F. Solano López 2902, Agronomía
• *Tufic – Guatemala 4597, Palermo Soho. Tel 4833-0375; Vuelta de Obligado 2241, Belgrano.
• Veikko – Ice cream shop chain, Multiple locations
• Via Flaminia – Gral. Justo José de Urquiza 919, Acassuso. Tel 4798-6811: Go for the helado sword.
• Volta – Ice cream shop chain, Multiple locations

* = All time favorites

Some Buenos Aires gelato tips: 

1. How to order: Upon entering the heladería, first head to the cash register and choose your size: cups, cones, or the REAL ACTION –> kilo tubs: ¼, ½, 1 kilo, 2 KILO. Then, after you pay, you pick out your flavors. Typically, a regular cone or cup will allot two flavors. A ¼ kilo gives you three, and ½ and 1 kilo, up to four.

2. Choosing a flavor: It can be quite intimidating rolling up to the parlor expecting to make a quick flavor decision on the fly. Don’t let the impatient heladería workers rush you. It’s a big deal that should be strategized and well thought out. The ice cream flavors are generally separated by base type:

• • Dulce de leche: The Messi of ice cream flavors. It’s the go-to choice for the ultimate Argie, wannabe Argie, and major sweet-toother. If you are ordering for a local function, you best be including dulce de leche in the mix. Most spots will serve at least the basic minimum: dulce de leche, dulce de leche with nuts, double dulce de leche, dulce de leche with brownie, dulce de leche with chocolate chips, goat’s milk dulce de leche, dulce de leche with bananas, dulce de leche with blackberries. DDL on DDL on DDL.
  • Chocolate: Chocolate lovers, get ready for a chocofest. Whatever your cocoa persona may be, there’s going to be a flavor for you.
  • Crema: Crema americana (vanilla-esque), mint chocolate chip, or cookies and cream (oreo) all follow under the crema umbrella. If you are a strawberries with cream (frutilla a la crema), raspberry (frambuesa), berries (frutos del bosque) fans, then the fruit a la crema is your go-to choice. Sometimes creamed based fruit flavors can be mistaken for water-based (sorbet), so be careful.
  • Specialty flavors: Most of the great heladerías will have their own signature and specialty flavors that are definitely worth a try.
  • Al agua: The water-based sorbet selection. I’m not even going to go into detail on this because who only orders sorbet at an ice cream shop?! It’s only okay if you have a lactose allergy, or are choosing a refreshing citrus fruit to booze up with sparkling wine on a hot summer’s day. If you have to, at least choose a flavor that sounds exotic. What up, maracuyá y limón!
  • Sambayón shoutout: And here’s a shoutout to the Italian sweet wine custard ice cream, just because it’s everywhere.
  • Baño de chocolate: Dipped cone for my bae.
  • And please whatever you do, don’t order the worst ice cream flavors ever, quinotos al whisky (kumquat with whisky) or anything with pasas de uvas (raisins). Who are you people?!

3. Ice Cream Delivery: Yes, you read correctly, most EVERY heladería in this city DELIVERS. Many deliver all day and night, and even some until 2 am. It’s serious business and both the best and worst thing that has ever happened to me. Call up (or order online on PedidosYa), choose your flavors, and your friendly ice cream delivery boy will motor on with the ice cream carefully nestled in his climate controlled transport vessel, quickly bringing your tub of love right to your door. Who needs a novio when you can have helado by your side? Ojo: There is generally a ½ kilo minimum. Photo: DreamGoLive

Photo: For 91 Days