Ah, Buenos Aires (or BA if you’re in a hurry). This is where I first set foot in South America back in 2009 at the start of my ‘4 month’ trip to South America which finished up with a new life in Rio.

A great place to get started with Buenos Aires is to thoroughly browse Allie Lazar’s excellent website Pick up the Fork – whether you’re interested in high-end dining or street food goodness, everything is covered. Here are a few tips from my last visit:

Parrilla Tour (link): Join David and his team on one of their awesome tours across the city. They run tours in Palermo and San Telmo and there is also a wine tour. Take a look at their website and if you decide to book it then please let them know that you heard about them here (for every 5 bookings he’s promised me a free empanada on my next visit!).

Tierra Negra Cooking Classes (link): We’ve had multiple guests rave about this cooking class. You’ll learn to make empanadas, dulce de leche (and more) while tasting delicious Argentinian wines. What a delicious way to spend a few hours!

Parrilla Peña (link | map): This is a proper locals’ place without any ridiculous embellishments put on for the tourists. The waiters are decked out in smart white jackets and the walls are lined with shelf after shelf of wine. Everything I had here was fantastic – incredible Bife de Chorizo, the best chimichurri I ever had and a very nice bottle of Malbec suggested by the waiter. No reservations, cash only. Go!

Buenos Aires