El Obrero

As our fist guests arrive, we decided to start with a classic with grimy charm:

For straight-up Argentine beef and pasta dishes in La Boca, El Obrero (‘the working man’) is the perfect place.

It hasn’t changed much since it opened in 1954, aside from photos of the numerous celebrities who have dined here through the years, including Susan Sarandon, Francis Ford Coppola, Manu Chau, Bono and El Obrero regular, Diego Maradona.

Wine comes in traditional Argentine penguin pitchers. Although the two brothers that run the place hail from Spain, typical Argentine food is served up in generous portions. The provoleta, fried calamari, puchero (a vegetable and meat stew, normally served in winter) and pastas with four cheese sauce are all recommended. The menu at this parilla is varied but most come here for the beef, which is top quality and half the price of fancier steak destinations such as La Cabrera.

Check out El caminito before coming to El Obrero, but make sure you do it with day light and take a cab to the restaurant (don't walk in places you don't find secure, it can be dangerous).

Time
Reservation is at 20:30