Mexico City has a serious Argentinian food scene, and it’s been growing steadily for the past two decades. The combination of quality beef, wood-fired grills, and a dining culture that treats meat as something worth celebrating translates well here — partly because Mexicans already love their carne, and partly because a significant Argentinian expat community has settled in the city and brought their kitchen traditions with them.
You won’t mistake this for Buenos Aires. The cuts are different (Mexican beef is good but not quite the grass-fed pampa standard), and some concessions get made to local tastes. But the best Argentinian restaurants in CDMX hold their own, and they fill a niche that Mexican steakhouses don’t quite cover — the ritual of asado, the chimichurri, the provoleta, and the conviction that a proper meal starts with fire and ends with a Malbec.
Understanding Asado Culture
Asado isn’t just a cooking method — it’s a social institution. In Argentina, the asador (grill master) holds a position of genuine respect, and the process of grilling over wood or charcoal for hours is treated as an event, not a chore. The best Argentinian restaurants in Mexico City replicate this by using parilla grills (cast iron grates over live coals), cooking whole cuts low and slow, and serving them with minimal seasoning because the fire and the meat are supposed to do the work.
The key cuts to know: entraña (skirt steak, the signature cut), ojo de bife (ribeye), vacio (flank), tira de asado (short ribs cut across the bone), and mollejas (sweetbreads — don’t skip them). A proper Argentinian meal also starts with provoleta (grilled provolone cheese with oregano) and a choripan (chorizo sausage in bread with chimichurri).
Where to Eat
Polanco
Polanco is where the Argentinian scene concentrates most heavily, which makes sense — it’s the neighborhood with the money and the appetite for imported dining concepts.
Rincon Argentino on Presidente Masaryk has been the standard-bearer for decades. It’s not cheap (expect 600-1,000 pesos per person with wine), but the entraña is properly grilled, the wine list goes deep into Mendoza, and the service understands that you don’t rush an asado. Camoatí on Emilio Castelar is newer and trendier, with a more contemporary take on Argentine cuisine that includes seafood alongside the traditional meats.
Puerto Madero, despite the chain-restaurant feel, does a credible job with the parrilla and has a location on Masaryk that’s been popular for business dinners since it opened.
Roma and Condesa
Roma has a handful of solid options. Cabaña Argentina on Insurgentes is old-school — wood-paneled, leather-booth territory with massive portions. It’s been open since the 1970s and hasn’t changed much, which is either a recommendation or a warning depending on your taste. The empanadas here are some of the best in the city.
Los Parados de Polanco (which, despite the name, also has Roma locations) does quick-service Argentinian-style choripanes and lomitos that are perfect for a weekday lunch.
The Empanada Situation
Argentinian empanadas are a different animal from Mexican ones. They’re typically baked (not fried), filled with seasoned ground beef, ham and cheese, corn, or chicken, and sealed with a distinctive repulgue (crimped edge pattern that traditionally indicates the filling). Several bakeries and quick-service spots around the city do credible versions.
Che Empanadas has locations in Roma and Polanco and does a solid range of fillings. The carne suave (mild beef with olives and egg) is the classic. Maria Empanada in Condesa is another reliable option that’s popular with the South American expat crowd.
Drinks
A proper Argentinian meal demands Malbec, and the better restaurants stock genuine Argentine bottles — Catena Zapata, Trapiche, Luigi Bosca. Expect to pay 400-800 pesos for a decent bottle, which is roughly double what you’d pay in Buenos Aires but still reasonable by Mexico City fine-dining standards.
For something different, try a Fernet con Coca — Argentina’s unofficial national drink, a bracingly bitter herbal liqueur mixed with Coca-Cola. It’s an acquired taste that most people either love or find medicinal. The Argentinian spots that serve it are doing you a cultural favor.
What to Expect Price-Wise
Budget Argentinian (empanadas, choripan): 80-200 pesos per person. Mid-range parrilla restaurants: 400-700 pesos per person without wine. High-end spots in Polanco: 800-1,500 pesos with a bottle of Malbec shared between two.
The lunch specials at several Argentinian restaurants are the best value — Cabaña Argentina does a comida corrida that includes salad, a grilled cut, sides, and dessert for around 250 pesos, which is borderline theft for the amount of food you get.
Is It Worth It?
If you’re in Mexico City to eat exclusively Mexican food, skip this — you’ve got limited meals and unlimited taco options. But if you’re here for a week or more and want a change of pace, or if you simply love a good steak cooked over live fire, the Argentinian restaurants here are genuinely good. The community is real, the ingredients are taken seriously, and on a cool evening in Polanco with a glass of Malbec and a plate of perfectly charred entraña, you’ll forget you’re 7,000 kilometers from the pampas.
For more dining options across all cuisines, see our complete food and restaurant guide.