Buenos Aires, city of tango and passion, is also one of the world capitals of pizza excellence. The ratio between quantity and quality of places dedicated to this tasty art, an iconic part of the urban physiognomy, is only comparable to that of its creators in Italy. Precisely as a legacy of that major wave of Italian immigration, especially in the first half of the 20th century, pizza has become deeply rooted in the gastronomic DNA of Buenos Aires and Argentina. The prestigious magazine Taste Atlas, for example, made a ranking of the most emblematic restaurants on the planet, in which it included two Buenos Aires pizzerias at the same level as those in Naples and Rome. They are Güerrin and El Cuartito; although, as every porteño knows, other classics such as Los Inmortales, El Fortín and Las Cuartetas are not far behind either. Five traditional pizzerias that should not be missed.
Güerrín, an emblematic pizzeria
Genoese Franco Malvezzi and Guido Grondona founded this emblematic pizza restaurant 92 years ago. Today, Güerrin has 70 varieties and is an icon of the city of Buenos Aires. Its subtle spongy dough and unique combinations of ingredients have made it an undisputed reference, to such an extent that it has been declared of Cultural Interest. It is a must for those who are looking for an authentic Buenos Aires experience. It seats about 440 people and is always full, especially on weekends. The restaurant has three dining rooms, plus a section in front of the restaurant for take-away food, and also holds the historical record of having reached a production of 95 million pizzas in one year. A place where you don't need to ask for double mozzarella because the generosity in loading it before putting it in the oven is another of its trademarks. Besides that, other flavours such as Pomarola, Ham and Cheese Fugazza and Guerrín specials are also recommended: Extra Guerrín, Super Guerrín, Ideal Guerrín and Magistral Guerrín.
ADDRESS: Av. Corrientes 1368. Open every day from 11:00 a.m.
El Cuartito, the classic stone-baked pizza
Since 1934, this establishment has reinvented the experience of flavour in a classic atmosphere and with a stone-baked pizza that is second to none. Its generous portions, its baking point, its medium dough and the quality of the raw materials used have transformed this place, today run by the third generation of the founders' family, into an icon of Buenos Aires gastronomy. You can eat standing up, at the counter, at a small bar next to the door or at the tables in the dining rooms. Fugazzeta is its speciality. The walls of El Cuartito are covered with autographed photos, shirts worn by football and art idols, historical habitués of this house. Even Aníbal ‘Pichuco’ Troilo, an internationally famous tango legend, used to eat anchovy pizza here, which he washed down with whisky.
ADDRESS: Talcahuano 937. Open from Sunday to Thursday from 12:30 to 1:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday from 12:30 to 2:00 a.m.
Los Inmortales, the bohemian corner
Felipe Fiorellino and Francisco Di Ciancia, the founders of this place in 1952, were able to bring together the flavour of the pizza from their Italian homeland with the tango spirit of those Buenos Aires nights. Writers, musicians, politicians, journalists, playwrights, actors, exponents of nightlife and bohemian life passed through this meeting point, many talents that from their trade moulded the soul of the city. Los Inmortales is another part of Corrientes Ave.; it is located between theatres, cinemas, bookstores, with the Obelisco in the background, with a figure of Carlos Gardel with a cane and a hat welcoming diners at the door. A mythical place where you can taste excellent pizzas with Italian recipes, and at the same time breathe the living history of Buenos Aires.
ADDRESS: 1369 Corrientes Ave. and has branches located at Lavalle 746 (CABA), Paraná 1209 (CABA), Mendoza 2338 (CABA), Paseo de la Bahía, Bahía Grande (Nordelta).
El Fortín, family heritage
It is a family business founded by Don Perfecto Purdón in 1962, and continued by his son Sergio and grandson Sebastián, who over time have transformed it into a temple of flavour. The deep-dish pizza, cooked in a wood-fired oven, and ricotta cake are its specialities. In 2006, this place was declared a Site of Cultural Interest by the Buenos Aires Legislature. Characterized by the generosity of its portions -such as the large one with peppers, which has a whole 800-gram can-, nobody leaves this place without that feeling of satiety and happiness that comes from eating really well. Charly García, Fito Páez and Diego Armando Maradona are some of the local celebrities who have frequented this essential pizza place in Buenos Aires.
ADDRESS: Álvarez Jonte Avenue and Lope de Vega Avenue. Open every day from 10:30 am to 00:00 am.
Las Cuartetas, place chosen by Gardel
It opened its doors for the first time in 1932, and since then it has remained in a privileged place among Argentinean palates. Its name hides an urban legend. It is said that Alberto Vaccarezza, creator of the ‘sainete porteño’ and Carlos Gardel's lyricist, used to sit at one of the tables of this pizzeria to write his quatrains on paper napkins. This is how this place, which serves a delicious pizza with plenty of mozzarella, ended up being baptised. Known as ‘a slice of Buenos Aires’, and chosen by Diego Maradona to celebrate his civil wedding, it witnessed the changes of Corrientes Ave. and today boasts unique specialities, such as the Salvatore, made with anchovies, fugazzeta and mozzarella. ADDRESS: Avenida Corrientes 838. Open Monday to Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., and on Sundays from 6:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.