There are 1200 pizza restaurants in Buenos Aires and around 14 million pizzas are sold per year in the capital. It is, undoubtedly, one of the favourite foods of Argentineans.
Understanding Pizza in Buenos Aires
Pizza in Argentina, and in particular Buenos Aires, has evolved to have its style, as many other noways around the world (only in the US they have Detroit, NY, Chicago, etc).
To sum up: it is super cheesy and oily, the dough is thicker and they are served to share (normally a 15 cm diameter pizza that is cut in 8 portions).
The most popular flavours are:
- Muzzarella: this is Margherita (although in Argentina most times they have no basil but olives and oregano).
- Jamon y morrones: mozzarella, ham and peppers.
- Napolitana: mozzarella, tomatoes and garlic (sometimes parsley and optionally ham as an extra).
- Fugazza: just onion (sometimes oregano and additionally shredded cheese).
- Fugazzeta: cheese-stuffed (or filled) pizza with onion on top. Ham can also be added.
- Calabresa: tomato sauce, mozzarella and Longaniza (salami).
- Verdura: white sauce (bechamel) and spinach.
There are also two that have become popular lately: Palmitos (tomato sauce, mozzarella, palm hearts, ham, pepper, eggs, olives, “golf sauce” (mayonnaise mixed with ketchup)) and Rucula y Jamon Crudo (tomato sauce, mozzarella, rocket and parma ham).
And the types of dough are:
- Molde: the most traditional one. The pizza dough is 2/2.5 cm thick and it is cooked in a container (pizza pan/tray)
- Media masa: similar to the one above, but thinner (1 cm maximum)
- Piedra: similar to the one above and sometimes even thinner (due to less yeast), but the main difference is that it is cooked in the oven without a container
- Napolitana: this is the traditional Italian pizza which is thin, needs a lot of rest and is cooked in less than 2 minutes.
Last but not least, there is also Fainá: a type of flatbread made from chickpea (garbanzo) flour, originally from Genoa.
The Best Pizza Restaurants in Buenos Aires
Guerrin
This is the most iconic and emblematic pizza restaurant in Buenos Aires. It was founded in 1932 by 2 Italians, and according to the legend, the oven number 1 has been on since then. Ovens work strictly with “quebracho” wood.
They sell 1500 pizzas per day and celebrities tend to be spotted regularly. They even have a “presidential room” available for private hiring. The dough is “al molde”, although crunchier than Las Cuartetas.
- Muzzarella
- Fugazzeta con jamon y queso
- Suprema Guerrin (tomato sauce, mozzarella, palm hearts, artichokes). See the Picture above.
Update March 27th, 2024: we just had a bad experience, cold (lukewarm) pizzas (2 of them) that we had to send back, and a rude waiter who did not like our feedback and said nothing. Unexpected from a place like this. On top of that, endless queues to enter the restaurants and also the patio (the biggest room at the end). I am concerned Guerrin “is not what it used to be”. The rising popularity appeared to compromise the quality. Similar experiences have been reported on social media.
Las Cuartetas
I have to confess that this is probably my favourite pizza in the world. But it is not for everyone. Its dough is “al molde” (think) and the opposite of crunchy: fluffy, soggy. It comes with abundant gratin cheese and the sauce has a super tasty aroma. Unique!
It also has an interesting history. It was founded in 1920 by a Vask and a Catalan in the same Corrientes Avenue but at a different location, and its name comes from a tango writer who used to write “cuartetas” (quatrains) in the restaurant. It was moved to its current location in 1936, and it was acquired by its employees (around 50 families) in 1957.
There are no records of buying mozzarella until 1941, which indicates that before that year the pizza was mostly with tomato sauce only.
- Muzzarella
- Fugazza con queso
- Roquefort o Provolone
- Super Cuartetas (tomato sauce, mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, ham, pepper, tuna, olives)
La Mezzetta
One of the most popular pizzas in BA nowadays. In particular, they are known for serving -arguably- the best “fugazza con queso” (fugazzeta) in the country. They cook it upside down and with a ridiculous amount of cheese.
It was founded in 1939 at a different location, but it was always a take-away shop with no tables to eat inside, although you could eat by the portion on the bar. You can also buy pre-cooked pizzas to finish at home. Note that it is closed on Sundays.
- Fugazzeta
- Doble mozzarella
Banchero
Agustin Banchero invented 2 significant things: the “fugazza con queso” and serving pizza by slides on the bar.
His first shop was in the iconic Lo Boca neighbourhood and remained open until 1932. He used to serve pizza slides over a single table and customers would pay 5 or 10 cents by placing them on a tomato sauce can. It later acquired great popularity among football fans and celebrities alike.
- Fugazza con queso
- Banchero con Jamon y morrones
Pin Pun
It has won the Muza5k, a very popular pizza crawl (or marathon). It was founded by the same Italian immigrants that founded Guerrin.
- Especial Pin-Pun (tomato sauce, mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, hard eggs, pepper, ham, olives)
- Muzzarella 500 gr
El Cuartito
Another iconic pizza restaurant, with its walls full of signed pictures of celebrities and football players. It was founded in 1934.
- Fugazzeta con Jamon
- Napolitana al Roquefort
- 4 quesos
El Imperio de la Pizza
It was founded in 1947 and, according to the legend, it was Carlos Bala’s favourite.
- Fugazzeta
- Primavera
- Imperio (tomato sauce, mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, palm hearts, ham, pepper, hard eggs, olives)
El Palacio de la Pizza
It was founded in 1942 by an employee from Las Cuartetas (and the shop looks similar).
- Muzzarella con Matambre
- Anchoas
- Espinaca con salsa blanca
El Fortin
A busy and emblematic local pizza restaurant founded in 1962 and declared a site of interest in Buenos Aires. The slides are more generous than in other places.
- Jamon y morrones (it has 800 gr of red pepper)
- Anchovies
- Española con cantimpalo y morrones
Pizzeria Angelin
Founded in 1938, they are the proud inventors of “Pizza Canchera”.
- Canchera. Tomato sauce and anchovies (no muzza)
El Trebol
- El Trebol. Tomato sauce, mozzarella, palm hearts, ham, pepper, eggs, olives, “golf sauce” (mayonnaise mixed with ketchup)
- Pacha. Tomato sauce, mozzarella, bacon cream, mushrooms and olives
- Napolitana
La Guitarrita
- Proud inventors of “La Atomica“: Tomato sauce, mozzarella, longaniza (salami), peppers, ham, anchovies
Burgio
In the heart of Belgrano, this is a favourite of River Plate fans. It was opened in 1932 and you can buy pre-cooked pizzas to finish at home.
- Muzzarella
- Faina
- Napolitana con Jamon
El Cedron
Another local shop (Mataderos) that was founded in 1935 by Don Manuel Cedrón.
- Verdura y salsa blanca
- Roquefort y nueces
- Espinaca y queso (picture above)
San Antonio (Boedo)
A very local restaurant that was founded by Polish immigrants in 1976 and then told to Galician (Spanish) immigrants.
- Doble de muzzarella
- San Antonio
- Fugazzeta rellena
Los Campeones
Serving pizza “a la piedra” since 1954.
- Provolone
- Anchovies
- Super Campeona. Tomato sauce, mozzarella, palm hearts, ham, pepper, eggs, fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, olives,
El Rinconcito de Goyena
Founded in 2002 after the economic crisis of the country the year before.
- Gran Rinconcito. Salsa de tomate, muzzarella, jamón, rodajas de tomate, morrones, longaniza y palmitos.
- Calzone
Los Inmortales
Their dough is “a la piedra” and not “al molde” like most places in this list. They also serve other types of food.
- Napolitana con mozzarella y longaniza
- Los Inmortales. Tomato sauce, mozzarella, red pepper, anchovies and olives
Pizza Napolitana
As we explained in the first section above, Argentinean pizza has evolved and is quite different to the -arguably- most famous and “original” pizza which is the Naples-style pizza.
Most Italians would probably argue that what they do in Argentina is a very different type of food. And they have good reasons. The dough is kneaded and formed by hand and is no more than 3 millimetres (0.12 in) thick. It is then baked for 60–90 seconds in a 485 °C (905 °F) wood-fired oven. The result is a soft, elastic, tender and fragrant dough with a slightly thicker crust, which is normally served individually.
The good news is that you can now get this type of pizza in Buenos Aires as well. Some good spots are the following.
- Siamo Nel Forno
- Antonio’s
- Nuvola
- Electrica
- Callaci Pizza
- Cincinnati
- Cancha
- Pizza Paradiso
- Spritzza
- Atte. Pizzeria Napoletana (Dua Lipa has been there)
Pizza a la Parrilla
The Argentinean passion for cooking slowly on the grill has also reached the pizza. Super thin dough cooked on the grill with charcoal. Some good spots are the following.
NY-style pizza
There are not many of these, the one worth highlighting is Hell’s Pizza.
Detroit pizza
This is relatively new in the country I would say. Orno serves both this style and Napolitana.