Argentinian food is heavily meat-based. Asado, the social event of having a barbecue, is very popular in Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. When we were invited to one we brought eggplants, potatoes, and peppers with us and made a delicious salad or Baba Ganoush out of roasted eggplants. People loved it. Argentinian food also has a huge Italian influence. You can find pasta and pizza almost everywhere. Wine is available from 40 ARS and even delicious. Argentinians eat four times a day. Breakfast, lunch, merienda (snack), and dinner.

Be wary of the tofu. Over 90 percent of soy is genetically modified and needs a lot of water and pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. These chemicals end up in the groundwater, air and eventually in the inhabitants. Suspiciously many locals are sick or have died. A business at the expense of the people who live there. In addition, many soils are already leached. This is a kind of cultivation that is not sustainable. Monsanto has a big influence on agriculture in Argentina. It is difficult not to eat genetically modified food.

In the north of South America I was spoilt with a huge variety on fruits and vegetables. In Argentina I felt like back home in Europe. Instead of over 3000 different potatoes to choose from — only two. We took advantage of the vegetable markets and cooked a lot.

Big vegetable and fruit markets are rarer in Argentina. Little stores on the road are more common and do have basic vegetables and fruits. Depends a lot on the season. Supermarkets do have more options. The prices vary a lot depending where you are in Argentina. Food in Buenos Aires, Neuquén, and Bariloche is most expensive. In Salta, Córdoba, and Rosario food is cheapest. Street food is not very common in Argentina. Some examples to have an idea: 1 kg avocados (80-120 ARS), 1 kg tomatoes (28-50 ARS), 1 kg bananas (16-35 ARS), 1 kg eggplants (25-40 ARS), 1 kg carrots (10-24 ARS), 1 kg sweet potatoes (14-20 ARS), 1 kg squash (6-19 ARS), 1 kg peanuts (50-55 ARS), a can of coconut milk (79.50 ARS), 1 kg oats (30-40 ARS).

Most cities we visited had natural stores where we bought nutritional yeast (Levadura de Cerveza, 110 ARS), tahini, nuts, and peanut butter (400 g, 55-85 ARS).

A meal in a vegetarian/vegan restaurant is between 120 and 170 ARS. Córdoba and Buenos Aires do have a lot of vegan options. Smaller cities do have a few. It is important to remember that Argentinians do not eat dinner until late – 10pm is normal and most restaurants are not open before 8 or 9 pm. Some offer a Merienda if you can’t wait.

Córdoba

El Papagayo Restaurant

Wow! What an excellent gastronomy experience we enjoyed. The food was high quality, fresh, surprised in taste, and the service was very attentive. We started with a fresh, fluffy almond soup that had a light taste of lime. Next we enjoyed hummus with terrific homemade whole wheat bread that contained nuts and raisins.

After, we were served tasty mushrooms on a pepper sauce with capers and olives. Dessert was a pear with sweet ice, cardamom, cinnamon, and peppermint. We finished with a strong coffee. A delicate combination of flavours and textures. Truthful art!

Maná Resto (vegetarian with vegan options)

A beautiful restaurant with an excellent atmosphere to spend a few hours in. I felt like I was in a garden.

Lunch is an open buffet with a huge variety of delicious, healthy and fresh food. The presentation is beautiful. Some of the food is even gluten free. We enjoyed the open buffet and had an amazing vegan Cappuccino. Lunch on weekdays is 240 ARS per kg. Dinner and lunch on the weekend is 328 ARS per kg. The takeaway buffet is less.

Uriel restaurant Vegetariano Vegano

We had the menu del dia for 120 ARS where we could choose three different things from the salad bar. They heated up our food with the microwave. There is also a little self-service with chia seeds, oregano, flaxseeds, ginger, curcuma, and different teas. Most, I liked the vegetable pie with vegan cheese.

MA Market (100% vegan)

A restaurant that offers a nice salad bar and an open buffet for 19 ARS per 100g. The variety is great and they offer seeds like sesame, chia, and flaxseeds.

Buenos Aires

Cúrcuma (vegetarian with vegan options)

A beautiful restaurant for a romantic dinner that opens at 8pm (closed on Sunday and Monday). On Saturday they organise live music. The food is very rich in taste, the service cordial, and the portions large. I had a hearty mushroom risotto with homemade coconut milk and tomatoes (170 ARS). I could smell the coconut before every bite and the tomatoes gave the meal a slightly sour, refreshing taste. As a starter I had a salad in between two tasty seed crackers. The kitchen is open, so you can actually see people cooking. Everything is organic, even the wine. So Yummi!

Casa Munay (vegetarian with vegan options)

The restaurant has a beautiful ambience to escape the hustle of the city and invites to stay for a few hours. In the front is a little store with lots of organic products like peanut butter, seeds, cookies, and bread. We had the Munay Thai with rice noodles that came with tofu, onions, peanuts, cilantro, and soy sauce (155 ARS). The Risotto 3 cereals with millet, barley, and quinoa was with coconut milk, vegetable cheese, squash and peppers (140 ARS). Unfortunately we could not taste much of the coconut milk and squash. The taste was a bit stale. However, we really enjoyed the Munay Thai. So I am sure we were just unlucky with our choice of risotto. They also have hummus, Baba Ganush, sushi, falafel, pastas, cappuccino with vegetable milk (60 ARS), and other delicious things on the menu.

Pumpkin Vegan Burgers (100% vegan)

It is more a take-away place than a restaurant since to eat in the place is not very comfortable. The burger was a bit too oily for my taste but it was very delicious. A burger is between 75 and 85 ARS. The combos (burger + French fries + drink) are between 125-135 ARS. The cheese is made out of tofu. And they have vegan brownies too.

Mendoza

Govinda Vegetarian (vegetarian with vegan options)

The upper floor has a beautiful, little inside, herb garden and relaxing music. The restaurant offers lunch and dinner as an open buffet for 22 ARS per 100g. Takeaway is 18 ARS per 100g. They offer many vegan options like empanadas, sushi, deep-fried vegetables, salad, pizza, seitan, and a delicious vegetable crepe with a vegan mayonnaise. Some of the food is spicy. There are microwaves available to heat up the food. Since they try not to waste any food they offer the buffet as takeaway between 3-3:30pm and 11-11:30pm for only 10.60 ARS per 100g. They are also selling nuts, seeds, tofu, seitan, and other specialities.