Welcome to Buenos Aires, a captivating city with a flourishing coffee culture. As you stroll through its streets, you’ll encounter countless cafés, ranging from classic establishments to modern specialty spots, all buzzing with activity. Join me on a journey through my city, where I’ll introduce you to the standout third-wave roasteries, unique coffee shops, and must-know coffee events.
Coffee in Argentina: A Tale of Two Cultures
The typical morning in Argentina often kicks off with a café en jarrito bien caliente or a lágrima—a piping hot black coffee or milk with just a dash of coffee, depending on your preference. The bitterness of the traditional brew might prompt most people to reach for the sugar pot, but that doesn’t stop them from enjoying it day after day. This beverage is a fundamental part of the Argentine routine.
However, times are shifting, and a new wave of specialty coffee is sweeping across Buenos Aires. Now, cafés offering pour-overs, lightly roasted espressos, and educational experiences are becoming popular. Customers can witness the roasting process, learn about the origin of the beans, and even enroll in SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) courses to deepen their appreciation of this craft.
In a vibrant and sprawling city like Buenos Aires, there’s room for more than one coffee culture. The Festival de Café de Buenos Aires (FECA) is a prime example of this coexistence. Its showroom is divided into three categories: traditional coffee bars like Gran Café Tortoni, Café Ouro Preto, and Café Las Violetas; specialty coffee shops such as Negro Cueva de Café, La Motofeca, and Habito Café; and large commercial brands. Workshops and lectures added to the experience, showcasing the rich diversity of coffee in Argentina.
Whether you prefer the classic or modern approach, Buenos Aires celebrates both, offering something for every type of coffee lover. The growing specialty scene highlights how coffee in Argentina is evolving while still honoring its traditional roots.
Roasters Crafting New Coffee Traditions in Argentina
The specialty coffee scene in Buenos Aires is growing, even though Argentina itself doesn’t produce coffee like many of its neighboring countries. Despite this, the city boasts a thriving community of coffee roasters, blending international beans with local creativity to redefine coffee in Argentina.
One standout is La Motofeca, which began as a retro coffee truck, serving delicious brews from a vintage 1960s/1970s Italian Piaggio at festivals. A little over a year ago, they expanded into a small café-roastery where customers can witness the coffee roasting process firsthand. This immersive experience offers coffee enthusiasts a deeper understanding of specialty coffee, and La Motofeca even provides SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) courses taught by Alexis Sabogal, their expert roaster and barista instructor.
But La Motofeca is just one of many options for those eager to learn more about coffee in Argentina. At Café Registrado, another roastery with a barista school, visitors can take SCA courses and observe coffee being roasted right on site.
Even if you don’t get to see the roasting process up close, plenty of café-roasteries around Buenos Aires offer the chance to taste freshly roasted coffee. Popular spots like All Saints Café, Full City Coffee House, Ninina, Lattente, Del Viento, and LAB Café are all excellent destinations for those seeking out the rich flavors of freshly roasted coffee.
Through these innovative café-roasteries, coffee in Argentina is evolving into a unique and vibrant tradition, blending craftsmanship with a passion for high-quality brews.
The Bright Future of Coffee in Argentina
What lies ahead for coffee in Argentina? According to Lucas, the founder of the review platform EnBandeja, the outlook is promising. He confidently states, “Specialty coffee is a movement that’s here to stay and will continue to grow. It’s introduced Argentinians to a superior product, and we’re seeing more ambassadors spreading the word.”
Lucas credits much of the rise of third-wave coffee to the influence of immigrants from Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, and beyond. These passionate newcomers have brought their coffee knowledge and enthusiasm, helping to ignite a love for specialty coffee throughout Buenos Aires.
But this is just the beginning of the city’s journey. As more people develop a taste for high-quality brews, there’s a growing community of skilled baristas eager to honor the hard work of coffee producers. New coffee shops are opening frequently, and the specialty coffee movement is poised to expand into other regions of Argentina.
The future of coffee in Argentina is exciting, with its specialty coffee culture flourishing and set to reach even greater heights across the country.