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Argentine cuisine blends elements from theIndigenous peoples of Argentina who focused on ingredients such ashumita, potatoes,cassava, peppers, tomatoes,beans, andyerba mate, and fromSpanish cuisine brought during the colonial period. These were enriched byItalian andSpanish immigrants during the 19th and 20th centuries, who incorporated many of their food customs and dishes such aspizza, pasta andSpanish tortillas.
Beef is a large part of the Argentine diet due to its vast production in the country's plains. Argentine annual consumption of beef has averaged 100 kg (220 lb) per capita,[1] approaching 180 kg (400 lb) per capita during the 19th century; consumption averaged 67.7 kg (149 lb) in 2007.[2]
Beyondasado (the Argentinebarbecue), no other dish more genuinely matches the national identity. Nevertheless, the country's vast area, and its cultural diversity, have led to a local cuisine of various dishes.[3][4]
The great immigratory waves consequently imprinted a large influence in the Argentine cuisine; after all, Argentina was the second country in the world with the most immigrants with 6.6 million, only second to the United States with 27 million, and ahead of other immigratory receptor countries such as Canada, Brazil, Australia, and others.[5][6]
Argentine people have a reputation for their love of eating.[3] Social gatherings are commonly centred on sharing a meal. Invitations to have dinner at home are generally viewed as a symbol of friendship, warmth, and integration. Sunday family lunch is considered the most significant meal of the week, whose highlights often includeasado or pasta.[3]
Another feature of Argentine cuisine is the preparation of homemade food such asFrench fries,patties, and pasta to celebrate a special occasion, to meet friends, or to honour someone. Homemade food is also seen as a way to show affection.[3]
Argentine restaurants include a great variety of cuisines, prices, and flavours.[3] Large cities tend to host everything from high-end international cuisine tobodegones (inexpensive traditional hidden taverns), less stylish restaurants, and bars and canteens offering a range of dishes at affordable prices.[3]
Amerindians lived inArgentina thousands of years before European explorers arrived. They mostly lived off of hunting, gathering, and fishing. Generally, the most common crops at this time were maize, potatoes,common beans,quinoa, andsquash.[7]
The Argentinian native people could be divided in three groups based on their main modality of acquiring food:
Spanish settlers came to Argentina in 1536 and began buildingchacras where Amerindians would work to harvest the food. The arrival of Europeans brought Argentina into theColumbian Exchange, with ingredients from theOld World such as wheat,grapevine,figs, and several kinds of fruits being introduced to the country for the first time. It was also during the Spanish colonial period that cattle,goat, andpig farming were first introduced to Argentina, forming the foundation of the largeArgentine beef industry.[7]
Between 1853 and 1955, 6.6 million immigrants came to live in Argentina from Europe (especially from Italy,Wales, Germany and Switzerland), theNear and Middle East, Russia and Japan. They contributed to the development of Argentine cuisine by encouraging the production of a wider variety of foods. They also bought lands where they builtchacras and encouraged the growth of farming. By this point, Argentina was the country with most immigrants only second to the United States.[5][6][7]
During the XIX century, social standing was not associated with access to food. The price of beef, fish, and bird meats was cheap and accessible. However, grains and wheat was scarce so bread was very expensive. Some of the most common dishes during this time were soups with pork chunks, cookedpartridge withlegumes,spinach bread, beef slices, andlamb stew. The most prominent spices were garlic,parsley, and pepper.[7]
By the turn of the century, Argentine cuisine was on a constant decline due to shortage of several ingredients. However, eating habits began to shift with further immigration which facilitated a gastronomic revolution.[7] Most immigrants in the 1900s came from Italy and Spain. TheItalians introducedpizza, as well as a variety of pasta dishes, includingspaghetti andlasagna.British,German,Jewish, and other immigrants also settled in Argentina, all bringing their styles of cooking and favorite foods with them. The British brought tea, starting the tradition ofteatime. All of these cultures influenced the dishes of Argentina.[8]
At this time,Italian cuisine began to become a more significant part of the cuisine. The neighborhood ofLa Boca, Buenos Aires, was the first big Italian hub, and from here plenty of traditionally Italian ingredients and eating habits expanded across the country. Different kinds of pastas such as long noodles ortallarines,gnocchi,ravioli, andcannelloni filled with ricotta cheese became popular along withpizza,fainá (Argentinian version of the traditional Italianfarinata), andmilanesas. Different ways of preparing dishes were also adopted from Italian immigrants. These included the preparation ofice cream, fish, andshellfish. Spanish immigrants also left their mark, popularizing eatingdry nuts,tomato sauce,pesto,olives, andolive oil. Additionally,deli stores started to incorporate traditionalIberian hams andsausages and great varieties of cheeses yet these were more limited. They were also mainly responsible for the massive diffusion of wine consumption, among some other habits. This occurred at the same time that other global products began arriving to Argentina such assaffron,cod, different varieties of beans,chickpeas, additional spices, chocolates, and tea.[7]
Most regions of Argentina are known for their beef-oriented diet.Grilled meat from theasado (barbecue) is a staple, withsteak and beefribs especially common. The termasado itself refers to long strips of flank-cut beef ribs.
Popular items such aschorizo (porksausage),morcilla (blood sausage),chinchulines (chitterlings),mollejas (sweetbread), and other parts of the animal are also enjoyed.
InPatagonia, however,lamb andchivito (goat) are eaten more frequently than beef. Whole lambs and goats are traditionally cooked over an open fire in a technique known asasado a la estaca.
The most common condiment for asado ischimichurri, asauce of herbs, garlic and vinegar. Unlike other preparations, Argentines do not include chilli in their version ofchimichurri, but it does include a still-spicy, but milder form of red pepper, ají molido.
Breaded andfried meats (milanesas) are used assnacks, insandwiches, or eaten warm withmashed potatoes,purée.Empanadas, smallpastries of meat, cheese,sweet corn, and many other fillings, are a common sight at parties andpicnics, or asstarters to a meal. They also vary in their looks, since they are folded with a traditional decorative edging calledrepulgue. Therepulgue is not just aesthetic, but also serves as a way to identify the flavor of each empanada since they are traditionally ordered in dozens where people mix and match flavors. Empanadas are one of the most important staples of this country due to the wide array of varieties.[9]
The empanadas seen in Argentina today originate from a Spanish dish from the fifteenth century where travelers used easy-to-carry bread and filled it with a variety of ingredients. Eventually it evolved into a popular gastronomic item and spread across the world.[9] Variations of empanadas both inside and outside of Argentina include theempanada gallega (Galicianempanada), a large round meat pie made most commonly withtuna andmackerel (caballa in Spanish).
Vegetables andsalads are also eaten by Argentines; tomatoes, onions, lettuce,eggplants,squashes, andzucchini are commonside dishes.
Italian staples, such as pizza and pasta, are eaten as commonly as beef.Fideos (noodles),tallarines (fettuccine andtagliatelle), andñoquis (gnocchi) are traditionally served on the 29th day of the month.Ravioles andcanelones (cannelloni) can be bought freshly made in many establishments in the larger cities. Italian-styleice cream is served in large parlours and even drive-through businesses. Other Italian staples arepolenta,tarta pascualina, andpastafrola.
InChubut, theWelsh community is known for itsteahouses, offeringscones andtorta galesa, which is rather liketorta negra.
Afosforito is a ham and cheese sandwich using puff pastry as the bread.[10][11][12]Sandwiches de miga are delicate sandwiches made with crustless buttered English bread, very thinly slicedcured meat, cheese, and lettuce. They are often purchased from entrepreneurial home cooks and may be eaten for a light evening meal.
A sweetpaste,dulce de leche, is used to fill cakes andpancakes, spread overtoasted bread for breakfast, or served with ice cream.Alfajores areshortbreadcookies sandwiched together with chocolate anddulce de leche or a fruit paste. The "policeman's" or "truck driver's" sweet is cheese withquince paste ordulce de membrillo.Dulce de batata is made ofsweet potato/yam; with cheese, this is called "Martín Fierro'ssweet". Additionally, ice cream shops orheladerias are a big boom especially in the city of Buenos Aires. Argentinian ice cream comes in plenty of flavors (from fruits tocheesecake and even dulce de leche flavors) and has a special smoothness as it follows a recipe very similar to that of Italiangelato.[13]
Apples, pears,peaches,kiwifruits,avocados, andplums are major exports.
A traditional drink of Argentina is aninfusion calledmate (in Spanish,mate, with the accent on the first syllable [MAH-teh]). The name comes from the hollowgourd from which it is traditionally drunk.
Themate (gourd) or other smallcup is filled about three-quarters full withyerba mate, the driedleaves andtwigs of theIlex paraguariensis. The drink, which is ratherbitter, is sipped through a metal or canestraw called abombilla.Mate can be sweetened with sugar, orflavoured witharomatic herbs or dried orangepeel.
Hot but not boiling water is poured into the gourd, drunk, then themate is refilled. Themate is nearly full of leaves, so each refill only makes a small drink, but many refills are possible before theyerba is spent. In small gatherings it is traditional for onemate to be passed from person to person, filled by whoever has the kettle. It is customary not to thank the refiller routinely; a finalgracias (thank you) implies that the drinker has had enough.[14]
Drinkingmate together is an important social ritual.Mate cocido is the same leaf, which rather thanbrewed isboiled and served, like tea, with milk and sugar to taste.
Other typical drinks include wine (sometimes withsoda water added); tea and coffee are equally important.Quilmes is the national brand ofpale lager, named after the town ofQuilmes, Buenos Aires, where it was first produced.
Argentine cuisine uses locally-grown cereals, grains,oil seeds, fruits and vegetables, as well as meat.
Meat products have been dominant in the country since the 16th century.[15] The country is regarded as a major beef, pork and poultry producing and consuming country. Certain areas such as those located in the south are usually engaged in activities involving sheep andlamb breeding, andshellfish,crustaceans,molluscs andsalmonides fishing.
The vast breeding activity involving any type of cattle has given rise to a highly developed dairy industry that includes products likecow,sheep andcamelide,dulce de leche andyogurts. Some of the cheeses from Argentina arereggianito,sardo,provoleta andcremoso. Argentina can also be conceived as a great industry engaged in the production ofdried fruits,olives, all types of oils and spices.[3]
In theMesopotamia region, river fish such assilverside,surubi, dorado orboga are common.[3]
Argentine cuisine is heavily influenced by its European roots and has regional variations.Asado,dulce de leche,empanadas, andyerba mate are found throughout Argentina. In many parts of the country, food is prepared differently and different kinds of foods are made; this includes to a smaller degree food frompre-Columbian times, as in the Northwest.
This region is composed of the city ofBuenos Aires, Buenos Aires Province,Córdoba,La Pampa,Santa Fe, andEntre Ríos.
This region, especially within the larger urban areas ofBuenos Aires,Rosario, andCórdoba welcomedEuropean immigrants. These were especially ofItalian andSpanish descent. Nevertheless, there was also a migratory flow ofGerman,Swiss, and Middle Eastern immigrants arriving in Argentina. As a result, dishes such as pasta, pizza,pucheros (stews),croquetas (fritters),sauces,embutidos (sausages), and chicken and meat courses brought a wider scope of options to daily menus. The bread-making, dessert, pastry, and dairy industries have achieved considerable development in this region.
The above-mentioned dishes have developed a distinctively Argentine nuance. That is why, for example, Argentine pasta includes a wide variety of dishes ranging fromspaghetti, fusiles (fusilli), ñoquis (gnocchi),ravioli, cintas (pasta ribbons), andlasagne to the Argentine-madesorrentinos, agnolottis (agnolotti), canelones (cannelloni), and fetuchines (fettuccine).
Pizza—made with very thin, and sometimes thick, high-risingdoughs, with or without cheese, cooked in the oven ora la piedra (on astone oven), and stuffed with numerous ingredients—is a dish which can be found in nearly every corner of the country.Buenos Aires,Rosario, andCórdoba also serve it withfainá, which is a chick pea-flour dough placed over the piece of pizza. People say that what makes Argentine pizza unique is the blending of Italian and Spanish cultures. At the turn of the 19th century, immigrants fromNaples andGenoa opened the first pizza bars, though Spanish residents subsequently owned most of the pizza businesses.
Bread products are consumed all around the country. The deeply rooted bread, pastry, and dessert-making tradition derive from blending the above nationalities' products.Bakeries sell not only a wide scope of bread, cookies, and cakes, but also pastries. The latter resembles a sort of roll pastry whose main dough ingredient is either butter or fat and which may be simple or stuffed withdulce de leche, milk,jam, crema pastel, or quince or apple jelly, among other fillings. The most popular type of pastry is said to be that ofmedialunas (singular:medialuna, literally half-moon, that is to say, crescent), based uponFrenchcroissants.Sandwiches de miga are another type of bread products; they are made only with thin layers ofwhite bread (generally referred to as crustless bread) and stuffed with food items ranging fromham and cheese to other more sophisticated combinations such as raw ham, tomatoes, olives, hard-boiled eggs, tuna, lettuce, red pepper, and the like.
Desserts and sweets are usually stuffed or covered withdulce de leche. The latter can be eaten alone or on top of cakes,alfajores, panqueques (crepes), and pastries, or as a topping spread overflan de leche.Chantilly cream is widely consumed and used in preparing sweets and desserts. Additionally, cakes, sponge cakes, and puddings are very popular dishes.Italian ice creams in this region also achieved a significant degree of development by adding local flavours that somehow preserved the local spirit involved in their preparation.Argentine cake, made of multiple layers of crepes, dulce de leche filling and topped with lemon icing,[16] was declaredIntangible Cultural Heritage of the Nation in 2023.[17]
Although asado is eaten all over the country, its origin may be traced back to thePampas. It entails many types of meat, which are generally eaten as follows: achuras (offal), morcilla (blood sausage), and sometimes also aprovoleta (a piece ofprovolone cheese cooked on the grill withoregano) are eaten first. Then comes thechoripán (a kind of spiced sausage made with pork or lamb and placed between two slices of bread), and finally meat such asasado de tira, vacío (flank steak), lomo (tenderloin), colita de cuadril (rump), matambre (rolled stuffed steak cut into slices and served cold), entraña (hanger steak); the list is never-ending.Cabrito al asador (roast kid or goat) is frequently eaten in theprovince of Córdoba.
This region includes the provinces ofJujuy,Salta,Catamarca,Tucumán,Santiago del Estero,La Rioja,San Juan,Mendoza, andSan Luis. It is also regarded as the one most influenced by Native Americans, and its foods are closely linked to the Andean-Incan tradition. When preparing regional dishes, potatoes andcorn or wheat are almost always used, includingquinoa (a cereal typically used in Incan cuisine),peppers,squash, tomatoes and in some provinces beans. The most celebrated dishes arehumita andtamal, in which the corn husk is stuffed with the corn filling itself, seasonings or meat.
This region is the most suitable to taste empanadas, particularly those stuffed with meat and offering different types of tempting varieties such as themeat empanada, salteña also filled with potatoes, or theempanada tucumana, which is stuffed with matambre and cut with a knife, or empanadas made with cheese. Empanadas are individual-sized and closed savoury pastries which may be fried or baked in the oven and are generally eaten with the hands.
Stews such aslocro, carbonada,pollo al disco, andcazuelas (casseroles) are also typical dishes characterizing this region, which also include pumpkin or potato pudding stuffed with meat.
There are also some local holidays in this region related to food. For example, in Salta they hold a festival dedicated to a locally grown bean similar toedamame. During this holiday, the traditional foods of corn and beans are celebrated. Meals of all kinds are eaten, always with these two ingredients as a side dish, and even competitions of who can eat a set number of beans in the shortest period of time are held.[18]
The humid and verdant area of north-east Argentina known asMesopotamia, comprising the provinces ofChaco,Corrientes,Misiones andFormosa, is another area heavily influenced by Native Americans, particularly by theGuaraní tribe. Abounding in rivers and shores, it offers a wide diversity of fish species, such as dorado,pacú,surubi,boga andsilverside.
Widely grown in this area,cassava is typically included in the region's dishes, as are other components of meals, such aschipá (cassava and cheese bread). However, in this area cassava is cooked alone too, boiled or fried, often as a side dish for asado and empanadas. As well,mbeyú,chipá avatí,sopa paraguaya,sopa correntina,chipa solo or chipá con carne, elquibebé, elborí borí,chipá guasú o pastel de choclo,mbaipy,chipá mbocá ochipá caburé and other similar meals. Chipá from cassava is often eaten during breakfast with yerba mate, prepared with hot water or withcafé con leche. Sopa Paraguaya and pastel/carta de choclo are eaten for lunch or dinner. As regards products made with sugar,Papaya (mamón in Argentine Spanish)jam is typical of the north of this region.
The principal product of this region is certainly yerba mate. Consumed countrywide, this product features a peculiarity of its own in this area: it is not only prepared with hot water but, driven by the region's high temperatures, it is common to see it prepared with cold water as well, in which case the beverage is known astereré.
The large southern region ofPatagonia is made up of the provincesNeuquén,Río Negro,Chubut,Santa Cruz andTierra del Fuego. This area also includes theAntarctica andIslas del Atlántico Sur. (or southern atlantic islands). Their most typical food ingredients include fish and seafood from the sea and rivers and the products of the sheep that are widely farmed there.
Marine species such assalmon,spider crabs,squid and othershellfish andmolluscs may be caught in the Atlantic Ocean. There aretrout in the rivers.
The many berries grown in the area includecherries,bilberries,strawberries,rosa mosqueta and elders, which are made intojams.
TheNorthern and Central European settlements in this region have built up large-scale production of chocolate and its by-products. Viennese and German cuisine and pastries are also typically associated with this region.
Mutton and lamb, together with wild boar and venison tend to make up the region's meat-based dishes. Also typical of the southern region are smoked products, including salmon, stag, wild boar, and pheasant.
Patagonia has been profoundly influenced by the tribes living there since long before Europeans arrived, in particular, theMapuches and theAraucanos. A typical dish prepared by the latter is thecuranto (a term meaning "hot stone"). Its preparation involves making a fire in a hole about 150 cm deep in the ground, and heating stones in it. A bed of nalca or maqui leaves is arranged on top of the stones, and ingredients are added in turn on top. Ingredients vary, but may include beef, lamb, pork, chicken,Argentine chorizos (pork sausages), potatoes, sweet potatoes, apples and holed squashes filled with cheese, cream and peas. The food is covered with leaves and damp pieces of cloth to keep the heat in, and covered with plenty of soil.
Though wine (vino) has traditionally been the most popular alcoholic beverage in Argentina, beer (cerveza; the Italianbirra is frequently used) in recent decades has competed with wine in popularity. Breweries appeared in Argentina at the end of the 1860s, started byAlsatian colonists. The first were nearly all in the downtown of Buenos Aires (el égido de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), and soon Polish brewers began industrial production of beer: San Carlos in the province of Santa Fe,Río Segundo and Córdoba in the province of Córdoba,Quilmes andLlavallol on the outskirts ofLa Plata (in Buenos Aires Province),San Miguel de Tucumán in the province of Tucumán and on the outskirts of the cities ofMendoza andSalta.
The local consumption of beer has risen dramatically in the last generation: Argentines consumed 233 million litres in 1980 and 1.57 billion in 2007 (40 litres per capita).[19] Outpacing that of wine since 2001, the growing production and consumption of beer have supported the existence of related events, for example, beer festivals calledOktoberfests or "Fiestas de la Cerveza" in locations that have a significant German population (Villa General Belgrano in Córdoba, San Carlos andEsperanza in the province of Santa Fe, etc.). Such celebrations copy, in an Argentine manner,Munich'sOktoberfest, and similarly are tourist attractions. However, the presence of a vigorous population ofCeltic lineage, principally of Irish origin, has supported the creation of other celebrations of beer, often for marketing purposes, such asSaint Patrick's Day (Día de San Patricio), patron of Ireland, which is celebrated with abundant libations.
The consumption of alcoholic beverages in Argentina is similar to that of the United States and somewhat lower than the Western European average.[20] Argentines enjoy a variety of alcoholic beverages and Argentina can boast a varied array ofelaboraciones, whether industrial orartisanal. Besides beer and wine, Argentines frequently drinkcider (here again, the heritage comes from Spain and Italy, more precisely fromAsturias andCampania). Cider is the most popular beverage of the middle and lowers economic classes at Christmas and New Year (the upper classes proverbially preferring to celebrate with locally produced champagne, although real old-line "creole" aristocrats will still drink cider, which is much more traditional).
Other widely consumed spirits areaguardiente (firewater) made fromsugar cane, known ascaña quemada ("burnt cane") or, simply, 'caña' ("cane").[21] A folkloric note aboutcaña quemada: until 21 June it is traditional to drinkcaña quemada withruda macho (a variant ofcommon rue), it is supposed that this mixture prevents theflu and other illnesses.Caña competes, mainly in rural areas, withgin ("ginebra"—as in the Dutch kind of gin.)
The bitter spiritFernet, and particularly the Italian brandFernet-Branca, is highly popular in Argentina. (A study in 2017 found that Argentines consume more than 75% of all fernet produced globally.)[22] Fernet is most commonly enjoyed as a mixed drink withCoca-Cola. Given Fernet's qualities as a digestive aid, it is a common choice for an after-dinnerdigestif.
There are many artisanally producedliqueurs (distilled, flavoured alcoholic beverages) in Argentina, for example, those flavoured with orange,egg,anise, coffee, cherry and, inevitably,dulce de leche. TheHesperidina is a type of vermouth made from orange peels, invented in Argentina around 1890. One may also encounterchitronchelo or (in Italian)citronella, based on lemon. This beverage arrived with immigrants from theMezzogiorno and is produced both artisanally and industrially (for example, atMar del Plata).
Argentines enjoy a wide variety of non-alcoholic infusions (although now and then both "families" are mixed; theyerbiao for example, is mate mixed withcaña or gin). Among these,mate has long been the most widely enjoyed; in 2006, over 700,000 metric tons were harvested in Argentina, mostly for domestic consumption. Mate is also one of the top exports from Argentina, as it is valued all over the world.[24]
The fact that mate is so prevalent in theSouthern Cone, however, should not necessarily make visitors think that other infusions are rare in the region; in Argentina especially, given the strong European cultural imprint, the consumption of coffee is very common (141 cups per capita, annually).[23] Chocolateinfusions are also popular (the eating of chocolate is a Spanish influence, although the plant originated inMesoamerica). This consumption grows during autumn and winter, or in the cold regions of the country; there are two dates where consumption of chocolate infusions is traditional in the primary educational centres: 25 May and 9 July, that is, the two national dates of Argentina.
English cultural influence (reinforced at the end of the 19th century and the beginnings of the 20th by British contacts with the Far East) has also made the consumption of tea very common.
Medicinal herbs are common in the whole country; among the most popular are:chamomile,lanceleaf,boldo,poleo,peperina,carqueja,thyme,canchalagua,rue (macho andhembra, that is, "male" and "female"),mallow,rosemary,passion flower,bira bira,palán palán,muña muña, to mention only the main ones. Many of these herbs are also used inapéritifs andbitters, whether alcoholic or not.
Commonrestoranes orrestaurantes androtiserias (grill restaurants) nearly anywhere in Argentina today serve (into the small hours) quickly prepared meals that in the course of the 20th century came to be known asminutas, "short-order dishes". Some of the dishes included in the category ofminutas aremilanesas,churrascos,bifes (beefsteaks),escalopes,tallarines,ravioles (ravioli),ñoquis (gnocchi), although some are very typical of locations that sell food: "bifes" and "milanesas" are served "a caballo" ("on horseback", withfried egg on top), "milanesa completa" (amilanesa with two fried eggs andFrench fries), "revuelto Gramajo", "colchón de arvejas" (an omelette made with peas), "suprema de pollo" (chickensupreme, usually breaded as amilanesa),matambres, "lengua a la vinagreta" (pickledtongue), and "sandwiches" (sandwiches de miga) are made with sliced white bread, rather than, say, rolls.
The most common sandwiches are those made ofmilanesa, baked ham and cheese,pan de miga,toast,pebetes,panchos (hot dogs),choripanes,morcipanes, etc.; fromMontevideo comes a different species of sandwich called thechivito, even though it contains no goat meat.
Picadas, which are consumed at home or in bars, cafés, "cafetines" and "bodegones" are also popular; they consist of an ensemble of plates containing cubes of cheese (typically fromMar del Plata orChubut), pieces ofsalame,olives inbrine, french fries,maníes (peanuts), etc.;picadas are eaten accompanied by an alcoholic beverage ("fernet", beer, wine withsoda, to give some common examples).
The people of Argentina greatly enjoyhelado (ice creams of Italian lineage orsorbets Spanish lineage). In Spanish colonial times, a type ofsorbet was made fromhail or snow.[25]
Breakfast typically is small and consists of coffee (or mate) and pastry. In most parts of Argentina, lunch is the largest meal of the day. Excluding the largest cities, such as Buenos Aires, Rosario or Cordoba, most towns close for lunchtime. This is when most people return home to enjoy a large meal and siesta. Traditional lunches in Argentina are long and well developed. Argentines often have a light evening snack (called a "merienda" – typically a coffee or mate and a pastry) and it is common to not eat dinner until 9 at night, or even later on weekends.
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