The Cafes of Palermo Soho

One of the true joys of living in Buenos Aires, and Palermo Soho in particular, has been the access to great cafes. I love the cafes of Palermo Soho. There is no shortage of places, many with free WiFi, where one can pull out one’s laptop, Spanish homework or iLibro (my Kindle - a source of amazement in many locations) and settle in for hours working or reading away. Even on busy days you can spend hours without disturbance, in honor of that great Buenos Aires tradition of taking as long as you want with your meal or coffee seemingly without a care in the world.

Here are a few of my favorites (in no particular order):

Mark’s Deli, El Salvador 4701: Mark’s is the see and be seen coffee shop. It is packed on weekends and during weekday evenings with locals, expats and weary shoppers. Its weakness is that I don’t think the food is that great.

Mama Racha, Costa Rica 4602: Sometimes it seems like Mama Racha is the unloved Soho café. For some reason, it doesn’t get shout outs in Time Out and the other major publications. I don’t understand why. I think the food there is good and the location is perfect, with the option of sidewalk seating or a small roof deck with a great view of Plaza Armenia on warm days.

La Salamandra, El Salvador 4761: They bill themselves as a Dulce de Leche and Mozzarella Bar. As you would imagine, the dulce de leche is great. Salads, just in case you thought you were ordering something healthy, come with a spoonful of dulce de leche on the side to ensure you get your sugar quota for the day. The other desserts, including the best alfajores I have had in BA, come in mini-portions (reminding me of my old favorite, Michele Coulon). They also serve mozzarella di buffalo which, to me, is the only kind of mozzarella that should be served.

La Pasteleria, Gurruchaga 1744: This is a little hole in the wall that I hesitate to call a café. It is in a nondescript location next door to Freud & Fahler. It is mostly a takeout place for their tasty breads and baked goods, but they also have a table where you can sit and order some absolutely delicious sandwiches and salads. It is not really a place to settle in and work for hours, but it is a great place to grab lunch, sip on some coffee and people watch.

Baraka, Gurruchaga 1450: It is like a little slice of San Francisco in BA. They serve organic coffee and the staff all seems to have dreadlocks. The food here is good and, for warm days, the have the double option of sidewalk and roof deck seating. I also give them the prize for the best coffee of the bunch. The coffee in this town is surprisingly erratic given that every place has a fancy coffee machine, but Baraka usually delivers.

Helena , Nicaragua 4816: I love the food here. It is usually not that crowded and there is a little area with a sofa for those that are looking for something more comfortable. You can order an “Americano” breakfast here that includes scrambled eggs and the only thing I would classify as bacon in BA. Lunch here is also very good.