The residents of Buenos Aires love their steak. They grow giddy about their wine. But all would be nought without their morning café con leche. Life in this bustling, no-sleep city would grind to a halt without caffeine. The place is charged on the stuff.
But the city's cafes are more than just venues for intravenous pick-me-ups. They're where friends meet for a gossip, where neighbours pop in to read the freebie paper, and where office workers wile away their afternoons when the boss is away.
Before heading out into the haze of percolator steam, some quick tips on etiquette. First off, feel at leisure to linger. There's none of that scowling waiter nonsense here. Second, forget the skinny, tall, Starbucks rigmarole. Argentines keep their coffee simple: most drink it short, black and with plenty of sugar. Last, leave Marlboro Lights for later. A recent city ban means Buenos Aires' cafes are now smoke-free zones.
1. Oui Oui
A true French-style cafe, Oui Oui has carved out a niche for itself as the late-breakfast bastion of choice. Scribbled in chalk on a classroom-sized blackboard, its menu boasts boulangerie delights that remain a rarity in Argentina: hot-filled croissants, fresh-baked baguettes, pan au chocolat. The brunch is legendary. Scrambled, poached, peppery, salmon-laced, bacon-doused – just the eggs get you drooling. So popular that local Francophile and owner Rocio Garcia Orza has opened a second cafe right on the corner.
• Palermo Hollywood, Nicaragua 6068.
2. Mama Racha
For a city of committed coffee-drinkers and sun-drenched days, Buenos Aires has surprisingly few good pavement cafes. Finding somewhere to sit back and soak up the rays free of choking traffic can be a thirsty task. Save yourself the pain: head to Mama Racha. This converted corner store boasts a wide, table-strewn pavement, plus an upstairs terrace open to the skies. Both look out on to the bustling, tree-lined Plaza Armenia. An ideal people-watching spot to pass the afternoon while topping up the tan.
• Palermo Soho, Costa Rica & Armenia.
3. Mark's Deli
Wedged between a battalion of boutique hotels and trendy outfitters, this is Buenos Aires' most successful attempt at the New York deli. Think fat, juicy brownies, discus-sized cookies and fluffy chef-hat muffins. Popular with the young, designer types of Palermo Soho, this airy corner joint is the place to come for some serious retail respite. Try the "budin inglés", a moist loaf-like cake that takes its name from the English word "pudding". Not because it's good (though it is), but just for the fun of pronouncing it.
• Palermo Soho, El Salvador 4701.
4. Ateneo Grand Splendid
The three-for-two, cappuccino-to-go combo so beloved of UK bookstore chains has – thankfully – yet to arrive in Buenos Aires. The capital's coffee-bookstores are non-commercial, no-rush affairs; a quaint coming together of perusing minds and perambulatory appetites. Housed in a one-time theatre, the magnificent Ateneo Grand Splendid is the Mecca of caffeine-consuming book lovers. Paperbacks pile high in the auditorium, while waiters emerge from the wings to serve the coffee drinkers on stage.
• Recoleta, Av Santa Fe 1860.
5. Croque Madame
The period collections and eclectic grandeur of the Museum of Decorative Arts already put it on the long list of Buenos Aires' "sights to see". The Croque Madame café boosts it up into the can't-be-missed category. Located in the gatehouse of this former ambassadorial residence, most of the real eating action spills outside on to the tree-shaded courtyard. Open until midnight, it's the perfect spot for an evening nibble once the exhibition closes.
• Botanico, Av Libertador 1902.
6. La Nueva
Black or milky is not the only decision to be made on the Buenos Aires' café trail. There are the "facturas" to think about, too. These devilishly delicious pastries provide manna to the soul – and an inch or two to the waistline. King of this baked brood of naughtiness is the crescent-shaped "medialuna". A doughier hybrid of the French croissant, they come in butter (manteca) or oil (grasa). For consistent yummyness, try La Nueva. It might look like a bog standard bakery-cafe, but bite into their sweet, springy, oven-warm pastries and you'll learn it's a place of golden-crusted magic.
• Barrio Norte, Av Las Heras 2915.
7. Las Violetas
Once upon a time, cafe waiters used to dress like well-heeled gentlemen. Today, shirt cuffs and starched collars are fast disappearing from the barista scene. But not at Las Violetas. In business since 1884, this old-time classic has remained steadfast in the face of changing times. There are no WiFi hotspots or Formica table tops to be found here. Only courteous table service from the elegantly attired waiters. The soaring ceilings and stained glass windows add to Las Violetas' timeless atmosphere.
• Almagro, Av Rivadavia 3899.
8. Pride
If you're gay and proud of it, then Pride is your place. Putting it out there before camp was cool, this minimalist-style cafe has won itself a loyal clientele among the capital's gay community. Although the kitchen delivers up inspired pastries, regulars will have you know that Juan – waiter by day, actor by night – is the genuine dish of the day. Pride also doubles up as an unofficial gay tourist information centre, with advice on what to do and where to go after the aroma of roasted beans disappears for the day.
• San Telmo, Balcarce 869.
9. Tea Connection
Traditionally, Argentines don't do tea. But then nor did they do swanky warehouse conversions either until Puerto Madero underwent its recent makeover. The Tea Connection reflects the exclusive, cosmopolitan tastes of Buenos Aires' spruced up port. More Oolong Fresh than Tetley blend, tea aficionados can choose from more than two dozen options. For an aromatic head rush, try dunking your head in the tea-laden bell jars that line the lengthy counter – it's like the Orient in a bottle.
• Puerto Madero, Olga Cossettini 1545 (also Uriburu 1597 and, coming soon, Cervino 3550).
10. Florencio
Recoleta is ladies-that-lunch central. If Botox and boob jobs are what you're into, then try the strip opposite the neighbourhood's iconic cemetery. But if too many pet poodles put you off your pastries, then hop along to Florencio. This cosy hideaway sits discreetly halfway up one of the narrow, sloping streets that make up La Isla (The Island). Quiet and secluded, it's a tiny haven amid the city bustle.
• Recoleta, Francisco de Vittorio 2362.
• Oliver Balch is author of Viva South America! A Journey Around a Restless Continent, published by Faber at £14.99
