"Enrique Piñeyro's larder of acorn-fed charcuterie and wood-grilled beef is among Buenos Aires' hardest tables; plan months ahead and go."
About Anchoíta
Enrique Piñeyro flew commercial jets and directed documentaries before he built Anchoíta around a wood grill, a bakery and a curing room of his own. The result, on Juan Ramírez de Velasco 1520 in Villa Crespo, is one of the most sought-after tables in the city, with reservations selling out months ahead since it opened. It is à la carte, with most of a dinner landing around US$50 to US$80 a head with wine, and it sits high in our Buenos Aires dining guide and among the country's best fine-dining rooms.
The Kitchen
The premise is provenance taken to an extreme. Anchoíta cures its own charcuterie from pork raised on acorns, bakes its own bread in the adjoining Panadería de Anchoíta, and cooks aged beef and Argentine river fish such as surubí and patí over wood and charcoal behind glass. A cheese trolley carries some fifty Argentine cheeses, and the cellar, overseen by director and head sommelier Valeria Mortara, is one of the deepest in the city.
Piñeyro runs it as owner and driving force rather than a traditional executive chef, and the kitchen sends out a steak in three precise doneness points, from bleu at 42°C to medium-rare at 55°C. The restaurant is a Latin America's 50 Best Discovery and features in the MICHELIN Guide Buenos Aires. For more fire-driven cooking, see our steakhouse and grill guide.
The Room
A converted Villa Crespo building, warm and low-key, with the open grill and the bakery scenting the room and a wall of wine doing the decorating. Tables are generously spaced, the sound sits at a comfortable buzz, and the mood is relaxed rather than formal even though the cooking is exacting. There is no dress code to speak of; smart-casual fits. The counter and the tables near the grill are the seats to ask for if you want to watch the fire.
Best for Impressing a Client
Book Anchoíta to impress a client because the provenance story tells itself, from the curing room to the bakery to the grill, and the sommelier-led pairings give the meal real depth. Securing a table at one of the city's hardest reservations signals effort, and the kitchen's precision holds up to scrutiny. It is equally strong for an anniversary dinner when you have planned well ahead.
Not for
Not for a spontaneous night out or a quick steak. Tables vanish months in advance, the menu is a provenance-driven journey, and committed vegetarians will find the charcuterie-and-grill focus limiting.
Frequently Asked
Is Anchoíta hard to book?
Yes, it is one of the hardest reservations in Buenos Aires. Anchoíta releases tables in batches on its website, and prime evenings sell out within minutes of opening. Book the moment a new window releases, be flexible on date and time, and consider an earlier or weekday sitting. Walk-in chances are slim, so plan well ahead.
Who is the chef at Anchoíta?
Anchoíta is the project of Enrique Piñeyro, the pilot and filmmaker turned restaurateur who owns and drives the kitchen, with Valeria Mortara as director and head sommelier. Rather than a single celebrity chef, the restaurant runs as a tightly controlled operation built around its own charcuterie, bakery and wood grill.
What should you order at Anchoíta?
Start with a board of the house-cured charcuterie and the freshly baked bread, then a wood-grilled aged beef cut ordered to a specific doneness, or Argentine river fish such as surubí. Finish with a selection from the fifty-strong Argentine cheese trolley. Let Valeria Mortara's team pair local wines through the meal for the full effect.
How much does dinner at Anchoíta cost?
Expect roughly US$50 to US$80 per person for a full à la carte dinner with wine, depending on the cuts and bottles you choose. Charcuterie boards, grilled mains and the cheese trolley add up, but the cooking and sourcing justify it, and it remains good value against comparable fine-dining rooms in the city.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Anchoíta
Reservations release in batches on the website and sell out fast; book the moment a window opens.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
AddressJuan Ramírez de Velasco 1520, Villa Crespo, Buenos Aires
NeighbourhoodVilla Crespo
CuisineArgentine
PriceÀ la carte; ~US$50–80 pp with wine
Dress CodeSmart casual
Seating~70 covers, open grill
ReservationWebsite (batched)
