San Telmo

Finding a vegetarian restaurant in a meat-centric country is no easy task, but we are lucky enough to stumble over one right here in our own barrio.




Walking around in the afternoon, we discover Naturaleza Sabia and when we return at night time (8:00 p.m.) it is closed. 8:00 p.m. seems like a reasonable time to us, but it's either way too early or they're closed for dinner on Good Friday.

We return the next day for lunch after our tour. They offer us an English menu, but we are determined to order in Spanish (we use the English menu to verify what we've ordered afterwards). A lentil cheeseburger with quinoa and vegetables. A big salad. Fresh squeezed lemonade. A yummy pumpkin soup starter. And to finish, a coffee (cortado) and a coconut creme caramel type thing.




A welcome and enjoyed meal after a few days struggling to figure out where and what to eat. (From the supermarcado, we bought what we thought was yogurt only to discover, upon opening, it was marscapone cream — not so ideal with fruit for breakfast...)

It was Julie-Anne, our family friend, who recommended the barrio of San Telmo in order to get the more "authentic" feel of Bueno Aires. Authentic combined with a language deficit and culture shock has also meant a touch scary to start. Crumbling facades, grimy cobblestone streets and a warning about pick pockets has made us uneasy. It's a working class neighborhood, slowly becoming gentrified, filled also with bohemian artists determined to keep it's historic architecture and ways. In amongst the old school bakeries and cafes, independent fashion shops and antique stores are springing up. It's home to the Sunday San Telmo market, THE one thing everyone must do when in Bueno Aires. For us it's only two minutes away. It's also known as a pick pocket's dream event, so you can be sure we'll be leaving our wallets and bags at home when we visit.

We've uncovered another vegetarian restaurant to visit in the area. And a short distance away is the La Boca, where football star Maradona played as a youth. It's is a shrine for Argentina.

Today, after lunch, we walk through the barrio, stepping into the beautiful local church and taking in some of the street scenery. After visiting a few other areas in the city, the authenticity that Julie promised is now beginning to shine through and we see more charm, less scariness. Our confidence grows a little more each day. The less impressive Saturday market is in full swing, but we will wait until tomorrow to take it all in properly.








We have signed ourselves up for Spanish lessons (two hours a day) beginning on Monday at a recommended Spanish school just around the corner on Chacabuco Ave. Again, another perk of the neighborhood.