Where To Wine And Dine In Sunny Buenos Aires: Agustina Basilico’s Seven Favourite Spots

If you’ve spent an evening at Toklas in central London – grazing on Mediterranean-inspired seasonal plates, sipping house-label cuvées or catching golden hour with an apéro in hand – you’ve already had a taste of Agustina Basilico’s approach to drinking and dining: relaxed, sun-soaked and rooted in conviviality.

Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Basilico’s palate was shaped by the city’s Mediterranean heritage, its cookbook shaped by Spanish and Italian immigrants who brought with them a love of good wine, olive oil, seafood and seasonal ingredients – and a childhood surrounded by simple, expressive cooking.

“Food was always about bringing people together,” she tells SUITCASE, “sharing flavours and celebrating the everyday.” Now head of drinks at Toklas, she draws from that early love of flavour and ritual to champion small producers, especially female winemakers, on a list that’s as thoughtful as it is joyful. “I’m drawn to expressive, characterful wines from small producers,” she says. “The Spanish and Italian influence also taught me to appreciate simplicity that is done well – a sharp vermouth, a perfectly balanced negroni, a bottle of something fresh and bright.”

Basilico returns to her hometown often – for family, for inspiration, and for the vibrant food and wine scene that first sparked her on her globe-spanning career. “No matter where life takes me, Buenos Aires will always be home,” she says. “It’s still the best city in the world for me.” Here, she shares seven of her favourite places to wine and dine in the Argentinian city.

Naranjo Bar

1. Naranjo Bar

Best for slow afternoons in the sun

According to Basilico, the relaxed, sun-dappled patio space at Naranjo “is made for long afternoons”. A neighbourhood favourite with distressed interiors and a friendly, unhurried vibe, this natural wine joint pairs its bottles with inventive, veggie-forward plates. Come for the wines, stay for the warmth – and don’t be surprised if a quick lunch turns into an all-afternoon experience.

Ángel Justiniano Carranza 1059, C1414; instagram.com/naranjo_bar

2. NESS

Best for natural wines and sun-drenched small plates

Located in the leafy Núñez neighbourhood, Ness is a warm, welcoming bar championing low-intervention wines from across Argentina and further afield. Chef Leo Lanussol curates a selection of seasonal small plates and local cheeses that pair effortlessly with the natural bottles, too. “Sip under the sun at the charming sidewalk tables,” says Basilico. “It’s the place to be in Buenos Aires right now.”

Grecia 3691, C1429; instagram.com/ness.bsas

Streetside at Casa Cavia, left, and one of the restaurant’s dishes

3. Casa Cavia

Best for long, luxurious lunches

Tucked away from the street in a historic, Gatsby-esque 1920s city mansion with a sun-dappled courtyard garden, Casa Cavia is Basilico’s recommendation for a slow, indulgent al fresco lunch. “It’s quite traditional, with its elegant dishes and a refined wine list,” she says, “but the ambience is warm and welcoming”. A female-led team – including chef Julieta Caruso and lead bartender Flavia Arroyo – brings thoughtful creativity to modern, fresh plates and a cocktail list big on botanicals.

Cavia 2985, C1425; casacavia.com

4. Diviiino

Best for pavement people-watching

Basilico describes Diviiino as a “laid-back, stylish bar” where a visit “feels like you’re hanging out in a friend’s living room.” Head over in the evening, and you’ll find a crowd of well-dressed creatives lingering outside its tall front windows, sipping biodynamic bins, hoping for a table. The neon-lit indoors is fun but it’s the seats on the pavement everybody wants. “They offer a few sunny outdoor tables,” Basilico says, “ideal for sipping natural and biodynamic wines alongside bright, playful dishes.” The plates in question? Bowlfuls of parmesan-cloaked fries, grilled zucchini under a rouille sauce scattered with dehydrated peaches, pumpkin croquettes and well-stuffed fried chicken sandwiches.

Cabrera 5300, C1414; instagram.com/diviiino

Naranjo bar

5. Vini Bar

Best for seafood and sips

At this unassuming spot in Palermo Soho, the day’s menu is scrawled across the front window – a clue to the casual, come-as-you-are vibe of Vini Bar. A collaboration between wine guru Aldo Graziani and his friend Luciano Sosto, it offers 70 wines by the glass and a rotating line-up of small plates from the same chef behind NESS. Basilico recommends grabbing a seat outside and enjoying oysters, anchovies and simple seasonal plates with a glass of something “sharp and mineral”. Whether perched streetside or tucked upstairs on the mezzanine, it’s a place that hums well into the night.

Borges 1965, C1425; instagram.com/vini__bar

6. Overo Bar

Best for city views

“Fresh, youthful and fun” are the three words Basilico uses to sum up this convivial terrace bar, where funky natural wines flow and the mood leans cool. Overo serves snacking dishes like juicy skewers and colourful pickled vegetables, as well as a by-the-glass list of wines. There’s always something happening here, from film nights to "couch and wine” evenings where guests are encouraged to bring a book, sip something interesting and spark up good conversation.

Nicaragua 4583, C1414; instagram.com/overo.bar

7. Vereda Adentro

Best for golden-hour grazing

In Chacarita? The leafy outdoor set-up at Vereda Adentro is prepped for warm afternoons. “Their line-up of low-intervention wines and seasonal small plates is perfect for slow, sunny sipping,” Basilico says. Tucked on a quiet residential corner in Núñez, this relaxed streetside bar is mostly al fresco, so bring a jacket if you plan to stay late into the night.

11 de Septiembre de 1888 3201, C1429; instagram.com/vereda____adentro

Main photo credit: Polly Braden