Buenos Aires Empanadas: Our Pre-Antarctica Food Stops Near Hotel Emperador
After three days in Chile, we continued on to Buenos Aires. Our target? A two night stay at the Hotel Emperador Buenos Aires. This part of the trip wasn’t about wildlife. It was about logistics, a bit of comfort, and, as it turned out, an empanada crawl through the city. Our search for Buenos Aires empanadas became the unexpected theme of our short stop before Antarctica. The views of the Andes from the left side of the plane (A-seats) were spectacular.
The flight from Santiago to Buenos Aires is only about two hours, and from deplaning to sitting in our car took roughly 20 minutes, including baggage claim, immigration, and customs. It was astonishingly efficient.
Back to the City and Pre-Trip Logistics
We had arranged a car through our hotel and asked the driver to make a brief stop at Posada de las Águilas near the airport. This is where we would stay after Antarctica, and we left behind a small bag of items we wouldn’t need on the expedition. Extended travel through multiple climates is a packing nightmare, but that deserves a separate post. The charter flight to Ushuaia has strict weight limits, so every kilogram matters.
There was a noticeable police presence near the airport and along the drive into the city. What there wasn’t was traffic. It was 7pm on a Friday night, and we reached central Buenos Aires in 37 minutes.
Hotel Emperador Buenos Aires Review
There had been a minor saga with our hotel booking months earlier. Our expedition package through Quark included one pre-expedition night. I wanted two. Initially, we were told it wasn’t possible. Then we were quoted an eye-watering rate and informed we would have to check out at 10am and check back in at 3pm, even if we were staying in the same room. In the end, our amazing travel agent sorted it out. We secured the additional night and were allowed to remain in the same room for a modest upgrade fee.
When we arrived at the Hotel Emperador Buenos Aires, it felt grand but slightly dated. The woman at check-in was exceptionally helpful and informed us that our room was the second best in the hotel. She wasn’t exaggerating. The room was enormous, with a living room, a massive spa bath, and a huge bedroom. It had an old-school feel, like visiting Nan’s apartment, more classic than modern.
When we asked for an empanada recommendation at the front desk, they suggested Piegari Ristoranti, which was a few blocks away and they kindly called ahead for us. When we arrived, there was a huge line outside. The interior, however, looked relatively calm. Confident in our reservation, we walked past the queue and were seated immediately. The restaurant had more of an Argentinian steakhouse vibe than a local empanada joint, and I was glad I’d changed into my “nicer” outfit (which, to be clear, is from Costco).
She probably assumed we wanted something fancy given the giant suite. Curious about the commotion, we asked our waitress what was going on. It turns out Liam Gallagher from Oasis was dining at the corner table ahead of their show the following night.
An Empanada Crawl in Buenos Aires
The next morning, we slept in given we had nothing on the agenda. Out of habit, we did peak out the window at sunrise though.
Several expedition ships were using the Hotel Emperador Buenos Aires for their pre-expedition stays, which explained why we had such a challenge arranging the additional night.
We were given luggage tags and instructed to leave our expedition bags at reception by 5am the following morning. Breakfast would begin at a staggering 4:30am.
With the required logistics out of the way, we decided to search for the best empanadas in Buenos Aires empanadas. A kind of do-it-yourself empanada crawl, if that’s a thing.
Our first stop was La Junta de 1810, near where we had stayed on a previous visit. It was a two-kilometre walk from the hotel, but we hadn’t factored in the heat, which was around 32°C / 90°F. We arrived just after they opened at noon, and the air conditioning was a welcome relief. The empanadas were fresh and exactly as we remembered. A strong start.
That evening, we stayed closer to our hotel. Our first stop was Neustras Costumbres Criollas, which I’d found online. It was tiny, with only a few tables and zero English. The Neapolitan empanada, filled with tomato, cheese, and basil, was the standout of the day. Easily the highlight of our Buenos Aires empanadas search. They served wine in a traditional penguin-shaped pitcher, which we were tempted to buy, but didn’t want to carry around South America for nine weeks. We later learned they’re quite common in Argentina.
Our final stop was La Torre de Retiro, recommended by the hotel valet. It was larger and had outdoor seating, though we chose to sit inside to escape the heat. Here we had a ham and cheese and a chicken empanada. The Neapolitan earlier had set the bar pretty high, but these were still very good.
Total cost for all three stops, including a beer or two at each stop? $30 USD. It was an early night as we had to be up early for the start of the real adventure.
We’re Andy and Jennifer—two former corporate executives who chose long ago to prioritise experiences over stuff while pursuing our passions for travel and photography. From the Arctic to Antarctica, and most places in between, we’ve captured the world through our lenses and love sharing those stories. Our careers gave us the means, but our purpose is inspiring others to explore and helping people create images they’re proud of.
