The Famous Café Tortoni
What can I tell you about Café Tortoni. Well, it's probably the most famous Cafés in Buenos Aires. It is a tourist attraction for people who aren't even going to sit down to have a cup of coffee. The Tortoni is located a few blocks west from the Casa Rosada (the government building), on Avenida de Mayo, one of the most important avenues of the city, the most representative of the city's culture and also one of the most beautiful paths. The café was founded in 1858 by Jean Touan, a French immigrant who took the name of a successful café of Paris. Originally, the Tortoni was around the corner, where the plaza Roberto Arlt is currently located. Then, it was moved to calle Rivadavia (today, this is the back of the café) and its entrance on Avenida de Mayo was opened in 1880. Due to its decoration and architecture composed of high columns, old photos, paintings and sculptures, as well as the waiters and the traditional city's clients, this place became the most famous café of Buenos Aires and one of the city's symbols. In 2008, The Tortoni celebrates its 150 years. Besides the extensive list of famous guests which every notable bar must have, such as Borges, Pirandello, Rubinstein, Cortázar, García Lorca, the Kings of Spain, Hillary Clinton, Francis Ford Coppola, and many others, the Tortoni is frequented by office workers of the downtown area, politicians, artists, tango people and, nowadays, thousands of local and international tourists. Lining up is necessary in order to visit the Tortoni. Every week night, from midnight to 2 am, Alejandro Dolina (a local bohemian humorist) broadcasts his radio program "La Venganza será terrible" (The Revenge will be terrible) from the café's basement. It is a show about history, philosophy, habits and lots of humour. Beware: it contains lots of local words, unknown to any foreigner. The show is broadcasted live by AM 590 Continental. Within the menu of the bar, the most typical dishes of the city's gastronomy are found, but also some products which are not found in other places, such as the leche merengada (whipped milk) and chocolate con churros (hot chocolate milk with a local pastry). Anyway, you're not really coming here for the food, are you? Of course not, you come here for the ambiance, the history and to be able to tell your friends back home you had a drink at one of the coolest cafes in the world. In homage to Avenida de Mayo, from Saturday 12th April to Sunday 18th May , the city's government organizes a series of activities called "La gran vía". This event will include concerts, talks with writers and the race of waiters. The Tortoni and its tango stage will be one of the venues of this celebration. For more info go to...
www.cafetortoni.com.ar
Avenida de Mayo 825 - Monserrat
4342-4328