Buenos Aires Celebrates Tea Time
It may seem an unlikely locale, but Buenos Aires, Argentina, has many places to enjoy afternoon tea (thanks to the strong British presence there).
Tea time is called, simply, “té” or “merienda.” It includes tea, coffee or mate, which is a hot beverage made from a native plant called “yerba mate”, and accompanied by toast, small sandwiches called medialunas, or an “alfajor”, a small cake filled with dulce de leche.
The afternoon tea break is a great way to tide oneself over while waiting for Buenos Aires’ traditionally late dinner hour.
The Alvear Palace Hotel has an elegant afternoon tea, as does the traditional Café Tortoni on Avenida de Mayo.
Buenos Aires has long had a thriving café culture, and its many historic cafes were the meeting places for literary, musical and political figures, including the likes of Jorge Luis Borges and Carlos Gardel. Today the city has more than 70 listed historic cafés known as “bares notables”, recognized for their importance to the city’s culture.
