Don Julio: how is the experience of eating in the best restaurant in Argentina

If Argentina has anything to offer, apart from a world champion soccer team, it is top quality meat, usually prepared on the grill. Therefore, it is not surprising that the best restaurant in that country, according to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023, is Don Julio, a space that celebrates meat in all its splendor. Provecho visited his well-known store located in Palermo Viejo and here we tell you all about the experience.

You don’t even need to see the name of the place to know that you are approaching Don Julio. The one who knew how to win over everyone, including Messi, who visited the restaurant the same week as us, causing a stir in the neighborhood. A smell of grilled meat intoxicates everyone who approaches and a considerable group of diners waiting for their reservations gather outside the apparently small but cozy place.

The history of this restaurant dates back to 1999, when Pablo Rivero decided to open it, when he was just over 20 years old. Over time, he’s built himself into a respected sommelier and is now one of the city’s highest-profile restaurateurs.

In these times, getting a reservation for Don Julio can be quite a journey. We, who did not want to miss the opportunity, recommend doing it months in advance -as soon as you have the tickets to Buenos Aires-. The capital of Argentina is really nocturnal and we did not expect the large number of people who gathered outside Don Julio and were willing to wait an hour to enter, being 10:30 pm

The secret? The restaurant’s service team doles out glasses of delicious sparkling wine and little Argentinian empanadas as a bite to eat that invites one to linger and be content. Zero complaints with that level of attention and care.

Upon entering you see the perfect combination between top quality equipment in a neat kitchen, and a fairly traditional decoration where bottles of wine are displayed, the light is dim to create an atmosphere of intimacy and everything is crowned with a beautiful and long bar where You can see how the kitchen team, directed by Guido Tassi, works the impressive and intimidating cuts of meat and, because it is in season, some succulent pumpkins are also on display on the menu.

At Don Julio they are clear: to be the best you have to offer the best and that is what they propose using beef from Aberdeen Angus and Hereford cattle raised in the traditional way, fed on natural pastures from the Humid Pampa, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. .

As explained on The World’s 50 Best portal, their meats are stored in a climate-controlled chamber for at least 21 days to reach optimum maturity: that which allows for the quality, flavor and texture that is expected in a space like this.

The experience

They assigned us a seat on the second level, quite privileged to be able to observe all the movement on the first floor. Waiters came and went with different dishes that aroused great curiosity (mainly because of their size) and different exclamations from the diners indicated that the food was good there.

As appetizers they serve a delicious homemade bread that is crispy on the outside and with a soft crumb, which goes perfectly with the criolla sauce and chimichurri that they deliver to the table. They also offered olive oil. The special touch is the thick salt, which we know is to season the meat to our liking.

In less than 20 minutes we already have the table served with our drinks, the appetizer and the sommelier on duty recommends a wine that, for our taste, was very acid and we did not take advantage of it as much.

The available entrees are quite classic for an Argentinian grill restaurant: we find grilled provoleta, a delicious type of cheese that melts on the inside and is almost crunchy on the outside; meat empanadas cut with a knife or pumpkin with quartirolo cheese; artisan sausages such as barbecue sausage, black pudding and chorizo; and widths like heart gizzards, kidneys and steer bugs.

We opted for a chorizo ​​that, although it had a rather pleasant and different flavor, had a somewhat dry texture for our taste and habit, we usually find chorizos that combine more meat and fat.

Don Julio’s menu is much less intimidating than you might think and quite friendly for those diners who don’t know much about lean or bone-in cuts, among other distinctions. He even has drawings of them and don’t be afraid to ask the waiters who are very well trained to answer any questions.

You can find from a rib eye to an entrecote, going through a fine vacuum, a loin steak or a strip roast. The only pork option is a churrasquito.

We opted for a wide chorizo ​​steak (500 gr.) and a rump steak (650 gr.), the latter being considered a lean cut. We ordered it medium rare and it arrived cooked to perfection. The meat was juicy, filling, soft like no other, and with the perfect amount of fat to make it flavorful. The amount of salt depended on each one and that was a point in favor that we rescued.

As an accompaniment we decided not to risk or take away from the meat by ordering a fresh and fulfilling green salad and a portion of French fries that were cooked to perfection -but that do not compare with those of our country-.

They also offer grilled zucchini, roasted peppers, sweet potato and different types of salads that are common there (such as arugula or potato with hard-boiled egg and parsley).

the sweet touch

Satisfied with the forcefulness of the meat and the accompaniments, we did not know whether to order dessert, but fortunately one of the young men on duty offered us the menu. Renzo, whose mother is Peruvian, recommended us to try the ice cream with the promise that we would not regret it and today it is time to agree with him.

We ordered three flavors: dulce de leche ice cream, jersey cream ice cream and a seasonal sorbet made with Williams pear and a distillate of the same fruit that was spectacular. Each one was better than the last and we now understand the fervent recommendation they made to us. If we return to Don Julio, it would be for its meats and its ice creams.

The attention to every detail on the part of the service was impeccable: filling the glasses when they saw them half empty, bringing ice whenever it ran out, answering questions with the best of attitudes, offering to cut the meat if it is to share and other small but significant things make us understand that Don Julio is where he is also because of his work team.