Cafe Tortoni
About
Café Tortoni is a historic coffee house situated on Avenida de Mayo. Influenced by Parisian coffee houses, it was originally established in 1858, making it one of the oldest coffee houses in Buenos Aires. Café Tortoni Buenos Aires quickly became a popular gathering place for locals and a haunt for many intellectuals, politicians, and artists, including Jorge Luis Borges, Albert Einstein, Federico García Lorca, and Benito Quinquela Martín. Tortoni’s rich history and influential visitors have made this café a popular attraction for tourists and locals alike.
Why Go to Café Tortoni?
Café Tortoni history is well established as a Buenos Aires icon. It has a unique charm, retaining many of its original furnishings, which give it a classic feel. Usually, there is a queue outside, but it generally moves along quite swiftly. Around the main dining room, you'll find old photos and information about Tortoni’s history and notable visitors. At the rear of the café is a small museum and waxworks. Café Tortoni also has a small theatre where you can book to see a live tango show in the evening. It is well worth checking out. Tortoni's serves a nice variety of dishes, snacks, and beverages at reasonable prices.
There are also Tortoni Cafe souvenirs you can purchased, like cups and mate gourds.
The Cafe Tortoni hours of opening are from 8:00am to 9:00pm daily.
Nearby is the World Tango Museum and National Tango Academy, which may be of interest if you have an interest in Tango.
Did You Know?
Well-known visitors to Café Tortoni include Hillary Clinton, Robert Duvall, and Susan Sarandon.
If you're interested in more popular places to visit in Buenos Aires, take a look at our Best Attractions in Buenos Aires.
How to get to Cafe Tortoni:
Subway:
Linea A - Get off at either Piedras or Peru stations. Café Tortoni is within a 3-minute walk from both stations.
Bus:
Routes 5, 7, 9, 10, 17, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 33, 38, 39, 45, 50, 54, 56, 59, 60, 61, 62, 64, 67, 70, 74, 86, 91, 93, 100, 102, 105, 111, 116, 126, 129, 130, 142, 143, 146, 152, 155, 159, 168, and 195 pass within a close radius.
To find out more about using public transport in Buenos Aires, including details on buses, subways, trains, taxis, ride-sharing services, and how to obtain and use the SUBE card, visit the Best Way to Get Around Buenos Aires section.
Address
Av. de Mayo 825.
For more detailed information, you can visit Cafe Tortoni's website.
