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Argentina v France: Final - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
Lionel Messi lifts the World Cup high.
Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

8 Argentine Restaurants to Celebrate the World Cup Victory

Try the steaks, fugazza, empanadas, and more

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Lionel Messi lifts the World Cup high.
| Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

The last game of the FIFA World Cup between France and Argentina was a cliffhanger, as the regular game ended in a 2-to-2 tie, and each team scored an additional goal in the second 15-minute overtime period. The game was decided in a penalty shoot-out that was won by Argentina 4 to 2. If you’d like to celebrate the Argentine way — with thick cuts of steak, red Malbec wine, and the pizza known as fugazza — here are some restaurants serving distinguished fare from the South American country.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission.

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La Fusta

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Founded in 1970 across the street from the emergency room at Elmhurst Hospital, La Fusta dons a horse racing theme — which means portraits of thoroughbreds and racecourses line the wall of its exceedingly comfortable dining rooms. Seven expertly grilled steaks are available, served with the house chimichurri, of course, plus breaded cutlets, pork chops, chicken, and fish entrees, with a full wine list.

Dark sausages and long steaks on a metal platter.
Sausages and steaks at La Fusta.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

La Esquina Criolla

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It’s a good sign when a butcher shop begins selling grilled meats, and this family-friendly place does so from an Argentine and Uruguayan perspective, right on one of Corona’s busiest corners. You can pick your steaks from the glass case, and the meat selection also includes chitterlings, blood sausage, chorizo, and sweetbreads. Empanadas and apps also abound.

Molleja, chorizo, y morcilla at La Esquina Criolla
Some variety meats from La Esquina Criolla.
Photo by Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Gold Star NYC

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This coffee shop sells BEC as well as Argentine-style sandwiches, yet the specialty is empanadas of the kind sold at small storefront bakeries all over Buenos Aires. Consult the glass case to the right of the counter to figure out what is available on any given day.

Two half moon baked empanadas.
Argentine-style beef empanadas from Gold Star
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Empanadas Cafe

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This empanada bakery right on Hoboken’s main drag has the largest selection of Argentine braided-spine empanadas in the metro area, running to two dozen types on some days. They’re served with a spicy and oily orange sauce, and you can’t go wrong getting beef, chorizo, cheese, or any of the other more obvious varieties.

A crescent pie with beef written in block letters along the side.
Like it says — beef.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Da Radda

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This restaurant from Buenos Aires restaurateur Sergio Radavero specializes in the Italian cooking of Argentina. That includes the wonderful onion-and-cheese pizza called fugazza (other pies come topped with veal cutlets or eggplant), braised beef bruschetta, pumpkin soup, and gnocchi topped with a combination of tomato sauce and basil pesto.

A round pie with no tomato sauce heaped with onions seen from above.
The onion and cheese pizza called fugazza.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Buenos Aires

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Named after the capital, Buenos Aires is a classic, small-scale Argentine steakhouse, with a menu that runs to several cuts butchered in a way different than American steaks. Also check out chorizo, morcilla (loamy blood sausage), pickled eggplant, beef tongue, and the stuffed veal breast called matambre.

A steak in a pool of pink juices.
Skirt steak at Buenos Aires.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Balvanera

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This Lower East Side mainstay constitutes a sort of hipster Argentine bistro. There’s a great choripan (grilled chorizo sandwich street food), and other recommendations include the grilled provolone, skirt steak, and flan. Lots of salads and family-style share platters also on the menu.

Sausages, steak, and pasta on separate plates.
A selection of dishes from Balvanera.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Mostrador NYC

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This obscurely located coffee shop off the lobby of Tribeca’s Walker Hotel comes from Argentine celebrity chef and cookbook author, Fernando Trocca, and serves mainly coffee and pastries throughout much of the day, including some like the coconut coquito. At lunch, there’s a buffet with savory sides to accompany a pair of main courses.

A chocolate cake, a coquito, and other pastries.
Argentinean pastries from Mostrador.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

La Fusta

Founded in 1970 across the street from the emergency room at Elmhurst Hospital, La Fusta dons a horse racing theme — which means portraits of thoroughbreds and racecourses line the wall of its exceedingly comfortable dining rooms. Seven expertly grilled steaks are available, served with the house chimichurri, of course, plus breaded cutlets, pork chops, chicken, and fish entrees, with a full wine list.

Dark sausages and long steaks on a metal platter.
Sausages and steaks at La Fusta.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

La Esquina Criolla

It’s a good sign when a butcher shop begins selling grilled meats, and this family-friendly place does so from an Argentine and Uruguayan perspective, right on one of Corona’s busiest corners. You can pick your steaks from the glass case, and the meat selection also includes chitterlings, blood sausage, chorizo, and sweetbreads. Empanadas and apps also abound.

Molleja, chorizo, y morcilla at La Esquina Criolla
Some variety meats from La Esquina Criolla.
Photo by Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Gold Star NYC

This coffee shop sells BEC as well as Argentine-style sandwiches, yet the specialty is empanadas of the kind sold at small storefront bakeries all over Buenos Aires. Consult the glass case to the right of the counter to figure out what is available on any given day.

Two half moon baked empanadas.
Argentine-style beef empanadas from Gold Star
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Empanadas Cafe

This empanada bakery right on Hoboken’s main drag has the largest selection of Argentine braided-spine empanadas in the metro area, running to two dozen types on some days. They’re served with a spicy and oily orange sauce, and you can’t go wrong getting beef, chorizo, cheese, or any of the other more obvious varieties.

A crescent pie with beef written in block letters along the side.
Like it says — beef.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Da Radda

This restaurant from Buenos Aires restaurateur Sergio Radavero specializes in the Italian cooking of Argentina. That includes the wonderful onion-and-cheese pizza called fugazza (other pies come topped with veal cutlets or eggplant), braised beef bruschetta, pumpkin soup, and gnocchi topped with a combination of tomato sauce and basil pesto.

A round pie with no tomato sauce heaped with onions seen from above.
The onion and cheese pizza called fugazza.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Buenos Aires

Named after the capital, Buenos Aires is a classic, small-scale Argentine steakhouse, with a menu that runs to several cuts butchered in a way different than American steaks. Also check out chorizo, morcilla (loamy blood sausage), pickled eggplant, beef tongue, and the stuffed veal breast called matambre.

A steak in a pool of pink juices.
Skirt steak at Buenos Aires.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Balvanera

This Lower East Side mainstay constitutes a sort of hipster Argentine bistro. There’s a great choripan (grilled chorizo sandwich street food), and other recommendations include the grilled provolone, skirt steak, and flan. Lots of salads and family-style share platters also on the menu.

Sausages, steak, and pasta on separate plates.
A selection of dishes from Balvanera.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Mostrador NYC

This obscurely located coffee shop off the lobby of Tribeca’s Walker Hotel comes from Argentine celebrity chef and cookbook author, Fernando Trocca, and serves mainly coffee and pastries throughout much of the day, including some like the coconut coquito. At lunch, there’s a buffet with savory sides to accompany a pair of main courses.

A chocolate cake, a coquito, and other pastries.
Argentinean pastries from Mostrador.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

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