I spent three weeks travelling around Argentina in January this year and while I could gush all day about how ammmmaaaaazing it was, I’ll stick to what you really need to know – I didn’t starve.
Overall, Argentina is not the best friend to coeliacs. I didn’t find bread in one supermarket, many supermarkets don’t even have a gluten free section and there was a full two day period where I basically had no carbs….. but don’t worry, it gets better.
The overall knowledge of the condition is poor in Argentina but you can tell it’s improving and there are signs of progress. It helps that the argentinian diet is quite basic with meat, spuds and salads being on every menu you see there. The other dominant food there is Italian but I didn’t find any that catered for coeliacs.
Breakfast
Almost all hostels and hotels seemed to provide breakfast, unfortunately, the offering was usually baked goods but I did get fruit, cold meats and eggs in some places. You will find this the most difficult meal, especially if you are not in a hostel with your own cooking facilities. I got by on a lot of fruit, rice cake snacks (which are plentiful in Argentina and sold at almost every kiosk/shop) and a stash of GF bread when I could get it.
Lunch
Often another toughie as sandwiches are the main offering here with the Lomito (Steak sandwich) being the most well known. I mostly ate salads and the odd omelette to fill me up.
Dinner
This my friends, is your stomachs happy place. Asados (Argentinian grill houses) are everywhere and the main thing on the menu here is meat with plenty of salad, veggies and potato dishes on offer. Most places I went to either understood the condition when I queried about the cooking methods or, even if they didn’t ,would check and give me my options. The meat was rarely an issue but I could never have the fried style potatoes or chips so was given boiled spuds instead. Not the most exciting but did the job.
Snacks for coeliacs
Argentina is famous for its ice cream and with good reason. There are ice cream shops in every city and town throughout the country and most are of a reasonably good quality. The best place I found for coeliacs was Freddo. Holy mother of ice cream. Apart from just being insanely yummy, the menu boards in Freddo have clear indication of the gluten free options of which they are many. Being in Argentina, you have to try Dulce de Leche flavour – you won’t regret it! Â The ordering process in these places is confusing for tourists especially if you don’t have much spanish but basically, you buy the cone or tub size you want and then pick your flavours. Every tourist comes in and starts ordering flavours before their size! I found branches of Freddo all over Buenos Aires and Iguazu.
Rice Cake bars are plentiful – this brand were my favourite and a handy snack to have in your bag, especially if you’re on a day trip. These and fruit got me through some lean days!
Recommendations
Buenos Aires – Unsurprisingly, BA has the best places for coeliacs that I found in Argentina. As I mentioned previously, the disease is definitely not widely known or understood but awareness is clearly on the increase.
Celigourmet – A Gluten Free Bakery with a number of branches in BA. I found them online and went to their bakery in Palermo Soho and the Microcentro branch. The bakeries are more focused on cakes but they do have a good selection of frozen items you can buy such as pizzas and empanadas. They also have fresh and frozen bread including some sandwiches. I swear I have never tasted a nicer GF sandwich then the ham and cheese onion rolls from this place. Absolute heaven. The frozen ones kept in the fridge for a or two after defrosting and I brought them out with me for a snack.
Cafe Martinez– Chain Coffee place similar to Starbucks – they have a few clearly marked gluten free cakes and snacks in store. No Sandwiches.
Freddo – Gluten Free Ice-cream cleary marked on the menu
Green eat – I found this place by chance in Galeria Pacifico (a shopping centre). It’s similar to Pret-a-Manger or any Sandwich place and is basically a take out lunch eaterie. Salads, sandwiches, stir fry dishes – many gluten free options clearly marked. I was so excited when I found this place. Someone working there gave out to us for taking pictures though – in your face suckas.
Tea Connection – Gluten free items clearly noted on the menu, a range of salads and some hot dishes. I had some lovely wedges and a salad. Also, if you hadn’t guessed, a tea/coffee house. Branches throughout BA.
The following are places I ate in that don’t have coeliac friendly items on their menu  but were helpful and most importantly, had yummy food. I didn’t get glutened after eating in any of these places.
Las Pizarras Bistro, Palermo Soho – Wine and risotto for me
Don Julio Steakhouse, Palermo Soho
Wasabi, Palermo Soho
Mendoza – This place is the home of Malbec so do I really need to tell you about the food? Well, outside of BA, your dining options do get a little thin on the ground unfortunately. Mendoza has a big enough main strip of restaurants and cafes and is quite touristy. I ate a lot of salads here and also at a steakhouse called Don Mario. There are a couple of branches and it was really good. The one we went to is in such a dodgy area that you have to take s taxi to the door and the waiters come out and escort you from the car. Well worth it though!
Bariloche –Â We stayed in a self catering apartment here so I can’t recommend any restuarants, however, I did by chance find this shop where I got some yummy GF fresh bread. It’s on the road out to Cerro Catederal.
Ushuaia – Small little town, not much in the way of options except for this place. Marco Polo, which is a hotel lobby restaurant. Looks like a kip, kind of is a kip – has the ONLY gluten free menu I found in Argentina! Good for a quick fix, stick to your steaks and salads everywhere else.
Iguazu – I ate at steakhouses the two nights I was there – I recommend Color Steakhouse.
Overall, yes – you will miss having options  and you need to plan your snacks every day but the steak and wine definitely makes up for it!
