Dozens of top chefs from Argentina and Latin America. Eight restaurants and bars across Buenos Aires. Free rides on vintage buses taking patrons from one place to the next to try some of the best food the region has to offer. All in one single night.

An annual celebration of regional cooking in the shape of a tour through some of Buenos Aires’ top restaurants, Calesita (Spanish for ‘carousel’) is kicking off on Thursday 12 June at 7 p.m. (The full list of restaurants and chefs can be found below.)

Each restaurant will offer an exclusive menu, the result of a collaboration between some of the best local chefs — from Michelin star restaurants like Aramburu, Azafrán and Trescha — and international guests such as Micha Tsumura (from Maido in Peru), Rodolfo Guzmán (from Boragó in Chile), Tássia Magalhães (from Nelita in Brazil) and Jaime Rodríguez (from Celele in Colombia). These top cooks from Latin America will take over local venues and serve exclusive dishes.

The slate of eateries is top-notch, featuring both new and established places. These include 2025 Michelin star winner Crizia and the Michelin recommended Mengano, Julia and Niño Gordo. The other places in the roster range from long-standing classic Gran Dabbang, Tres Monos (named Best South American Bar by The World’s 50 Best Bars), the newly opened Victor Audio Bar and José El Carnicero. 

Admission to Calesita is free, without reservation, and on a first-come, first-served basis. Vintage Buenos Aires buses will be available to take the public from one restaurant to the next. As in its previous years, the event will feature a closing party, this time at La Uat. Menu’s for each restaurant are available on Calesita’s Instagram account. 

Now in its fourth year, Calesita aims to promote regional integration, stressing Argentina’s fervent local gastronomy and its links with Latin America’s expanding fine dining scene.

“I think Latin American cuisine is experiencing its best moment, and will probably continue to grow. But the most important thing, and this event reflects it, is the chance to get together, to share ,” said Guzmán in the first Calesita event at the Recoleta Cultural Center on Wednesday

The event was a public conversation that brought together the participating chefs to discuss the current state of Latin America’s restaurant industry. From different perspectives, they all agreed on the need to strengthen regional ties, promote collective work, and view gastronomy as a vehicle for the cultural, social, and economic development of Latin America.

“Latin American cuisine today is a community of united chefs, without borders. And that has translated into an explosion of our gastronomy that has contributed to a much more attractive perception of Latin America. I think Europe is looking at Latin America much more than what Latin America is looking at Europe,” said Sebastián Weigandt, executive chef of Michelin star restaurant Azafrán in Mendoza.

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The case of Peru was brought up frequently as an example of a successful developing effort for a local gastronomy scene to become a global referent. 

“In Peru, many years ago, the only connection we had with foreign countries was Machu Picchu. There was no other reason for people to want to spend time in Lima. Over the years, we began to understand that we could be proud of our gastronomy,” said Anthony Vásquez, executive chef of La Mar, the iconic Lima restaurant created by Gastón Acurio. “Today, people who go to Lima go to eat; a true culinary tourism has emerged,” he added.  

Germán Sitz, Argentine chef and co-creator of the Thames Group, which owns an array of successful restaurants in the Palermo neighborhood, agreed and stressed the joint public and private effort: “the private sector generated the content, and the public sector said, ‘Let’s show it to everyone.’,” he said 

“Unity is strength, and I think these past few years have seen the growth of Latin American gastronomy. Today, Latin America is the world’s newest discovery. That’s what we need to promote.”

Calesita’s slate of restaurants and chefs is: 

● Niño Gordo (#34 in Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants – 2025 Michelin Guide recommended)

House chefs Germán Sitz and Pedro Peña welcome Mitsuharu “Micha” Tsumura (Maido – Lima), Pedro Chavarría (Demo – Santiago), Camila Fiol (Fiol Dulcería – Santiago) and Lele Cristobal (Café San Juan – Buenos Aires).

● Víctor Audio Bar

The new bar by the owners of Tres Monos and Niño Gordo will welcome Sebastián Weigandt (Azafrán – Mendoza), Fernando Santarelli (Negre – Rosario) and Mitsuharu “Micha” Tsumura with their project Karai, from Santiago.

● Mengano (2025 Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand)

Facundo Kelemen will be joined by James Beckemeyer (Cosme – Lima) and Jaime David Rodríguez (Celele – Cartagena de Indias) and Alejandro Feraud (Alo’s – Buenos Aires)

● Gran Dabbang (#18 Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants)

Valentina Arteaga (Phayawi – La Paz), Anthony Vásquez (La Mar – Lima), Maxi Rossi (Ultramarinos – Buenos Aires) and Leo Lanussol (Ness – Buenos Aires) will join Mariano Ramón’s kitchen.

● Crizia (Michelin star 2025)

Gabriel Oggero’s recently awarded restaurant welcomes Sergio Díaz (Sublime – Guatemala), Antonio Moreno (Casa Las Cujas – Santiago) and Juan Ventureira (Riccitelli Bistró – Mendoza).

● José El Carnicero

Rodolfo Guzmán (Boragó – Santiago), Gonzalo Aramburu (Aramburu – Buenos Aires), Tomás Treschanski (Trescha – Buenos Aires) and Emiliano Yulita (El Mercado – Buenos Aires) will cook together with the Buenos Aires duo Sitz-Peña.

● Julia (#37 Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants – 2025 Michelin Guide recommended)

Julio Baez will share his kitchen with Tassia Magalhaes (Nelita – San Pablo), Pablo Del Río (Luigi Bosca: Finca El Paraíso – Mendoza) and Mercedes Román (Obrador Florida – Buenos Aires).

● 3 Monos (#7 and Best South American Bar by The World’s 50 Best Bars)

Argentina’s top bar pairs with one of the main figures in Lima, Aaron Díaz (Carnaval – Lima).