Buenos Aires city and Mendoza are now destinations endorsed by the Michelin Guide, as the famed culinary guide decided to review Argentina’s restaurants, the first Spanish-speaking country of Latin America to achieve this. The announcement was made this Tuesday by Argentine Tourism and Sports minister Matías Lammens and Michelin Guide Communications Director Elisabeth Boucher-Anselin, in an event held in Buenos Aires city and broadcast live over the Tourism ministry’s YouTube channel. 

“According to our inspectors, Buenos Aires city and Mendoza are first level culinary destinations. As a capital city, Buenos Aires city is also a breathtaking metropolis that offers a wide range of architecture, culture and cuisine, with fancy restaurants to casual bistros backed by international and local foodies” said Boucher-Anselin in her presentation, adding that the first selection of restaurants for both locations will be unveiled on November 24 of this year. 

“Buenos Aires city and Mendoza are just the first places that have been reviewed, but the goal is to expand this selection to other places in Argentina,” said Lammens, who revealed that the negotiations to include the country in the culinary guide began about a year ago. The initial agreement is until 2025, the standard initial 3-year contract Michelin Guide offers its partners but with the idea that it could be expanded, said Boucher-Anselin.

The selection of the restaurants that will be included in the Michelin Guide for Argentina is done by an anonymous team of Michelin inspectors following the global methodology the guide follows in all locations. The criteria employed to judge the restaurants is based on 5 points: product quality, mastery in cooking techniques, flavor harmony, personality of the chef and consistency over time. 

The Michelin Guide offers its reviews in the form of distinctions, given to the restaurants on its selection list. Its most famous distinctions are the Michelin stars, which prize restaurants that offer the best culinary experiences. Restaurants can get one Michelin star for “high quality cuisine worth stopping for”, two stars go to establishments with “high quality cuisine worth a detour”, and three are for places with “high quality cuisine worth a journey.”

The selection of the restaurants that will be included in the Michelin Guide for Argentina is done by an anonymous team of Michelin inspectors following the global methodology the guide follows in all locations. In addition to the famed stars the guide awards as a way of distinction, they also give out the Bib Gourmand award, bestowed upon those restaurants that offer good quality food at moderate prices.