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Argentina may be famous for its steak, alfajores and chocolate. But I think more people need to know that Buenos Aires has the best ice cream in the world. And I know a thing or two about ice cream…
I have eaten ice cream in every country in the world. Maybe that’s stretching it a little bit. But I do eat a lot of ice cream and I have been to every country in the world. In short, I am a humble global ice cream expert.
Argentina has a strong Italian heritage, with waves of Italian immigrants arriving in Argentina from 1870 onwards. It’s estimated that as much as 60% of Argentinians have Italian heritage. This means that the best of Italian gelato has been merged with the excellent dairy produce (and dulce de leche) of Argentina.
Lucky for you, I have done the hard work of tasting as many ice creams in Buenos Aires as I can. I believe every Argentina travel itinerary should include time for ice cream. To help in that mission, here is my definitive list of the top ice cream stores in Buenos Aires.
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Before you go: Important ice cream knowledge
There is one important thing that every ice cream consumer must know before selecting their ice cream flavor: most heladererías (ice cream shops) will have multiple dulce de leche options. Usually this will also include their house special dulce de leche or a unique alfajor flavor.
For your crucial Spanish ice cream vocabulary, here is a helpful table:
| Spanish | English |
| Helado | Ice Cream |
| Puedo Probar? | Can I try? |
| Vasito | Cup |
| Cucurucho | Cone |
| Una bola | One scoop |
| Dos bolas | Two scoops |
| Tres bolas | Three scoops |
Top 5 best ice cream stores in Buenos Aires
5. Daniel’s
I told you I was a big shot in the ice cream world. Beyond los clasicos de Daniel, this ice cream store literally names their flavors after me.
With flavors like DanPari, multiple dulce de leche options and an excellent strawberry cheesecake, Daniel’s should be on everyone’s ice cream itinerary.
Daniel’s is a Buenos Aires chain and you can find branches in Palermo Hollywood, Palermo Soho, Belgrano and Recoleta.
If you ask me, the perfect day in Buenos Aires would probably be a morning coffee in Palermo, meandering through the boutique shops and bookstores and then a perfect pre-dinner ice cream before dinner.
4. McDonalds
I appreciate that I am staking my credibility on the line here. Before you judge me, just hear me out!
McDonald’s in Argentina offers two important innovative ice cream contributions that I really do pray are spread to all McDonald’s globally.
The first is dulce de leche soft serve. I recommend combining it with vanilla in a lovely swirl combinado.
The second, and most important, is the filling of cones with hot dulce de leche (cono relleno). Yes, you can have a gooey caramel-y cone with dulce de leche soft serve on top.
3. Cadore
Founded by an Italian family in 1957, Cadore is a Buenos Aires institution.
You will likely need to wait in line, but don’t worry, it moves pretty quickly. You are here for one very important reason: dulce de leche. Famous for their unique recipe, at Cadore, they boil the sweetened milk for up to 16 hours before turning it into ice cream.
Cadore will generally have 4-5 dulce de leche variations available but they all use the same recipe. You literally can’t go wrong!
If an Italian food tour is calling you, keep in mind that Cadore is only a short walk from the legendary and must-visit Pizzería Güerrín.
Situated on Avenida Corrientes, Cadore is the perfect refresher in-between exploring Buenos Aires’s Congreso and Tribunales neighborhoods.
2. FinDe
It hurt me to put FinDe at the number 2 spot as it truly is such excellent ice cream.
Finde goes beyond the regular assortment of flavors and combines the Buenos Aires porteño high-quality ice cream with some ice cream innovation. My go-to flavor at Finde is the key lime lemon pie, but you can’t go wrong with pistachio or, of course, dulce de leche.
If you are looking for something dairy-free, I absolutely love the lemon and coconut sorbet. It’s just so refreshing in the Buenos Aires sun.
FinDe is located in Palermo Hollywood. As the name suggests, FinDe stays open until the convenient time of 2 am on the weekend. A post-dinner or pre-dancing snack in the truest Argentinian way possible. The rest of the week it shuts early – 1 am.
1. And the best ice cream in Buenos Aires is…
Sui Gelé in Palermo Soho.
On a boiling hot Buenos Aires summer day, I stumbled across Sui Gelé by accident and potentially changed my ice cream life forever.
Sui Gelé offer traditional Italian-style ice cream using 100% natural flavors. They are adamant on not using pre-mixes, and they don’t allow artificial flavors or colors. Sui Gelé’s ice creams combine classic recipes with fresh ingredients. In short, this is high quality ice cream in the heart of Palermo.
Even before I tasted my selection, I knew this place was special. The friendly server asked me which flavor I wanted at the bottom of the cone. This is the level of attention to detail all ice cream stores should aspire to!
Their house dulce de leche is easily the standout flavor, but treat yourself: try a few!
Sui Gelé is around the corner from Plaza Serrano, making for a great ice cream as you navigate Palermo’s Saturday markets.
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