At least once a month we go to Café Tortoni and attend the tango show.
Café Tortoni is probably the most famous Cafe in Buenos Aires. Founded in 1858, was originally owned by a french who named it after the famous café in the Boulevard des Italiens, in Paris. The original location was at the corner of Rivadavia and Esmeralda Streets, and was relocated to its present location ( 825 Avenida de Mayo) in 1880. It is said that the Porteno tradition of placing tables and chairs on the sidewalk started then
Since its foundation has served as the artistic and intellectual capital of Buenos Aires, hosting notable guests such as tango singer Carlos Gardel, La Boca painter Benito Quinquela MartÃn, dramatists Luigi Pirandello and Federico GarcÃa Lorca, pianist Arthur Rubinstein and the famous argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges; more recently, the Tortoni has hosted King Juan Carlos I of Spain and Hilary Clinton.
Wonderfully appointed in woods, stained glass, yellowing marble, and bronzes, the place tells more about its history by simply existing than any of the photos hanging on its walls could. This is the perfect spot for a coffee or a small snack when wandering along Avenida de Mayo (by the way, the “Chocolate con churros” (Hot Chocolate with a special Argentine mace) is a must).
In the basement you can also attend tango shows. Twice-nightly tango shows at 9 and 11 pm where the performers often walk through the crowd are worth stopping in for. If you are going for the tango show, MAKE RESERVATIONS! or just showed about an hour before the show. The show is very entertaining. They use to have one or two couples who dance tango, 3 musicians and a tango singer. The show lasts about an hour and a half. The cost for the show is AR$ 30 pesos per person.
What makes the Tortoni all the more special is that locals and tourists seem to exist side-by-side here, one never overwhelming the other.
The prices are very friendly and the ambience is really traditional
Café Tortoni official website is http://www.cafetortoni.com.ar
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