Café Tortoni, Buenos Aires

Cafe Tortoni, established in 1858 by a French immigrant, takes its name from the Parisian cafe on Boulevard des Italiens known as Tortoni, a favorite meeting place of the Parisian cultural elite during the 19th century. The design and atmosphere of the cafe reflect the elegant late-19th-century European cafe culture.

The cafe’s current location once housed the “Scottish Temple”, while Cafe Tortoni itself originally operated at the intersection of Rivadavia and Esmeralda streets. In 1880, it moved to its present site, although the entrance then faced Rivadavia Street. In 1898, a new entrance was opened on May Avenue, accompanied by a redesigned facade by architect Alejandro Christophersen.

Over the decades, Cafe Tortoni has welcomed countless notable figures, including politicians such as Lisandro de la Torre and Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear; beloved cultural icons like film actor and tango singer Carlos Gardel and racing driver Juan Manuel Fangio; and international visitors such as physicist Albert Einstein, poet Federico García Lorca, politician Hillary Clinton, actor Robert Duvall, and former King of Spain Juan Carlos I.

Today, the cafe’s basement functions as a venue for jazz and tango performances, as well as book presentations and poetry contests. Cafe Tortoni has meticulously preserved much of its original decor, including its historic library, and continues to offer traditional activities such as billiards, dominoes, and dice in its rear rooms.