The concept of a “closed door” restaurant may sound peculiar. After all, in order for a restaurant to be popular and successful, doesn’t it need to have a strong neighborhood presence with an attractive sign and an impressive storefront clearly visible to passersby on the street that look in enviously at starched white linen tablecloths and shiny wine glasses?
The allure of a closed door restaurant, or puertas cerradas as they are known in Buenos Aires, is their exclusivity. In a city obsessed with appearance and seeing and being seen, the closed door restaurant concept is increasingly popular and provides a unique dining experience. In fact, you wouldn’t be able to tell that a closed door restaurant even exists behind that intricately carved wooden door with etched glass and wrought iron.
While a traditional restaurant has an “open” door, a “closed door” restaurant is by invitation only. You cannot simply walk in and expect dinner. Reminiscent of underground speakeasies during the Prohibition, a closed door restaurant appears as an exclusive domain of a class of people that carry around little black books and are always “in the know” about anything and everything that is fashionable and trendy.
An underground restaurant allows a chef full creative license. He has the freedom to cook what he wants, not being tied down to a specific ethnic cuisine or fixed menu items. He is not constrained to volatile food costs and has the ability to buy what we wants based on quality and freshness and what is in season at any given time.
While the entire menu at a closed door restaurant is at the discretion of the chef, certain food restrictions generally cannot be accommodated. However, there are specific closed door restaurants that exclusively offer a vegetarian, kosher, and even an organic menu. Additionally, some of the closed door restaurants will favor one or more ethnic cuisines.
As is the case with traditional restaurants you will have the option of dinner only or purchasing a bottle of wine or cocktails. Some closed door restaurants will offer a tasting menu of wines that the chef has selected to pair with the menu.
At a closed door restaurant you will generally share a large table with others, providing an opportunity to mix with local Argentines, expatriates and visitors to Buenos Aires.
For the most part, closed door restaurants are cash only. Closed door restaurant chef/owners have made good use of Facebook to post their menus, reviews, pictures, and provide contact information while other closed door restaurants have extensive websites and blogs. And as you are aware, Argentina is a Spanish-speaking country so most websites will be in Spanish.
Some closed door restaurants can accommodate no more than a dozen or so, while others may lose some of the desired intimacy with space for several dozen. Additionally, some closed door restaurants are open two or three times each week, while others are only open a few days each month. It is very important that you contact the chef/owner as soon as possible as the more popular closed door restaurants are often booked several days and even weeks in advance.
Though closed door restaurants are underground, their secret is out. Here is a list of some of the top Closed Door Restaurants in Buenos Aires:
Afro-Kitschen
Allium Cocina + Sentidos
Casa SaltShaker
Chez Corinne et Paul
Cocina Garden
Cocina Sunae
Colectivo Felix
Comer Con Amigos
La Cocina Discreta
Matheu
Mis Raices
Paladar Buenos Aires
Paladar Doña Fela
Xóchitl
If I’m missing any that you know about, please let me know. I promise not to keep it a secret.
I like Popular places restorent hotels etc great places