Food

El Patio

A bustling, soccer-obsessed Argentine bakery/cafe.

From June 2005 Cheap Eats

An hour spent in this lively Argentine bakery/cafe/grocery makes for a wonderful entrée to South American culture. Soccer fans crowd around the TV, children clamor for pastries oozing dulce de leche, and everyone picks up a sack of maté, the magical do-it-all herb, for making tea. Then there's the food, starting with a lineup of Argentine sandwiches, each on its own house-baked bread. Best of the bunch are the triple deckers called migas, with various fillers; proscuitto on a soft roll called pebete; and Argentine sausage on a baguette.

There are savory tarts of ham, eggs, and cheese and spinach and Parmesan; Spanish-style tortillas, thick omelets cut in wedges and eaten at room temperature; and flaky empanadas. More substantial plates featuring grilled steak and fried fish are popular with the soccer gang. In fair weather, patrons move the party from the wrought-iron-and-mosaic tables inside to umbrella tables outdoors.