Argentina is a destination spot for many travelers. While you’re visiting, you will want to try the local food and drink. With world-famous nightlife and beautiful sights, you will get thirsty, and luckily, Argentina has some local specialty drinks that are sure to quench your thirst!. The 7 most popular Argentine drinks include the following:
Yerba mate
Malbec and terrontés, Argentinian wines
Quilmes, Argentinian beer
Fernet con cola
Robusta espresso – Argentinian coffee
Clerico
El submarino
Argentina is a melting pot of European influence with a South American Latin twist. Read on to learn how to order your new favorites and drink like a local.
Just want the recipes? Browse the Argentine Drinks hub, where every dish has its own page.
Yerba Mate, Traditional Argentine BeverageCommonly referred to as “mate,” yerba mate comes from a local holly plant called ilex paraguariensis. These leaves are naturally caffeinated and antioxidant-rich to give you that boost you need to start your day. The leaves and twigs gathered by yerbateros, or herbalists, are brewed into the tea in a hollow gourd. Yerba mate is a classic caffeinated beverage with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Typically the beverage is enjoyed and shared with friends during a yerba mate ritual.If you cannot get a traditionally made mate from an herbalist, Guayakí is a famous yerba mate brand you can buy on Amazon. Or shop on Amazon for Argentinian yerba mate. Yerba mate has many health benefits, including aiding digestion and immune system boosts. However, The Mayo Clinic advises against daily usage of yerba mate consumed at temperatures above 149℉ (65℃). Links between the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) released at high temperatures in the teas potentially cause certain cancers. However, most healthy adults will experience no adverse symptoms, and few people drink it hot. So, grab yourself a traditional or refreshing Tereré yerba mate for a taste of Argentina!
2. Malbec and Terrontés, Argentinian Wines
World Famous Argentine WineThe dry arid climate of Mendoza at high elevation is the perfect spot for the Malbec grapes to grow, making Argentina a South-American wine mecca. When first brought over from Bordeaux, France, in the mid-1800s, growers had no idea that Argentina would be such a contender in wine exports. Today, approximately 80% of wines from Argentina are grown in Mendoza. The Malbec grapes give the wine its distinct dark red and purple color. The flavors of Argentinian malbec are dark fruits and berries such as plum and dark cherry with a spicy finish – and it’s delicious, by the way. It’s best enjoyed with savory dinners and late at night when you want a sweet, decadent treat. The torrontés riojano grapes produce chardonnays, sauvignon blanc, and pinot grigios with light floral and fruity flavors for white wine lovers. The riojano variants of the torrontés grapes are the most widely grown Argentinian white wine grapes, and they offer fruity, fresh flavors with a unique body.
3. Quilmes, Argentinian Beer
Quilmes Argentine BeerTo cool down with an ice-cold beer, pick up a bottle of Quilmes. This pale lager has a refreshing taste and is so popular it dominates the market with 67% of all beer sold in Argentina. Named for the town it was first brewed in, Quilmes beer was first introduced in the late 1800s by a German immigrant adding to the European influence of the area. Quilmes quickly became a staple for beer consumers. It can be challenging to find Quilmes outside of Argentina, but you may be able to find it if you look hard enough! It’s worth the search since it has a unique flavor that makes a perfect, refreshing drink.
4. Fernet con Cola
Fernet con ColaFernet-Branca was first introduced to Argentina in the 1870s as a cure for many ailments, from indigestion to cancer. Fernet-Branca is a mix of 27 herbs formulated by an Italian company, Societa Fratelli Branca.Mixing this blend with Coca-Cola is a popular 2-ingredient recipe for hangovers and digestive issues in Argentina. Since marketing in Argentina, the exact formula for the herbal blend remains a mystery, but remarkably Argentina consumes 75% of all Fernet-Branca.
5. Argentinian Coffee
Classic Argentine CoffeeThanks to Italian culture’s influence, a strong cup of espresso is the go-to Argentinian coffee drink, but ask the mozo (a highly knowledgeable Argentinian barista) for a café if you want to sound like a local. Of course, you can order your favorites like café con crema, espresso with a dollop of sweet cream, or a cortado en jarrito, a double shot of espresso with milk in a regular size cup or mug. If you’re feeling homesick, you can order the Americano – espresso with hot water. This coffee is the closest Argentinian mozo’s get to American drip coffee. Due to the heavy presence of Italian immigration, coffee was never for travel on the go. To be truly enjoyed, leisurely savor a cup of Argentine coffee at a local cafe.Starbucks influenced the change in coffee culture when it planted its first Argentinian location in 2008, but the locals still prefer to sip their café at leisure.
You can order Argentine coffee on Amazon.
6. Clerico
South American Cocktail ClericoIn the mood for sangria? You cannot leave your vacation without sampling some clerico, a fantastic white sangria with a tropical taste. If you’re at home and missing the culture of Argentina, you can make it yourself:
Grab a couple of bottles of white wine (I suggest a local Argentinian wine made from the Torrontes grapes).
Cut up 3-4 different fruits (apples, bananas, pears, pineapple. Go crazy, it’s your drink. Make sure they are ripe and sweet.)
Mix the fruit and wine in a large pitcher or punch bowl.
Add seltzer or lemon-lime soda.
Optionally, add sugar to taste.
The difference between Argentinian sangria and its Spanish counterpart is the addition of seltzer or soda and white wine in place of red wine. This distinction gives the drink a summery fruity flourish.
7. El Submarino
Argentinian Medialunas Breakfast Pastry and Argentinian SubmarinoThere is no comparison to a good mug of hot chocolate. Ditch the premixed powder and make your hot cocoa the Argentine way by steaming a cup of hot milk and your favorite chocolate bar. Argentinians call this drink el submarino because you “submerge” your chocolate bar in the steaming milk like a submarine. Stir as the chocolate melts and devour the savory deliciousness. You can order this drink in many local cafés alongside your café con crema and medialunas. Otherwise, you can take a bit of Argentina home with you and make a steaming cup of el submarino for you and your family or as an after-dinner treat for dinner guests.
Jorge Garcia is the founder of AmigoFoods, where he has spent over 20 years helping readers discover authentic Latin American and Spanish cuisine. Raised in a Cuban-American household, Jorge learned to cook at the hands of his mother and grandmother, carrying forward generations of family recipes. That heritage, backed by his family’s four-generation history in the Latin food industry, inspired him to launch AmigoFoods in 2003. With more than 1,000 published articles on recipes, ingredients, and food culture, Jorge’s mission is simple: make authentic Latin cooking approachable for home cooks everywhere while honoring the traditions behind every dish.
