Eat your way through Buenos Aires on this food tour

As a digital nomad lucky enough to call Buenos Aires my current home, I’m always on the lookout for unique experiences that capture the local way of living. 

Recently, I spent an evening wandering around the cobblestone streets of Palermo with Detour BA, a walking food tour that promised to take me off the beaten path, introduce me to locals, and show me the best spots to order a nice cold beer. Spoiler alert: It didn’t disappoint.

Detour BA, a small, family-owned business, is not your typical tour company. Comprised of a professional chef/ restaurateur and a sociologist, the team understands the importance of experiencing a city through the eyes of a local. Their mission is to provide visitors with an unforgettable and authentic experience, steering clear of the classic tourist spots that are easily found on Google.

They offer a range of tours, including: 

• Chacarita & vermouth
• Historic cafes & restaurants
• Tango with the locals
• All about asado
• Evita Peron: A flavorful tribute tour
• Or, custom tours!

The tour I joined was a custom experience for beer lovers— a journey through four different breweries tucked away in the heart of Buenos Aires. 

Here’s a taste (pun intended) of my Detour BA experience and why you should consider it for your own adventure in this city:

Get off the beaten path 

One of the standout features of Detour BA is their commitment to taking you to places that aren’t on the average tourist’s radar. Throughout our tour, the guides walked us down cool alleys in Palermo, filled with street art and vintage posters, while telling the story behind certain street corners. It was like having a local friend show me where they grew up.

Meet locals

Detour BA is run by the perfect team — an Argentine couple with deep roots in the local food and culture scene. They told us stories of growing up in Buenos Aires, how it’s changed over the years, and what it’s like to live here. 

Plus, at the breweries we visited, we had the chance to chat with the brewers and staff, gaining insights into how they brew their beers and the different tasting notes. It felt more like meeting friends who shared a passion for beer than a traditional tour.

Try unique foods 

Of course, the highlight of the tour was the beer itself. Buenos Aires might not be the first place that comes to mind for craft beer enthusiasts, but it’s rapidly establishing itself as a hub for beer innovation. Detour BA does an excellent job of showing you a unique side of the city — something you won’t find in the tour guides. 

While I didn’t get to experience it myself, one of their most popular tours is through the vermouth scene in Chacarita, an up-and-coming neighborhood with some of the trendiest restaurants in the city right now. It’s rare to find a tour that takes you to such a hot spot for locals, so I highly recommend considering this option. 

Learn from the experts

Detour BA’s guides are not only friendly and passionate about their city but also incredibly knowledgeable. The guide who works as a chef in several restaurants around the city is incredibly well-connected and understands the ins and outs of the food scene. His wife, the sociologist, brought cultural context to the equation, sharing tidbits about Buenos Aires’ history. It added an educational element to the tour that I appreciated.

Support local business

As a digital nomad, it’s important to leave a destination better than you found it — and supporting local businesses is a great way to do that. 

Detour BA is owned and operated by a small Argentine team. By booking a tour with them, you’re not just having a great time — you’re also supporting a family that’s passionate about showcasing the best of Buenos Aires.

Ready to eat your way through the city? Get 10% off your tour using the code BANOMA. Cheers!