Mendoza Gastroteen: The Young People Changing the Food Scene

There’s something charming about the simplicity of Guchini: four varieties of sandwiches, quality ingredients and the freedom to decide where to eat them. The project, started by a group of friends and led by Federico Robello, was born with an eye on new urban habits and grab-and-go food. The menu focuses on “guchinis” made with prosciutto, mortadella, chicken milanesa and a vegetarian option with eggplant milanesa, as well as limited-time varieties such as the “crunchini,” made with chicken milanesa and Doritos Sweet Chili.

The concept is rounded out with sweet potato fries, drinks and a detail that has already become part of the ritual: they lend you a blanket or deck chairs so you can have your own picnic near the locations (yes, they have more than one), which are located in front of plazas and green spaces where you can enjoy a “manso sanguche.” It’s very common to see lines of people waiting to order, so Sold Out is almost a daily occurrence.

The tip: The first location is in Ciudad de Mendoza, offering direct sales and takeaway; the second, in Chacras de Coria, has indoor seating, tables, a gallery and a coffee area; the third is in the province of Córdoba, and the fourth, designed for travelers, is currently under construction at a service station in Uspallata.

Where: San Lorenzo 577, Ciudad de Mendoza; Italia 3475, Chacras de Coria.

At Burgang, the burger is just the beginning. The project was born in 2020, when Tomás Granella and Joaquín Ojeda found in smash burgers a way to create something of their own during lockdown. Barto later joined them, and together they built a community that is now a fundamental part of the brand.

The concept grew into a universe where food, music, design, clothing and urban culture coexist naturally. They currently have four locations and a menu where burgers take center stage, with the Golden Boy among their biggest hits. It was named the country’s best burger at Burgerpalusa 2023, even before it officially made it onto the menu.

The tip: Burgang also has its own clothing line and organizes events that extend the universe beyond its locations, including Gang Street basketball, soccer and video game events, among others. The brand understands that eating can also be a way of belonging to a scene.

Where: Leloir 91, Challao, Las Heras; San Martín 6862, Carrodilla, Luján de Cuyo; Patricias Mendocinas 598, Barrio Bombal, Godoy Cruz; Circuito Pinar del Este, Guaymallén.

Mijito is one of those cafés that seems to have found a contemporary way of looking back. Gabriel, Luciano and Santiago created a nostalgic-looking space inspired by the flavors of grandma’s cooking and by cultural references such as Spinetta and Piazzolla.

The menu follows the same idea: medialunas, pepas, sweet and savory toast and coffee from different Argentine roasters, with a simple offering where what arrives at the table matters just as much as how it is presented. There aren’t too many twists or English names: coffee is coffee—you understand it, enjoy it and that’s it. The result is a warm, thoughtfully designed café where familiar flavors are given small contemporary touches. A place designed for lingering and returning to flavors that carry a sense of memory.

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The tip: The tiramisu is served plated and features homemade ladyfingers soaked in espresso, made especially for the dessert. Every month, they also introduce an off-menu item to tempt customers—and have fun experimenting with new recipes.

Where: Parador Vitta, Godoy Cruz; and San Lorenzo 394, Ciudad de Mendoza.

Pato Coffee sees coffee as a meeting point. The project, created by three young people from Mendoza, began as a sidewalk café and takeaway spot and now carries that same energy into its new location in the heart of Ciudad. The result is a café designed both for a quick break and for settling in for a while, working, meeting up or simply watching the city from the sidewalk.

The concept combines hot and cold specialty coffee, pastries and a short quick-bites menu, along with an urban aesthetic where it always feels like something is happening: there’s music, color, movement and people coming and going with a cup in hand.

The tip: Favorites include the ham and cheese toasted sandwich with arugula pesto on potato bread, along with signature drinks such as the Red Espresso Tonic and Strawberry Latte.

Where: Montevideo 245, Ciudad de Mendoza.

At La Cocinita, every day can taste different. Vero Cooks’ project in Chacras de Coria works as a café and small recipe laboratory, built around a premise that is as simple as it is appealing: cook, taste and share whatever is happening in the kitchen at that moment. That’s why there is no fixed menu; you’ll find cookies, cakes, flat whites, iced matcha lattes and other preparations that change depending on the season, the ingredients and the cook’s creativity.

The result is an intimate, homey café without too many formalities, where the kitchen feels close at hand and the menu has an element of surprise. Rather than going in search of a specific dish, the idea is to let yourself be guided by whatever is available that day.

The tip: La Cocinita also hosts workshops and gatherings that combine cooking and ceramics—you can go for coffee and paint your own cup at the same time.

Where: Aguinaga 1436, Chacras de Coria.

There’s a strong sense of place running through Surco, from its name to its final dish. The restaurant is led by chefs Etienne Koninckx (26) and Clementina Cervantes (22), who met while working in a Mendoza kitchen and later continued their training at high-end hotels in Europe. When they returned, they put what they had learned into a cuisine that looks toward regional ingredients through contemporary techniques.

Fire, earth, textures and reinterpretations of familiar flavors come together in a menu that can be explored à la carte or through a tasting menu, which can also be paired with wines from five Mendoza wineries. Surco seeks to cook the territory without simply sticking to what is familiar.

The tip: Its Surco Vivo series brings together chefs from different regions of Argentina to cook together and plant a seed in the vegetable garden. Julián Galende (Alcanfor) and Jazmín Marturet (MN Santa Inés) have already taken part; in October, it will be Eugenia Romano’s turn (Damasco), followed in December by Cons Cerezo Pawlak and Lautaro Ochoa (Perso).

Where: Inside Hotel Amerian Chacras de Coria, at Almirante Brown 2403.

What started as a hobby between brothers during the pandemic is now one of the young brands driving Mendoza’s burger scene. Juampi and Franco Indragoli started cooking at home and delivering orders; Smash Club grew into a burger joint where the product and the processes behind it carry equal weight.

Their smash burgers follow a precise formula, with few ingredients and plenty of work behind the scenes, while their locations, with open kitchens and an industrial aesthetic, complete the “burger dealer” universe proposed by the brand. Winners of Burgerpalusa 2024, they now sell around 250 burgers a day and have a team of nearly 50 people. Growth has also brought new ideas. At their location in the Quinta Sección, Smash Club and Joven Deli coexist, the sandwich shop and café they created with partners from Vermut Federal.

The tip: They created their own sauces, Smash and Picante, together with Alcaraz Conservas, which are also sold to the public in individual containers to take home and enjoy.

Where: J.J. Paso and Panamericana, La Puntilla, Luján de Cuyo; Coronel Rodríguez 209, Ciudad de Mendoza.

In Gualtallary, among vineyards and mountains, Cal offers a cuisine that seems to follow the same rhythm as the land. The restaurant, located on the estate of winemaker Matías Michelini, is led by Daniela Ovejero Michelini in hospitality and Enzo González Petra in the kitchen, who at under 30 leads a contemporary concept deeply connected to the landscape. This approach to the territory was recently recognized with both a red and a green Michelin Star for its commitment to sustainability.

The menu changes with the seasons and is built as a seven-course journey that begins in the vegetable garden and moves through local ingredients, technique and memory. The open kitchen allows diners to see every movement, making the process part of the experience. Before lunch, guests can explore the estate, vineyards, winery, cellar, apiary and vegetable gardens.

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The tip: González Petra was named Young Chef 2026 by the Michelin Guide, an award recognizing emerging figures with strong potential in Argentina’s food scene.

Where: Callejón Los Europeos 900, Gualtallary, Tupungato.

At just 24, Aris Pabón leads one of the most restless kitchens in Mendoza. Born in Colombia, the chef and his team have built a contemporary concept at Centauro that starts with Mendoza produce and takes it somewhere unexpected. He works with more than 20 producers and gives a name, origin and meaning to the ingredients that arrive in his kitchen. Local products are reinterpreted through techniques that combine playfulness with extensive research.

At this fine-dining restaurant, each dish is introduced through a question that challenges diners: “Egg or chicken? Which came first?” The concept has just received its first Michelin Star, making Aris the first foreign-born chef to receive this recognition in Argentina.

The tip: The search for a new identity reaches the table in dishes such as beetroot, strawberry, mustard and satay sauce textures, or lemon and trout ice cream, where the fish provides texture rather than flavor.

Where: Avenida Perú 1156, Ciudad de Mendoza.

There’s something deeply everyday about Parlo Obrador: the idea that a good bakery can simply be the kind of place you walk into as if you were coming home. Behind the project is Martín “Tincho” Miranda, a young baker who approaches the craft through processes, fermentation and respect for raw ingredients. Here, bread takes center stage, and every piece is given the time it needs, with no shortcuts.

The concept works as a simple, welcoming neighborhood bakery, with organic products handmade every day, including country loaves, 100% butter medialunas, brioche, baguettins, laminated pastries, Danish pastries and semi-whole wheat bread with seeds.

The tip: After only a few months in operation, Parlo also works as a bakery workshop and production center for other food projects in Mendoza. This combination of craftsmanship, patience and scale gives it a distinctive personality.

Where: Agustín Álvarez 16, Ciudad de Mendoza.

Sometimes a good food project starts with something as simple as a favorite dessert. For Gastón Corti, it was cheesecakes. After discovering pastry chef Alex Cordobés’ work in Europe, he returned to Mendoza wanting to create his own version and began testing recipes at family gatherings and with friends. That’s how Hondo was born, a project that chose to focus on a single product and work on every last detail.

The offering includes the classic cheesecake and versions with white chocolate, 70% dark chocolate, pistachio and dulce de leche, as well as a gluten-free option. They come in two sizes: large or individual.

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The tip: For now, Hondo operates with orders placed 48 hours in advance, with pickup in Godoy Cruz or weekend delivery throughout Greater Mendoza. Meanwhile, Gastón is planning to open his own location.

Where: Orders can be placed at 261-5738412.

There’s something of a sweet craving and pop-culture energy about Coolkies. Candelaria’s project specializes in American-style cookies: large, chunky and loaded with chocolate, which arrived in Mendoza and quickly became one of those treats that are hard to share.

The menu features different varieties, from classics such as Choco Chips and Red Velvet to more indulgent combinations like Pistachio, Dubai, Oreo and Kinder Nutella. The big favorite is the latter: chocolate cookie dough with a creamy Nutella center and a Kinder bar on top. There are also sharing boxes, coffee combos and spoonable options, while the project continues adding new flavors and formats.

The tip: There are two locations, one in the city center for takeaway and the other in Chacras, with small tables where you can pause and enjoy your treat without rushing. Both also offer coffee and cold drinks to pair with these unique cookies.

Where: Av. Vicente Zapata 189, Ciudad de Mendoza; Italia 5845, Chacras de Coria.

What if a café could also be a place you could visit without having to be anything in particular? That’s the question behind Club de Café, a project created by a group of partners, including current Los Pumas players Juan González and Rodrigo Isgró.

Set in a townhouse in the Quinta Sección, the space seeks to move away from the idea of specialty coffee as a simple consumption ritual and become a meeting point: a place to stay, chat, work or simply take a break. Its menu is shaped by seasonality, with a variety of options designed for different moments of the day, from laminated pastries and chipá to.

The tip: Club (de Café) is the first chapter of a concept that plans to create new clubs around different passions such as wine, clothing and yoga. It’s a café that wants to build community before chasing trends.

Where: Emilio Civit 272, Ciudad de Mendoza.

La Veredita lives up to its name: it’s a café designed for the street, for stopping by, ordering something delicious and continuing your walk along Arístides. Sofía Genovese’s project bets on an agile, urban format, with specialty coffee, freshly baked chipás, frappés and a selection of cookies that has already become one of its signatures.

A good summary of the concept is its combination of simple, indulgent and familiar products, designed to accompany a break without too much ceremony. On a street where cafés abound, La Veredita has found its place by doing the opposite: treating coffee as a small urban ritual, served to be enjoyed on the move.

The tip: The Red Velvet cookie is known as “the vedette.” It’s made with vanilla dough dyed red, with a touch of bitter cocoa that adds depth without taking away its softness.

Where: Arístides Villanueva 770, Ciudad de Mendoza.