Here are three quality fast food places I can recommend in Palermo Soho that respectively sell, burgers, choripán and empanadas. You’ll find them on my city map).
Burger Joint (Elementary B), 1766 Borges, www.facebook/burgerjointpalermo
This is a branch of an American chain of hipster burger bars and it’s certainly doing well in BsAs if the crowds of customers are anything to go by. It’s a great business concept that presses lots of hipster buttons with its graffiti covered walls, collections of plastic Star Wars dolls, menus written on old bits of cardboard suspended above the service bar and a band of buskers playing on the pavement outside.
The one thing that lets it down is the crappy bread buns they use, which is a shame because the burgers are pretty good. I had the Mexican Combo with Papas Fritas (B-) with a plastic glass of draught Pale Ale for $90 (£4.50). I guess they’re keeping things simple to keep the prices down but if they just got a few more details right, like the bread, it would be the perfect antidote to Mac D’s.
I lost my pics for the next two from my visits in 2018, sorry.
Chori (Elementary A), 1653 Thames, chori.com.ar
My favourite indigenous fast food is the choripán sandwich, where a grilled chorizo sausage (chori) is enclosed in a hotdog bun (pan) and doused with green and red Chimichurri (parsley, garlic, olive oil, oregano, red wine vinegar). There are some great places in San Telmo to try them (see later post) but this gourmet hipster spot is the best one in town I think. They have the widest range of sausages I’ve seen (pork, lamb, boar, black pudding and vegetarian) and lots of interesting accompaniments (wasabi mayo, pineapple honey, various pickles). They also have a great range of cocktails and beers, including yerba mate G&Ts made with local Príncipe de los Apóstoles gin, served in plastic cups.
Pekín Bar de Pizzas (High Elementary B), 5303 Honduras, on the corner with Godoy Cruz, www.facebook.com/RamaPekin
Another local street food is the Empanada, a filled pastry turnover similar to Cornish pasties (which I think are probably descended from empanadas). The classic is the Cordero (made with Patagonian lamb) but Pekín has a range of other interesting options, including Carne Picante, Carne Suave and Panceta with Plum. You can also choose if you want them baked or fried to order and to takeaway or eat in as I did. Oh, and they do pizzas to (probably best avoided if the others are anything to go by). No pics sorry.
Bars and clubs in Palermo next…