A rival to Café Tortoni for its iconic status, this Recoleta mainstay dating back to 1850 has a lovely patio with a superb location overlooking the Recoleta park, church, and cemetery entrance. Many of the city's most famous cultural figures have passed afternoons here—Borges, Julio Cortazar, Ernesto Sábato have all nursed coffees under the ceiling fans and globe lamps in this historic space. More recently the café has had a following among race car drivers, which explains the abundance of automobile emorabilia. Come for a mid-afternoon café con leche with a medialuna (croissant), or tea with pastries, scones, and toasted sandwiches. There's also a light lunch menu with Spanish tortillas, small pizzas, and sandwiches. Great for people watching, from the elegant ladies who lunch and elderly literary types who frequent the café, to the bustling Recoleta Plaza.