Rosario’s food scene rises along the Paraná river

Known as the birthplace of some of Argentina’s greatest artists, such as singer-songwriter Fito Páez, comedian Alberto Olmedo and illustrator Roberto Fontanarrosa, Rosario is emerging as one of Argentina’s most compelling food destinations, pairing culinary ambition with a revitalized riverfront along the Paraná River. Home to about 1.3 million people in its metropolitan core, the city has undergone significant urban redevelopment along its waterfront. Once dominated by port activity, the shoreline is now a continuous green corridor of parks, promenades, and bike paths, filled daily with joggers, cyclists, and families rediscovering a more open, livable Rosario. The surrounding Greater Rosario area is also Argentina’s main agro-export hub and the second largest in the world, shipping grains, oils and premium meats. That productive identity increasingly finds expression on the dinner table. Local chefs and restaurant entrepreneurs are building a contemporary culinary scene grounded in regional ingredients, turning gastronomy into one of the city’s most attractive calling cards for visitors. The Paraná as history and setting Rosario’s port, officially established in 1860, marked the city’s transformation from a commercial outpost into a national logistics center. The opening of its first docks in 1852, the arrival of the Central Railway in 1863 linking Rosario with Córdoba, and the later modernization driven by French capitals at the turn of the 20th century helped shape the city’s economic backbone. Today, the Puerto Norte district blends contemporary residential towers with former grain silos converted into cultural venues and art spaces. Farther north along the river lies La Florida, a neighborhood founded in 1889 as a summer retreat. Its beach culture began in 1919 when agronomist Carlos Escauriza cleared part of the riverbank to establish the La Peña restaurant. Declared a municipal beach in 1933, La Florida hosted the 2019 South American Beach Games and currently combines recreational spaces with a growing food offering overlooking the water. Escauriza: A tribute to the city’s first riverside restaurant La Peña eventually evolved into Escauriza, currently one of Rosario’s most respected fish restaurants. Still family-run, it remains a benchmark for river cuisine nearly a century after its origins. The house specialties include crisp-skinned boga (a local river fish) served juicy and rich without a need for sauce, delicate surubí empanadas, and seafood-filled pastries featuring mussels, squid and shrimp in a stew-like filling.  A dry Viognier from Las Perdices, with citrus notes and sharp acidity, is a natural pairing. With panoramic river views and beaches nearby, Escauriza blends tradition, setting and contemporary execution. Sunderland: A century overlooking the river A walk south from the Parque de España cultural complex along the central waterfront leads to the National Flag Memorial, built on the site where General Manuel Belgrano first raised the Argentine flag on Feb. 27, 1812.  Designed by architects Ángel Guido and Alejandro Bustillo and inaugurated in 1957, the monument includes a museum, a 70-meter tower with sweeping views, civic squares, and multiple sculptural works. Continuing along the river, the century-old Sunderland bar stands as one of the city’s most storied gathering places. Founded in 1931, it became a meeting point for sailors, artists, and city intellectuals, including Fontanarrosa. Today, chef Diego Hugolini has revitalized its kitchen with inventive yet approachable dishes: provoleta with quince paste as a starter, intense octopus salad on bruschetta, Swiss chard lasagna, perfectly cooked trout, and slow-braised ossobuco. The bar opens 365 days a year, and on Saturdays a pianist plays Argentine classics while diners linger on the terrace. Downtown, Oroño, and architectural identity Rosario’s historic center offers a walkable circuit of civic architecture: City Hall, the Central Post Office, El Círculo Theater, and the neoclassical cathedral, Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary. Nearby, Comedor Balcarce has reinvented itself under third-generation owner Fernando Santarelli, who partnered with Mendoza-born chef Diego Tapia to create Negre, a product-driven restaurant that reinterprets regional ingredients with contemporary technique. You may be interested in: Rosario’s rising flavor: how to tour the river city’s emerging foodie scene in a day Boulevard Oroño, one of the city’s most prestigious avenues, reflects Rosario’s prosperity during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its architecture ranges from neoclassical mansions to Art Nouveau, Art Deco and eclectic European-influenced buildings.  The boulevard links the city center with Independence Park and the Juan B. Castagnino Fine Arts Museum. On weekends, artisan markets and architectural landmarks such as the Beaux-Arts Fuentes Palace draw locals and visitors alike. Lehonor: Wine, meat, and scale Set inside one of Oroño’s landmark buildings, Lehonor has redefined the concept of wine shop and restaurant. Under the direction of head sommelier Cecilia Berra, the venue houses 2,400 labels across three levels.  The wine bar features 112 wines by the glass via automated dispensing systems. The restaurant maintains its own two-story cellar with 150 curated labels, while a whisky room showcases one of South America’s largest collections belonging to César Limonta, including rare bottles — like whiskies from Lady Di’s wedding celebration. The kitchen focuses on premium grilled meats by Oh Ra Pampa, prepared by grillmaster Genesis D’Angelo, with the option to purchase cuts to take home. Refinería: Precision and personality In the Las Malvinas neighborhood, formerly known as Refinería due to a sugar refinery that operated there until 1935, brothers Carlos and Miguel Avalle run Refinería in a beautiful restored mansion.  Housed in a restored residence, the menu blends European technique with local products: warm goat cheese with tomato confit, grilled asparagus with asparagus cream, cured beef tongue taco with pea purée, surubí belly reminiscent of fine tuna, and a precisely cooked tomahawk steak. If you can, try a Rujientes 45 rosé, an Inseparable de Perse, Araucana’s Patagonian malbec, or the Raquis, which demonstrate the winemaking level they have in that exclusive cellar.  Desserts — including artisanal cheeses with organic quince and fruit-forward sorbets — complete the experience, best enjoyed on its leafy terrace. Vermuteria Belgrano Vermouth bars and casual culture Rosario’s aperitif culture thrives in venues such as Vermutería Belgrano, which champions vermouth alongside dishes rooted in Italian-Argentine tradition, like the Spanish omelette with salami and the provoleta. The Avalle brothers also restored the historic Bar Rosarino, reviving classic vermouth culture with a “casual gourmet” offering of pizzas, croquettes, beef and prosciutto sandwiches, in a neighborhood rediscovering its afternoon social rhythm. The nearby winery Canaima Espacio de Sabores offers more than 300 wine labels, generous by-the-glass options and a very low corkage fee for bottles consumed on-site. Its relaxed atmosphere encourages long conversations, often accompanied by bold, creative dishes such as pacú croquettes with a very creamy bechamel sauce.   Canaima Pichincha and nightlife The Pichincha neighborhood, officially renamed Alberto Olmedo in 1993, has undergone one of Rosario’s most celebrated urban transformations. Once a regulated red-light district in the early 20th century, it is now the city’s main nightlife hub. Corcho Corcho, a wine bar specializing in curated bottles and gourmet boards, has become a focal point for tastings, events, and social gatherings. Nearby, Harrison pub stands out for its convivial atmosphere, drawing weekend regulars for music and late nights.  If you’re travelling alone, this is the place to be on a weekend night. Harrison’s loyal crowd have been known to attend and show support when the owners participate in the annual Carnes and Vinos festival. Food as cultural identity Set in nearby La Chacra de la Elba, in Arteaga, Carnes & Vinos (Meats and Wines) features amateur asadores competing to win the best asado award, while wineries offer tastings of their labels.  Once the competition and lunch is over, veteran butcher Miguel Errandonea, from La nueva carnicería, offers a true educational show by butchering down a side of beef. Live music extends the festivities well into the evening. All together, these experiences illustrate how Rosario has consolidated gastronomy as a defining element of its urban identity. Along the green riverfront, in packed dining rooms and increasingly sought-after reservations, the city’s culinary scene reflects both tradition and reinvention — a narrative that continues to attract travelers looking for an authentic, evolving Argentine experience.