Buenos Aires Shopping Guide: What to Buy and Where to Shop in 2024

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Article written by: Rebecca
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Wondering about the Buenos Aires shopping scene? Considering what souvenirs to take home? This guide will help.

Some people travel to Buenos Aires just to shop. This city is called, after all, the Paris of South America. Which means that you’ll be coming home with some classy souvenirs – no “I love BA” t-shirts here!

So if you’re visiting, what should you buy in Buenos Aires?

Whether you’re looking for designer fashion, after a unique Argentine souvenir to take home or have time to have a custom leather jacket made, you’ll find something special to remember your visit to Buenos Aires by. I’ve done a lot of shopping in Buenos Aires – and have many souvenirs and memories from my time living here.

This Buenos Aires shopping guide includes the best things to buy in Buenos Aires, where to get a leather jacket made and all about malls in Buenos Aires. So, let’s get shopping!

A variety of women's clothing hangs on racks in a retail store. The garments include coats, dresses, and knitwear, featuring an assortment of patterns and textures. Footwear is visible on the floor beneath the garments.
Image courtesy of Shop Hop Buenos Aires

What to buy in Buenos Aires

So what should you buy in Argentina, and specifically what to buy in Buenos Aires? There are so many goods that are unique to Argentina that make perfect souvenirs to take home. Here, I’ll outline a few of the things I loved buying as memories of my time living in Argentina.

Top tip! Bring U.S. dollars, as you’ll likely get a discount for paying in cash. (I’ve got more handy tips for exchanging money in my guide to planning a trip to Argentina and my even more extensive guide to handling money in Argentina.) This is especially so when it comes to designers with private studios, or when you’re buying custom-made leather goods.

1. Leather

Argentina is famous for its leather products, and leather goods are one of the best things to buy in Argentina.

If you’re visiting Buenos Aires for a few days, most leather shops can turn around a custom-made leather jacket in 48-72 hours. 

And it’s not just leather jackets: these stores can make leather skirts, leather boots, leather gloves, leather overnight bags – really, anything you want.

You can choose from cow, sheep or the softer goat leather, or even carpincho leather, which comes from the capybara rodent. Avoid the synthetic leather that some stores use – use the smell test if you’re not quite sure.

I’ve had two leather jackets made – all far cheaper than if I had bought something in a store in the United States or Australia or Europe. There are many leather shops in Buenos Aires, and recommendations for custom-made leather jackets include:

  • Bettina Rizzi (Maipu 935) – this is where I got both my jackets made
  • Uru Recoleta (Vicente López 2132) – my husband had his leather jacket made here
  • Silvia Eisele (Recoleta, by appointment only)

Bring with you photos that specifically show the design you want. They’ll be able to do a design based on those images.

Also, make sure you have time for multiple fittings. While it’s far cheaper than back home, you’re still going to be possibly shelling out a couple of hundred dollars and you want to make sure your new leather clothing item is absolutely perfect.

A man and a woman - the author of this article and her husband - stand together posing for a photo in a desert landscape. Behind them are colorful mountains and a clear blue sky. Both are dressed in casual outdoor attire and are smiling towards the camera.
Rocking my custom-made leather jacket in the north of Argentina

For more leather goods, including cow hide rugs, butterfly chairs and cushions, try Calma Chicha in Palermo. The helpful staff can show you the huge range for sale.

We have a cow hide rug that we purchased here.

2. Jewellery

For handcrafted jewelry, Astoria Joyería has a beautiful collection in a private studio. You can also ask Buenos Aires designer Paula Pereiro, the owner of Astoria Joyería (and one of the most delightful humans I’ve ever met), to custom design something for you if you have the time.

I have several pieces of Paula’s, including rings, delicate earrings and a gorgeous necklace that loops around my neck.

A display of jewelry on a white table, consisting of necklaces, earrings, and rings. The jewelry features gold and silver tones with minimalist designs. Some pieces are presented on small stands or laid out neatly on the table. This is some of the amazing jewellery you can buy on a Buenos Aires shopping trip.
Some of Paula’s beautiful designs

3. Distinctive fragrances

If you’re after a new scent, Fueguia on fancy Avenida Alvear has something for you. This store is the flagship for this luxury fragrance brand, which also has boutiques in New York, Tokyo, London and Milan.

Stepping into the store you’ll be overwhelmed by the myriad of scents on offer, all sold in gorgeous bottles and wrapped in a beautiful box. The staff can guide you through all the scents until you find just the right one for you.

My husband bought a bottle of fragrance as a going-away gift when we moved from Buenos Aires. It’s the most beautiful souvenir.

An array of spherical glass perfume bottles on wooden bases. The clear and amber-colored liquids are visible inside. Labels indicate the brand "Fueguia" and each bottle rests on individual wooden pedestals. Fueguia is a beautiful store in Buenos Aires.

4. Edible souvenirs

I don’t know about you, but my favourite souvenirs tend to be of the food variety. And Argentina delivers in spades.

One of the best (and tastiest) Argentina souvenirs to bring home is dulce de leche, a creamy caramel condiment. It’s one of the most popular foods in Argentina to try.

Don’t forget the alfajores, which are sandwich cookies filled with dulce de leche and often coated in chocolate.

Pick up a jar of dulce de leche or package of alfajores from the Havana chain store – they’re all over the city. My favourite dulce de leche and alfajores can actually be found at any supermarket: Serenisima dulce de leche (always “estilo campo”) and the Jorgitos brand of alfajores will always win me over.

Dulce de Leche & Co have several stores around Buenos Aires and sell the most decadent dulce de leche and alfajores.

Close-up of a jar of Argentinian dulce de leche - a caramel sauce. A glass jar filled with thick, glossy caramel spread is in focus, with a wooden spoon and a container blurred in the background.
Dreamy dulce de leche

5. Mate gourd and bombilla

Spend any amount of time in Buenos Aires and you’ll notice Porteños carting around flasks of hot water and sharing sips from a squat and round cup in parks, on the streets, in government agencies (yes, seriously) – anywhere Argentines gather really.

This is mate and it’s similar to tea.

While some think wine is the national drink of Argentina, I’d say that mate actually is.

Buy packets of the yerba mate (if you like its taste, it’s not for everyone) or simply the mate gourds, some of which are clad in beautiful leather, embossed and lined with silver. They, along with the silver bombillas (straws) make for a beautiful souvenir.

A collection of silver bombillas (straws) laid out on a dark surface. The bombillas have ornate handles and are arranged in a neat row. The silver bombilla is a gorgeous thing to buy in Buenos Aires.
Beautiful bombillas can make a lovely Argentina souvenir

6. Wine

Bottles of Argentine wine are also great to take home. While you can find Argentine wines in most countries, I was once told – by a viticulturist – that Argentina keeps its best stuff and exports the rest.

There are wine stores that dot the city and supermarkets usually stock a pretty great range at affordable prices.

Pain et Vin (Gorriti 5132) has tastings available and will help you choose the perfect bottle, whether you’re after a deep Malbec or a fruity Torrontés.

For serving your Argentine wine, pick up a pingüino, a penguin-shaped wine carafe that used to be found in all cafes and restaurants in Argentina. It’s the perfect mix of kitsch and funky. I love these so much that we have three of them!

Three bottles of wine, two red and one white, placed on a wooden barrel. The labels show the brand "Don David" for the red wines and "Ciclos" for the white. A stone wall provides the backdrop. Wine is a great Argentina souvenir to bring home with you.

7. Books

Even if you’re not planning to buy anything, it’s worth your time to visit El Ateneo Grand Splendid (Avenida Santa Fe 1860), which I (and many others) consider to be the most beautiful bookstore in the world.

This former theatre is dazzling, and is now filled with shelves and shelves of books instead of tango singers and their admiring audiences.

Pick up some classic Argentine authors, including Jorge Luis Borges novels, or take home a puzzle or notebook as a reminder of your trip to Buenos Aires. Or simply sip a cortado in the café where the stage once was.

An expansive bookstore inside a theater with multiple levels of bookshelves under a decorative ceiling with fresco paintings. Customers browse the aisles and the central space is occupied by a stage with a red curtain. This is the stunning El Ateneo Grand Splendid bookstore in Buenos Aires.

Top tip! Hire a personal shopper in Buenos Aires

Clothes shopping in Buenos Aires can be overwhelming when you don’t know where to start or you’re not familiar with Spanish. You might miss out on all the shopping Buenos Aires has to offer.

The guides at Shop Hop Buenos Aires coordinate bespoke shopping tours customised to your exact spending desires and style, and provide amazing ideas for what to buy in Buenos Aires.

Their guides can also direct you to the hidden gems that you wouldn’t find by yourself. Due to the high rents in Buenos Aires, many designers don’t have storefronts and often work out of their homes or studios. They know all the designers across the city and can get you into appointment-only private studios not open to the general public.

Half or full-day personalised Buenos Aires shopping tours can be organised.

For those who live in Buenos Aires, Shop Hop also offers wardrobe and personal styling consultations. That’s how I first discovered this amazing company when I lived in Buenos Aires.

Shopping in Buenos Aires: A neighbourhood guide

Buenos Aires is a big city and each neighbourhood is known for its own unique shopping focus.

Palermo

At some point during your trip to Buenos Aires you’ll end up in trendy Palermo. Actually made up of various sub-neighbourhoods (Palermo Soho, Palermo Hollywood, Palermo Viejo, Palermo Chico and so on), this barrio is full of boutiques that offer both high-end and more affordable clothing. Some of the best shopping in Buenos Aires can be found in this area.

Recoleta

The most upscale neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, in Recoleta you’ll find rows of luxury stores here. Of course, all at luxury prices. This is the area to go to if you have some serious cash to drop. It’s easy to be distracted by the handsome French-inspired architecture as you wander the streets, but if you look carefully you’ll find boutiques selling beautifully made leather goods, handcrafted shoes and glamorous accessories.

San Telmo

Famed for its Sunday market, San Telmo is also home to hundreds of antique stores. Here, you can pick up chandeliers, colourful vintage seltzer siphons and crystal glasses, all of which make great (although delicate) souvenirs. There are also a number of boutique stores that sell vintage clothing.

El Centro

The shopping in Buenos Aires’s downtown area tends to be focused on cheaper stores selling Buenos Aires souvenirs for tourists, tango CDs, cheap electronics and knock-off soccer jerseys. It’s worth a stroll down Calle Florida where you may spot a couple passionately dancing the tango (for a fee, of course).

Villa Crespo

The so-called leather district of Buenos Aires, Villa Crespo is where you will find leather goods of all kinds. Murillo Street has the highest concentration of leather shops in Buenos Aires, and is also the place to go if you are looking for outlet stores.

The best shopping malls in Buenos Aires

Argentines love to shop, so there’s no shortage of malls and shopping centres across the city. Here are some of the most popular shopping malls in Buenos Aires – for all budgets and styles.

Top tip! In shopping malls in Buenos Aires, major credit cards are accepted. You’ll usually need to show some form of ID when you pay with a credit card.

Galerías Pacífico

Located in El Centro (the downtown area), this shopping centre is in one of Buenos Aires’s most picturesque buildings. An exquisite fresco painted in 1945 covers the ceiling of this old, restored building and it’s worth a visit just for this. Aside from its beauty, it’s home to stores selling clothing, books, jewellery and much more.

Corner Avenidas Córdoba and Florida

A ceiling with elaborate murals depicting classical figures and scenes, framed by a golden arch. The architecture features a grid of illuminated panels. Galerias Pacifico is one of the most famous Buenos Aires shopping malls.

Patio Bullrich

In upscale Recoleta, at the chandelier-bedecked Patio Bullrich you can expect to find exclusive brands – and for exclusive prices. As well as local brands, the mall has international brands including Salvatore Ferragamo and Zara. It’s much smaller than other shopping malls in Buenos Aires and usually far more peaceful.

Posadas 1245

Alto Palermo Shopping Centre

This shopping mall is exactly what you’re used to back home – filled with young kids hanging out on weekends. It’s far more accessible for all budgets, and has food courts, a cinema, restaurants and bars, as well as both Argentine and international brands.

Santa Fe 3253

Paseo Alcorta

With more than 300 stores, you’re bound to find a souvenir or hot new clothing item at Buenos Aires shopping mall, Paseo Alcorta. This mall is in Palermo Chico, a neighbourhood of the larger Palermo barrio.

Jeronimo Salguero 3172

Abasto Shopping Centre

A little off the beaten path, the Abasto Shopping Centre is inside a stunning art deco building dating back to the end of the 19th century. Stores sell men’s and women’s clothing, sports gear, perfume and technology.

Corrientes 3247

The best markets in Buenos Aires

Some of the best shopping in Buenos Aires can be done at the local markets that spring up around the city. Read on for the best markets to visit in Buenos Aires.

Feria de San Telmo

Every Sunday, some streets in San Telmo are blocked off and the neighbourhood turns into a huge, lively outdoor street market.

You can buy leather goods, cute handcrafts like knitted cactus “plants” (the only plant I can’t kill), cowhide rugs and so much more. Start at Plaza Dorrego and sift through the table loads of unique antiques.

If you’re not visiting Buenos Aires on a Sunday, don’t despair because the permanent San Telmo Market offers plenty of intriguing goods. This iron work building the size of a city block houses fresh produce, coffee shops and stall after stall of antiques for sale.

Calle Defensa

A collection of colorful vintage soda siphon bottles displayed on a table. The glass bottles come in shades of blue, green, and red, with metallic dispensing caps. These siphons were found at the San Telmo Market in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Mercado de las Pulgas

A permanent marketplace, this flea market (pulga means flea in Spanish) is a haven for antique lovers. Search through the individual stalls to find distinctive souvenirs to take home, including light fixtures and ornately-framed mirrors. The market also has vendors who craft handmade furniture – which unfortunately won’t fit in a suitcase.

Avenida Dorrego 1650

Feria de Plaza Francia

Each Saturday and Sunday and on public holidays, Plaza Francia in Recoleta comes alive with rows and rows of stalls selling handmade leather bags, ponchos, hand-carved wooden boxes and edible treats. There’s usually some kind of street performer or live music to entertain the crowds. It’s located right near the Recoleta Cemetery.

Plaza Francia, Avenida Libertador

Feria de Mataderos

In the working class neighbourhood of Mataderos, about an hour from the city by bus, this market brings the country to the city. Stallholders sell beautiful mates, ponchos, cow horn-handled knives and silver goods. You can try Argentine food including steak and locro, a traditional stew. Gauchos (Argentine cowboys) on horseback perform for the huge crowds that visit each week. It’s open on Sundays and public holidays from March to December.

Avenida Lisandro de la Torre and Avenida de las Corrales

Buenos Aires shopping: FAQs

Is clothing expensive in Buenos Aires?

Yes, clothing is generally more expensive in Buenos Aires than in the United States. That’s particularly the case for imported brand name clothing. I’d recommend However, in Buenos Aires you can buy custom-made leather goods, handmade jewellery and handbags for far cheaper.

Can I pay in US dollars?

At many independent stores in Buenos Aires you can pay in US dollars. You might even be able to get a discount by paying in cash. This isn’t the case everywhere, however so check before you shop.

Did you find this article helpful? Consider buying me a coffee as a way to say thanks!

So, what are you planning to buy in Buenos Aires? Let me know in the comments below if you’ll soon be shopping in Buenos Aires!


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About REBECCA

I'm a travel junkie who started dreaming about seeing the world from a very young age. I've visited more than 40 countries and have a Master of International Sustainable Tourism Management. A former expat, I've lived in Australia, Papua New Guinea, Argentina and the United States. I share travel resources, tips and stories based on my personal experiences, and my goal is to make travel planning just that bit easier.

5 thoughts on “Buenos Aires Shopping Guide: What to Buy and Where to Shop in 2024”

  1. This article is very useful for anyone looking for shopping in Buenos Aires. You’re doing an excellent job. I admire your efforts.

    Reply
  2. Hi Rebecca! I love your take on Buenos Aires. Wish I would have read it before I went in 2019. Still had a fab time.
    I need your help. My brother bought a coffee mug at one of the souvenir shops but it recently got destroyed. It had “Argentina 40” on it. Do you know a place where I can purchase something like this.
    Sincerely,
    It Means So Much!

    Reply

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