Some of the delights of Buenos Aires are the numerous bars, cafes, and restaurants.

A resto-bar is an Argentine concept of a restaurant and bar combination. People either come for a meal or stop by for drinks only. In general, the bar portions of resto-bars do not get busy until after 11pm or midnight. These are more relaxed than traditional bars and it is easier to chat with locals. In the gay ones, you get the chance to find local hotties too.

Inside ($4-8) offers traditional Argentine cuisine with French and Italian touches. After a hard day's strolling, visit Inside (Bartolomé Mitre 1571; +54-11/4372-5439; prix fixe: $12, à la carte: $8-16), where Diego and Matías will give you a warm welcome in their charming restaurant with good bar facilities. The menu includes many typical dishes, such as a great range of Argentine meat. The intimate atmosphere is enhanced by dim light. Decorated in cool red, this venue is quite popular among gays. Strippers, singers and dancers complete the crew. Don't miss their shows. Weekends are ideal to meet gay locals.

Flashy Chueca ($4-8) offers international food, but it's not the highlight of the place -- it's really about the bar-scoping potential. Open Tues - Sun from 7pm, Tacla on Charchas serves very good international food in its fine first-floor surroundings.

But perhaps the best eatery of all is gay-friendly Farmacia in the bohemian old 'Gas Light' district of San Telmo, south of the main gay areas. A café by day from 10.30am onwards; by night a fab restaurant with great food, ambience and service - a must! Open for meals Tue - Sun from 9 pm.

Be sure to visit the Cafe Tortoni which hardly seems to have changed since it opened in 1893. On the weekends it has live music including tango. Another favourite is the Cafe de la Paix in Recoleta.

Meat eaters should visit one of the numerous parillas. Argentina is a major producer of beef and the meat is excellent. One of the most popular is the Chiquilin a large restaurant with a great atmosphere. There is plenty of space so you won’t need reservations.

Restaurants with a more eclectic menu, and a gay crowd include Memorobilia, and Filo (with an art gallery downstairs).

Visitors will find wine bars throughout the city. Winery (Av. Libertador 5100; +54-11/4774-1190; winerymail@fibertel.com.ar; $5-16) offers an extensive list of the best Argentine wines together with exquisite appetizers; it also specializes in a wide variety of coffee types.

As the name implies, Chandon Bar (Av. Alicia Moreau de Justo 152; +54/11 4315-3533; $6-15) is dedicated to promoting Chandon wines and champagnes. Decorated in cool brown, this wine bar is a popular haunt of Puerto Madero businessmen, especially during happy hour. It's a trendy venue for admiring typical Argentine macho men.

At Rodizio (Av. Rafael Obligado and La Pampa; +54-11/4788-5405; www.rodizio.com.ar, info@rodizio.com.ar; $25 all-you-can-eat) the tremendous views over the River Plate are at least as great an attraction as the food. Near the City, Palermo and Recoleta, the restaurant emphasizes traditional Argentine food. Specialities are asado (barbacue), chorizo (typical appetizer) and fresh fish.

Tucson (Salguero 2741; +54-11/4576-2060; $5-18) is a real American restaurant with live music on weekends, where the menu includes fresh crab claws, New York strip steak, shrimps, burgers, giant portions of Alaskan king crab legs and salads.

In 2003, TGI Fridays (Av. Alicia Moreau de Justo 1010; +54-11/4342-6936; $4-17) opened a branch in Alto Palermo Shopping Center (Av. Coronel Días and Arenales; 5 4-11+4857-8524; $6-21). Your mouth will enjoy its large menu which features sizzling marinated beef or chicken with guacamole, sour cream, tortillas and a full rack of ribs.

Situated opposite Recoleta cemetery, San Babila (R. M. Ortiz 1815 ; +54-11/4801-9444; www.sanbabilaristorante.com.ar, info@sanbabilaristorante.com.ar; $12-34) is frequented by wealthy Argentines and foreign visitors. Convenient for sightseers, Av. Alvear, Village Cinema shopping mall and Patio Bullrich mall are all within walking distance. San Babila specializes in fresh pasta made every day, and the extensive menus offer many other dishes such as scampi provenzale, scaloppa valdostana and tiramisu.

At María Félix (Soldado de la Independencia 1150; +54-11/4717-1864; www.maria-felix.com.ar; $35 three-course meal with wine included, $30 without beverage) authentic Mexican food is served in a fun, informal atmosphere. Vegetarian dishes are popular as well as the large selection of tortillas. The bar offers tequilas, cocktails and Mexican beers . María Félix combines an à la carte menu with a fixed price one. The staff takes photos of visitors and posts them on its Web site.

The Hard Rock Café (Av. Pueyrredón 2501; +54-11/4807-2776; $7-20) is now something of a landmark in Paseo del Pilar due to its popularity; customers come for the psychedelic selection of cocktails, real rock 'n roll memorabilia, steaks, burgers and a veggie menu. There is live music on some weekdays and on the weekend.

On the third floor of Casino de Buenos Aires, Sobre Aguas (Elvira Rawson de Dellepiane, Dársena Sur, Buenos Aires South Pier; +54-11/4363-3100; $9-22) offers four-course à la carte dinners or lunches in a calm and elegant atmosphere. Traditional Argentine dishes are served on a Mississippi steamer -- a real attraction for locals or tourists alike.

To experience authentic Argentine meat, look no further than Clo-Clo (Costanera Norte and La Pampa; +54-11/4788-0487; www.clocloristorante.com.ar; $11-31). This restaurant is a real pioneer in Costanera Norte area. There's no dress code, but take into account that this is one of the most exclusive and expensive restaurants in Buenos Aires.

Local celebrities may be found in any Palermo Hollywood restaurants. Central (Costa Rica 5644; +54-11/4776-7374; $8-25) is a popular, well-established restaurant and bar that serves cool fusion food. In summer you can sit outside to eat, in typical Argentine fashion. If you like a select clientele made up of singers, actors and models, this is the place for you.

Set in the heart of Palermo Hollywood, gay-friendly Te Mataré Ramírez (Paraguay 4062; +54-11/4831-9156; http://www.tematareramirez.com, amantes@tematareramirez.com; $9-22) presents a truly aphrodisiac dining experience. The meals created are of a diverse nature intended to warm up and increase your libido.

Experience a tango show at El Viejo Almacén (Av. Independencia and Balcarce St; +54-11/4307-6689; $10-28). This restaurant has been established for decades and is a classic on the Buenos Aires tango trail. Take some classes and discover tango's secrets. Dress: smart casual.

Esquina Carlos Gardel (Carlos Gardel 3200; +54-11/4867-6363; www.esquinacarlosgardel.com.ar, info@esquinacarlosgardel.com.ar; $150, including admission to show) is a large, two-storey theater-restaurant. It offers a tango show in the heart of Buenos Aires with the splendor of the Moulin Rouge

Visitors to Buenos Aires will soon discover the advantages of a fixed-price menu. But be aware of hidden extras, such as the so-called servicio de mesa, which ranges in price from $1 to $3 per person. In a set meal, the standard of cuisine will be the same as for the à la carte but at a lower price. A typical three-course menu, including a starter, a main course and dessert, costs between $10 and $25 (beverages not included). Give 10 percent extra if the service is satisfactory.

Argentina is beef country, so expect to see the famous pampas-bred thick steaks on every menu. The adventurous gourmet will try the parrillada, a full course of mixed barbecue meats. For an appetizer, try empanadas, meat pies (with raisins, hard-boiled eggs and olives) that you eat with your fingers. Bife de lomo is akin to filet mignon. Don't request ketchup, as all meats are served with a vinaigrette on the side.

You can save money by eating light meals in the ubiquitous confiterias located all over town. These are cafés with à la carte menus that serve with great style, reminiscent of those European cafés where waiters are rarely under 50 years old. Prices do not include beverages.

For an intro to Argentine beef, Siga la Vaca (Alicia Moreau de Justo 1714; +54-11/4315-6801; prix-fixe $18) is a popular all-you-can-eat place in trendy Puerto Madero. Warm up with the salad bar before diving into all things carne. Simply bring your plate (and maybe your phrasebook) up to the kitchen's window, where you can order from well over a dozen cuts of beef. Chicken and pork are also available, if you care.

With its location on Av. Santa Fe, the ideal avenue for cruising, Babieca (Av. Santa Fe 1890; +54-11/4875-1985; prix fixe: $12.50, à la carte: $5-18) is the most gay-friendly bar and restaurant in town. Easy to find, opposite Tower Records, this bustling restaurant has a light, friendly atmosphere. Serving from both à la carte and the chef's special menu, it also stocks a fine selection of wines to complement the food. Enjoy a leisurely meal or coffee outdoors in the sun, just like you were at a French cafés.

Buenos Aires News (Paseo de la Infanta, Av. Del Libertador and Av. Int. Bullrich, by the Bosques de Palermo's lake; $5-19) is definitely the must-go place of the moment, attracting lots of models and celebrities. It's especially popular on Thursday nights. The space features four restaurants inside: Get a table outdoors and eat by the pool. Call for reservations on Wednesday, or just drop there by 9 p.m. and be willing to wait a little.

Truman (Serrano 1148; +54-11/4776-2349; $7-16), a comfortable, intimate bar and restaurant close to trendy Plaza Serrano, invites visitors to enjoy eroticism, where cuisine and a book-shop live in perfect harmony.

Bice (Av. Alicia Moreau de Justo 192; +54-11/4315-6216; $12-25) is one of pioneers in Puerto Madero, overlooking the river in a Victorian brick warehouse.

Pizza Piola (Libertad 1000; +54-11/4812-0690; piola@piola.com.ar; $10-19) is a reasonably priced and brightly decorated gay-friendly Italian restaurant (pizzas and pasta). The wait may be long, but the attractive patrons make it worthwhile. This is one of the "straight" venues in BA where you can find gay couples having dinner with nobody looking surprised.

Memorabilia (Maipú 761; +54-11/322-7630; $6-15) is an excellent and quite modern place with good music. Visitors will always be guaranteed delicious pizzas.

Big servings and brisk service typify El Palacio de la Papa Frita (Lavalle 735, Av. Corrientes 1582; +54-11/4322-9047; $8-18), a large restaurant in the financial district.

Lotus Neo Thai (Ortega y Gasset and Arce; +54-11/4771-4449; lotusneothai@yahoo.com.ar; $9-18) serves authentic Thai food, as the name implies. Al Andalus (Godoy Cruz 1283; +54-11/832-9286; $12-25) serves a combination of Spanish, Jewish and Arabic cuisine in an exotic atmosphere. You'll find delicious, well-executed traditional dishes, some with a medieval inspiration. Ravé (Gorriti 5092; +54-11/4833-7832; $8-21) offers Mediterranean, Latin and Oriental dishes in a romantic and intimate atmosphere. Café Remis París (Rodríguez Peña 1032; +54-11/4813-5915; $6-17) is another ideal venue for romantic rendezvous.