Dinner by Chance, Discovery by Design: Alcanfor Buenos Aires Restaurant Review

franciscoedualmeid
25 minutes ago
4 min read

Exterior view of Alcanfor, a Green Michelin Star restaurant in Buenos Aires, with warm light shining through its windows. — The softly lit facade of Alcanfor Buenos Aires, inviting and serene.”

I wasn’t planning on going to a Michelin-star restaurant that evening. My wife texted me out of the blue and said she wanted to eat out, so I pulled up my Google Maps list and picked a spot near home. That’s how we ended up at Alcanfor Buenos Aires, the restaurant helmed by chef Julián Galende—and what a serendipitous choice it turned out to be. What follows is my Alcanfor Buenos Aires restaurant review—a firsthand look at what happens when sustainability, restraint, and warmth all share a single table.

Even from the outside, the facade and the view through the windows looked inviting and cozy. Inside, we were seated right beside the open kitchen with a full view of the action. I love when a restaurant feels transparent like that, no barrier between the craft and the diners. They must also have an excellent exhaust system because even sitting right next to the stoves, there was not a hint of smoke or odor—just the rhythm of the kitchen and quiet focus.

The soundproofing was also surprisingly thoughtful for such a small space, and the heavy velvet curtains at the door felt like a nod to old-world hospitality, softening both the noise and the winter drafts when guests come and go. Curiously enough, my latest favorite restaurants share this intimacy.

At Le Rêve, the experience leans in the opposite direction: dark, velvety, unapologetically French. It drips with old-world charm—the kind that makes you lower your voice, linger over a glass, and imagine you’re somewhere in Montparnasse rather than Palermo. Where Alcanfor feels open, airy, and rooted in Argentine restraint, Le Rêve cocoons you in candlelight and burgundy upholstery. One hums quietly with the rhythm of a modern kitchen; the other purrs with the romance of a Parisian bistro.

Plate of grilled artichokes served with sunflower purée, endives, and grape vinaigrette at Alcanfor, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Buenos Aires. — Grilled artichokes with sunflower purée, endives, and grape vinaigrette—a vibrant starter at Alcanfor Buenos Aires.

The Philosophy Behind the Plate at Alcanfor Buenos Aires

Alcanfor takes its name from the camphor tree that Galende’s father planted when he was born—a symbol of patience, growth, and rootedness. After years in European kitchens, Galende returned to Buenos Aires to build something that reflected both precision and conscience.

The restaurant has earned a Green Michelin Star, a distinction that recognizes chefs and establishments leading the way in sustainable gastronomy. It’s not awarded for taste alone but for the philosophy behind it: reducing waste, sourcing responsibly, working with small producers, and maintaining ethical and circular practices. At Alcanfor, that philosophy shows in every detail—from the menus printed on recycled vegetable fibers to the handmade wooden tables that Galende built himself.

This is sustainability as a way of thinking, not a branding shtick.

The Dishes

We started with pan de masa madre con manteca noisette—a warm sourdough served with brown butter. Simple, perfect, and so good we ate every last crumb. The butter had that nutty aroma of toasted milk solids and a texture that made restraint impossible. Yes, that means we ate it all.

Next came alcauciles grillados con puré de girasol, endivias y vinagreta de uva, a plate of grilled artichokes arranged among ribbons of endive and dots of sunflower purée. The grape vinaigrette gave the dish a subtle sweetness that softened the bitterness of the greens, turning each bite into something quietly complex.

The third plate was hinojo asado con queso fresco de cabra, manzana y limón en conserva. The roasted fennel, slightly caramelized at the edges, sat over a base of goat cheese and puréed apple, with threads of preserved lemon brightening each forkful. It was delicate yet grounded, showing the kitchen’s confidence in simplicity.

Fennel and herb dish served at Alcanfor in Villa Crespo, Buenos Aires, highlighting the chef’s focus on seasonal produce. — Roasted fennel with goat cheese, apple, and preserved lemon.

Before the main course arrived, the kitchen sent out a small chicken skewer, which our waitress explained was a mini version of the restaurant’s signature pechuga de pollo grillada. Glazed in demi-glace and sprinkled with toasted sesame, it served as a preview—succulent, smoky, and gone far too quickly.

Small chicken skewer glazed with demi-glace, served as an amuse-bouche at Alcanfor Buenos Aires. — A bite-sized preview of Alcanfor’s grilled chicken main course, glazed in demi-glace..

The main course itself, pechuga de pollo grillada con repollo braseado, puré de manzana, almendras y salsa demi-glace, felt like a quiet conversation between flavor and restraint. The chicken was perfectly cooked, the skin crisp and golden, the cabbage tender and slightly sweet, and the apple purée lent just enough acidity to tie it all together. The toasted almonds scattered across the plate added a satisfying crunch and a hint of nuttiness that echoed the brown butter from the bread course—a subtle throughline in the meal.

Plate of grilled chicken breast served with braised cabbage, apple purée, toasted almonds, and demi-glace at Alcanfor, a Green Michelin Star restaurant in Buenos Aires. — Grilled chicken with braised cabbage, apple purée, and demi-glace.

Dessert was quínotos en almíbar con helado de café y salsa tibia de quínotos—kumquats in syrup with coffee ice cream and a warm kumquat sauce. Tart, bitter, and silky all at once, it left the palate clean and content.

Dessert bowl of kumquats in syrup topped with coffee ice cream and warm kumquat sauce at Alcanfor Buenos Aires. — Kumquats in syrup with coffee ice cream and warm kumquat sauce.

The Wine

To accompany the meal, I ordered a 2023 Cadus Pinot Noir from Valle de Uco, Mendoza. It poured a translucent ruby in the glass, with bright aromas of cherry and strawberry and a whisper of spice. On the palate, it was supple and balanced, the kind of Pinot that complements rather than competes. In a city that so often celebrates Malbec’s power, this wine whispered—elegantly, confidently—and it matched Alcanfor’s temperament perfectly.

Close-up of a 2023 Cadus Pinot Noir from Valle de Uco, featured in Alcanfor’s wine selection in Buenos Aires. — A bottle of Cadus Pinot Noir from Valle de Uco, Mendoza.

Why Alcanfor Buenos Aires Stands Out: A Green Michelin Star Restaurant Review

What makes Alcanfor remarkable isn’t just its Green Michelin Star. It’s the way every detail feels considered—the open kitchen that breathes energy into the room, the focus on seasonal ingredients, the sustainable craft running quietly beneath the surface. Galende’s food doesn’t try to impress with theatrics. It invites you to slow down, taste deliberately, and notice the balance between fire and calm.

For anyone looking for a respite from Buenos Aires’s steakhouse rhythm, Alcanfor Buenos Aires offers something rare: a meal that feels both deeply rooted and refreshingly modern.