BA is bursting with cafes and confiterias, a number of which are now firmly on the tourist track. If you would like to try something a little more 'locale', check out Confiteria Las Violetas, a few stops west on the Subte (underground). It is a slice of real BA 'confiteria culture' with its grand tables, fine stained-glass windows, traditional service, not to mention a rather tempting menu - particularly for those with a sweet tooth.

Rivadavia 3899; nearest undergorund: Castro Barros;
tel: 00 61 4958 7387

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The Tortoni has become Tango's equivalent of the Hard Rock Cafe selling T-shirts and nonsense, with even waxworks of Borges and Gardel sipping coffees!

Infinitely more authentic, with just as much architectural style, is the Cafe Ideal in Suipacha (half a block from Corrientes). Even if you've got two left feet and never thought of having a tango lesson ... pinch your nose and go to one of the lunchtime beginners classes in English. They're a hoot ... and very cheap.

Suipacha, just up from Corientes.

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My favourite mid-day retreat, a small cafe with outdoor tables and a tasty €4 lunch menu on a corner facing Plaza Armenia in fashionable Palermo Soho. It's a welcome change from the bustling downtown area, a meeting place for expatriates, and after coffee or lunch, I get to inspect the nearby trendy boutiques, designer studios and bookshops.

Costa Rica, 4602; Tel: 4831 1083

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The quintessential people-watching spot of Buenos Aires in the upscale Recoleta area. A little noisy, but its still worth it to mingle with the "beautiful people" in a city renowned for beautiful women and handsome men. Pick an outside table underneath the sprawling branches of the ancient rubber tree and let the "simpatico" waiters in their green waistcoats serve up delicious coffee. This is US actor Robert Duvall's favourite hangout when he flies to dance the tango in Buenos Aires.

Quintana, 596; Tel: 4804 0449

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