La Cabaña: Past and Present

Part One  |  Part Two

Legend has it that a typical cab driver in Buenos Aires in the 1930’s might not have been able to give directions to the Cabildo, but that he would unfailingly drive towards the Congreso district, if the destination were La Cabaña.

On the 14th of September 1935, on the Avenida Entre Rios, Don Francisco Lapietra opened the doors of his restaurant for the first time. The ground floor boasted an ample Normandy style salon to seat up to 450 people and  a private dining room on the first floor catered for another 60 diners. The place was to go down in history as the best restaurant in the city of Buenos Aires.

In the heart of the Argentine Pampas, Lapietra had his own estancia where he raised ducks, sheep and the finest breeds of cattle. His eternal motto was “simply the best”. He took this with him to his restaurant where the best meat in Argentina was served in the traditional manner.

Great care was taken with the décor. Two stuffed cows welcomed visitors in the lobby and a pat on their tails was said to bring good luck. The sturdy wooden tables with their gingham tablecloths, locally made cutlery and fine white china were set amid the carved wood and wrought iron furnishings, traditional wood-burning stoves and walls graced with the work of national artists.
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