The Room
Pablo Rivero (Don Julio's owner) reopened the historic 1952 El Preferido bodegón in Palermo Soho in 2019 — a chef-driven Spanish-Argentine dining room with the original tile-floor and zinc-bar architecture intact.
Eater Buenos Aires has held El Preferido on its top-Palermo rankings every year of operation.
The Food
The Spanish-Argentine kitchen runs jamón, the in-house charcuterie, the seasonal-rotating Spanish-Argentine preparations.
Wine programme is heavily Argentine and Spanish. Service is the long-running Rivero-group standard.
Best Occasion Fit
First Date: El Preferido is one of Palermo's most-considered first-date seats.
Impress Clients: International visitors recognise Rivero's pedigree immediately.
Birthday: Birthdays at El Preferido are warm, Spanish-Argentine affairs the room handles with six years of practice.