Lo de Jesus was here before Palermo Viejo went crazy with boutique shops and stylish restaurants.

Owner 81-year-old Jesus Pernas started out in 1953 selling vegetables and the odd plateful of beef; now Lo de Jesus is a Palermo Viejo hotspot that boasts a loyal crowd of fashionable regulars – including the author who used to live 30 metres away – while still staying close to its roots.

Thoroughly Argentine, and quaintly decorated with original chequerboard flooring, dark panelling and mirrors for the ladies and Buenos Aires’ increasingly effeminate men, Lo de Jesus buzzes in the day and flutters its wings a little more in the evening.

We recommend you face Lo de Jesus head on and order one of chef Ariel Soares de Almeida’s bife de chorizos with an egg on top. Salads, cold cuts and fish are also available if you fancy something more refined. Book ahead for an evening table, otherwise you can chew the fat until 4pm during the day.