You’ve typed “best parrillada argentina near me” into your phone, probably while hungry, and now you’re staring at a mixed bag of chain steakhouses, generic grill restaurants, and the occasional place that actually knows its way around a charcoal parrilla. The difference between a good parrillada and a forgettable one is enormous, and getting it right can turn an ordinary dinner into the kind of meal you talk about for months.
The parrillada has been growing in popularity across the UK for years, fuelled by a rising appetite for South American food and an expanding roster of Argentine-run restaurants outside London. Whether you’re in the capital, Edinburgh, Manchester, or a smaller city, there are now genuine options. This guide breaks down what a parrillada actually is, which restaurants serve the best versions in the UK, what you should expect to pay, and how to tell a real parrilla from a pretender.
What Is a Parrillada Argentina, and Why Should You Care?
A parrillada is, at its simplest, a mixed grill platter served at an Argentine steakhouse, or parrilla. But calling it a mixed grill is like calling sushi “raw fish on rice.” It misses the point entirely.
According to TasteAtlas, a parrillada consists of an assortment of asado meats and offal, selected by the parrillero (grill master). When you order one, you’ll typically get a spread that includes chorizo (a coarse pork and beef sausage, not the cured Spanish kind), morcilla (blood sausage), flank steak, short ribs, sweetbreads (mollejas), and sometimes chicken. The platter usually arrives on a sizzling tabletop grill or a wooden board, piled high enough to feed two to four people.
The cooking method matters as much as the cuts. A real parrilla grill uses wood or charcoal, burning at lower temperatures and for longer than a standard barbecue. According to Fernando Navas, chef and owner of the New York Argentine restaurant Balvanera, Argentine grilling is typically slower with lower heat and longer cooking times compared to the high-heat approach common in British and American cooking. The wood of choice in Argentina is quebracho, prized for its density and long burn time.
The meat is seasoned with nothing more than coarse salt. No marinades, no rubs, no fuss. Chimichurri and salsa criolla come on the side, and both are there to complement, not mask. The acidity of these salsas cuts through the richness of the beef and aids digestion, a practical tradition born from the gaucho tradition of eating vast amounts of meat.
Argentina’s cattle are predominantly grass-fed, producing beef with a distinct flavour profile. According to Argentina’s Chamber of Commerce, Argentines consume an average of 1.2 kilos of beef per person per week, making them the second-largest per-capita beef consumers in the world after Uruguay. That national obsession has produced a culinary tradition built on deep knowledge of cuts and fire.
How to Find the Best Parrillada Argentina Near You
Searching “best parrillada argentina near me” on Google will surface local results, but those results aren’t always reliable. A high star rating on Google Maps doesn’t guarantee authenticity, and plenty of generic steakhouses now add “parrillada” to the menu without understanding what it means.
Here’s what to look for.
Check whether the restaurant uses a charcoal or wood-fired grill. This is the single biggest tell. A parrilla restaurant cooking on gas or an electric grill is cutting the most significant corner. Buen Ayre in Hackney, Malevo Tower Bridge, and Santa Maria del Sur in Battersea all cook over charcoal, and you can taste the difference.
Look at the menu for offal and achuras. A genuine parrillada includes morcilla, sweetbreads, and provoleta (grilled provolone cheese) alongside the steaks. If the menu only lists fillet, sirloin, and ribeye without any organ meats or sausages, you’re looking at a steakhouse that happens to serve Argentine beef, not a true parrilla experience.
Ask where the beef comes from. Several UK restaurants import their beef directly from Argentina. Malevo Tower Bridge, for instance, states that its meat is imported from Argentina and is grass-fed and halal. Gaucho imports 100% Argentine Black Angus beef from hand-selected Pampas farms. Restaurants sourcing their beef from British or European suppliers aren’t necessarily worse, but they’re offering a different product.
See whether the restaurant is Argentine-run. This isn’t a strict rule, but a restaurant run by people who grew up eating asado every Sunday tends to get the details right. Buen Ayre is run by John Rattagan, who was raised in Buenos Aires. Chimichurris in Southwark is a collaboration between Nicolas Modad, formerly head chef at Brindisa, and Federico Fugazza, who has been selling empanadas at Borough Market since 2007.
Best Parrillada Argentina Restaurants in London
London has the widest selection of Argentine restaurants in the UK by a considerable margin. Here are the standout options for a proper parrillada.
Buen Ayre, Hackney
This small, no-frills restaurant on Broadway Market is widely considered one of the most authentic Argentine grills in the capital. Run by Buenos Aires native John Rattagan, Buen Ayre puts the asado front and centre with everything from asparagus to fillet steak going over the grill. The parrillada is loaded with steaks, sweetbreads, sausages, and a generous range of cuts. The wine list is entirely Argentine. If you want the closest thing to eating at a Buenos Aires parrilla without booking a flight, this is the place.
Santa Maria del Sur, Battersea
Founded in 2006, Santa Maria del Sur has built a loyal following in south London for its authentic Argentine steaks. Their parrillada for two includes a 10oz rump steak, marinated chicken thigh, chorizo, black pudding, provolone cheese, and chimichurri, served on a sizzling tabletop charcoal grill. The wine list is almost entirely Argentine, with a strong focus on Mendoza Malbecs. A meal for two typically runs to around £75 to £100 with wine, according to recent diner reports on OpenTable. The restaurant is near Queenstown Road Station on the overground.
Malevo Tower Bridge
A family-run restaurant on Tanner Street specialising in steaks cooked on an authentic charcoal parrilla. Malevo offers multiple parrillada options: its classic version for two includes a 300g rump steak, marinated chicken, Argentine-style sausage, black pudding, provolone cheese, padron peppers, and chimichurri. A premium version swaps in a 500g ribeye marinated in garlic and parsley. Steaks are priced per 100g, with a 200g minimum, and the restaurant is rated 8.9 out of 10 on TheFork. Reviewers consistently praise the chimichurri and the grilled provoleta starter.
Chimichurris, Southwark
The Argentine credentials here are solid. Co-founder Federico Fugazza runs Porteña, which has been serving empanadas at Borough Market since 2007, while co-founder Nicolas Modad was head chef at Brindisa for five years. Their Parrillada “El Clásico” is a sharing platter built for the table. The restaurant has an entirely Argentine wine list and an industrial-chic dining room.
Casa Malevo, Paddington
Open since 2010 in Connaught Village, Casa Malevo is owned by Alberto Abbate, a keen ambassador for his native Argentina. The restaurant is rated 9.3 on TheFork and has a Food Hygiene Rating of 5 (as of June 2026). The parrillada and the bife ancho (ribeye) are frequently praised in reviews. Expect to pay around £30 per head for food before drinks, according to TheFork’s price estimates. Casa Malevo also offers halal, vegetarian, and vegan options alongside its core steak menu.
Gaucho (Multiple Locations)
Gaucho is the largest Argentine restaurant chain in the UK, with locations across London (Piccadilly, Tower Bridge, Covent Garden, Canary Wharf, and more) plus branches in Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Cardiff, Liverpool, and Newcastle. It’s a polished, upscale operation: steaks range from around £25 for smaller cuts to over £100 for premium sharing platters. The beef is 100% Argentine Black Angus, and the wine list runs deep into Mendoza territory.
Gaucho is not the cheapest option, and it leans more toward a contemporary Latin American steakhouse than a traditional neighbourhood parrilla. But the quality of the meat is consistently high, and if you’re outside London, it may be your best accessible option for Argentine beef. Set lunch menus often offer better value, with some branches running promotional deals.
[Internal Link: News Instinct article on best steakhouses in the UK]
Best Parrillada Argentina Outside London
Parrilla Argentinian Grill, Edinburgh area
With locations in Loanhead and a sister restaurant (Parrilla Bueno Ayres) in Musselburgh, this Scottish operation takes its beef seriously. All cuts are dry-aged in a Himalayan salt chamber and sourced from small-batch, sustainable Scottish farms. The interior blends industrial and contemporary design. Open from 5pm on weekdays (except Tuesdays) and from 3pm at weekends.
La Querencia, Leith Walk, Edinburgh
This newer addition to Edinburgh’s competitive Leith Walk dining scene brings an authentic Argentine grill via Buenos Aires and Paris. The team behind it originally established themselves in the French capital before moving to Scotland. The parrillada for two features a selection of premium Argentine cuts from the grill. Reviewers on Edinburgh Reviews have singled out both the steaks and the desserts, particularly the dulce de leche options.
Gaucho Manchester
Set inside a converted church on Deansgate, Gaucho Manchester is frequently cited as one of the best steak restaurants in the city. The space itself is dramatic, with the original church organ still in place. The menu mirrors the London branches, with chorizo sirloin, ancho ribeye, cuadril rump, and lomo fillet all available, plus speciality marinated cuts like churrasco de chorizo (spiral-cut sirloin with garlic and parsley).
[Internal Link: News Instinct article on best restaurants in Manchester]
What to Order at a Parrillada Argentina
If you’ve never ordered a parrillada before, the menu can feel unfamiliar. Argentine cuts don’t always correspond to British ones, and the sheer volume of meat on offer can be overwhelming. Here’s a practical ordering guide.
Start with the achuras
In Argentina, the offal and sausages arrive first. Order the provoleta (grilled provolone cheese with chimichurri) as a starter. It’s a meltingly rich disc of cheese that sets the tone. Empanadas are another strong opening, and most good parrilla restaurants make them in-house. At Malevo Tower Bridge, for example, empanadas come in seven flavours including beef, chicken, black pudding, and blue cheese.
Order the parrillada to share
A parrillada for two is the standard order and, at most restaurants, produces enough food for three hungry diners. The platter typically includes rump or sirloin steak, chorizo sausage, morcilla, sometimes chicken, and provoleta. At some restaurants, you can add sweetbreads (mollejas) for an extra charge. These are crispy on the outside and creamy inside when cooked properly, and they’re worth trying at least once.
Don’t skip the chimichurri
Chimichurri is made from olive oil, vinegar, parsley, oregano, garlic, and red pepper flakes (ají molido). It’s served at every Argentine grill and is not optional. Salsa criolla, a fresh relish of diced tomatoes, onions, and peppers, is the other standard accompaniment. Both cut through the richness of the meat and keep your palate engaged across what can be a very long meal.
Pair with Malbec
Argentine Malbec is the natural partner for parrillada. The grape thrives in Mendoza’s high-altitude vineyards and produces a full-bodied red with dark fruit flavours that stand up to chargrilled beef. Most Argentine restaurants in the UK stock a range of Malbecs at different price points. At Gaucho, the wine list features bottles from across Argentina, not just Mendoza, including options from the Neuquén region in Patagonia.
How Much Does a Parrillada Cost in the UK?
Prices vary significantly depending on location and restaurant type.
| Restaurant | Location | Parrillada Price (approx. for two) | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malevo Tower Bridge | London SE1 | £40 to £55 | Rump, sausage, morcilla, provoleta, chimichurri |
| Santa Maria del Sur | Battersea, London | £45 to £60 | Rump, chicken, chorizo, black pudding, provoleta |
| Casa Malevo | Paddington, London | £50 to £65 | Varies by selection |
| Buenos Aires Steakhouse | Wimbledon/Richmond | £45 to £60 | Steaks, sausage, sides |
| Gaucho | Nationwide | £55 to £100+ | Premium cuts, sharing platters |
These figures are approximate and based on menu pricing and diner reports as of mid-2026. Prices may vary by branch and menu changes.
Add a bottle of Malbec (typically £25 to £45 at most restaurants), starters, and dessert, and expect a total bill for two of around £100 to £180 depending on the venue.
[Internal Link: News Instinct article on eating out on a budget in London]
Parrillada Argentina vs. British BBQ: What’s Actually Different?
Argentine grilling uses lower temperatures and longer cooking times. Meat is placed on a parrilla, a grill with adjustable height controlled by a crank arm, over coals fed from a separate firebox. The parrilla itself is often lined with heat-refractory bricks that radiate heat back toward the grill grates. This setup produces a slow, even cook that’s difficult to replicate on a standard British barbecue.
Seasoning is minimal. Coarse salt, applied just before or during cooking, is the standard. Some larger cuts prepared on an asador criollo (vertical iron cross over open flame) are doused in salmuera, a brine of hot water, coarse salt, and herbs. There is no sauce glazing, no ketchup, and no squeezing of charcoal lighter fluid.
The range of cuts served in an Argentine grill is also broader. You’ll find vacío (flank steak), bife de chorizo (sirloin), entraña (skirt steak), tira de asado (short ribs), and a full suite of offal that would make most British barbecue setups look conservative by comparison.
And then there’s the cultural dimension. In Argentina, the asado is a communal Sunday ritual, a gathering of family and friends that can stretch across an entire afternoon. The parrillero is a respected figure. As the grill master reaches each cut’s optimal doneness, it’s carved and served directly, sometimes onto a communal wooden board. That unhurried, generous spirit is what the best UK parrilla restaurants try to recreate.
FAQ’s About Parrillada Argentina Near Me
1. What does “parrillada” mean?
Parrillada comes from “parrilla,” which means grill in Spanish. In Argentine cooking, a parrillada refers specifically to a mixed grill platter featuring a selection of meats, sausages, and offal cooked over wood or charcoal.
2. Is parrillada the same as asado? They’re related but not identical. Asado refers to the broader Argentine barbecue tradition and can mean both the event (a barbecue gathering) and a specific cut (short ribs). A parrillada is the mixed grill platter you’d order at a restaurant. At a home asado, the food served is similar, but the term parrillada is more closely associated with restaurant dining.
3. Can I get a vegetarian version of a parrillada? Meat is the foundation of a traditional parrillada, but most Argentine restaurants in the UK now offer vegetarian options on the side. Grilled provoleta, grilled vegetables (aubergine, peppers, courgettes), and empanadas with vegetarian fillings are common. A handful of restaurants offer a dedicated vegetarian grill platter.
4. Is Argentine beef at UK restaurants actually from Argentina? At some restaurants, yes. Malevo Tower Bridge and Santa Maria del Sur both import beef directly from Argentina. Gaucho sources Argentine Black Angus from Pampas farms. Other restaurants may use British or European beef prepared in the Argentine style. Check with the restaurant or look for origin information on the menu.
5. How do I pronounce “parrillada”? In Argentine Spanish, the double “ll” makes a “sh” or soft “j” sound. So parrillada is pronounced roughly “pa-ree-SHA-da” or “pa-ree-JA-da.”
Your Next Move
The best parrillada argentina near you depends on where you live and what you’re willing to spend. If you’re in London, you have genuine choice: Buen Ayre for authenticity, Malevo for a family-run charcoal grill experience, Gaucho for polish and consistency. Outside London, Gaucho’s national footprint fills the gap, and Edinburgh’s growing Argentine restaurant scene is worth watching.
Book ahead, especially for weekend dinners. Order the parrillada for two even if there are three of you. Start with provoleta and empanadas. Drink Malbec. And leave enough time for the meal to unfold properly, because a good parrillada is not something you rush through.