Naturally natural

Natural Deli
opened everyday till late
1776 Gorostiaga st.
1672 Laprida st.
4514 1776

After a few days of eating medialunas with cafe con leche for breakfast, your stomach starts complaining. You feel tired, cranky and stuffed. You'll soon start craving for natural food.

An apple or a walnut would do. But there's a more appetizing solution: 'Natural Deli'.

Mike, the owner and organic food's crusader, came from London to teach us that good natural, fresh, organic and veggie food can actually taste good. Organic coffee, scramble eggs, home made granola, french toast and home organic jams will redefine a typical breakfast in Buenos Aires. For lunch there's quiche, sandwiches, wraps, soups and freshly pressed juice, lemonade and ice tea. All good and fresh.

This is not a fast food place and they do take their time to prepare the meals, so patience is a must (you are in Buenos Aires after all). Natural Deli has two branches and they are planning to open up a few more. And yes, they sell apples and walnuts, too..

(Not a) Corner deli

Mark's Deli
El Salvador 4701
mon/sat 830am-930pm
sun 1030am9pm

I was slightly reluctant to write about this place. But why? It's always packed, so they definitely don't need any extra publicity. Then, they didn't let me take pictures. I really wonder why? I hate it when places impose this kind of stupid restrictions on paying customers. And it's expensive.

So why am I still writing? Well, despite the fact that it's always packed, they don't let you take pictures and the waiters are cranky, the place is a classic in the Palermo Soho area. They were one of the pioneers in the neighborhood, when they opened back in 2002.

From ice coffee to orange/chocolate pound cake to the sandwiches and salads there's a big selection to choose from. Everything is freshly made everyday.

Mark's isn't really a deli, as it's know in the states, although you can take stuff to go. It's more of a NYC style coffee house (I mention NYC since I lived there for years, I guess if I had lived in Chicago, or say Spokane, I would have said that it reminded me of either one of those cities).

I personally like Palermo, but there's a lack of good places to go for breakfast/lunch/afternoon coffee. The ones around Plaza Serrano are rather tacky and expensive. So places like Mark's Deli (and there are just a few in the area) are always a must go for those of us coffee nerds.

I always told myself that I wasn't going to write about Mark's Deli, but I just did. Maybe I wrote about it because I was there today and had a good time, even if it was crowded, expensive and they didn't let me take any pictures, except for the ones I managed to secretly take, of course..