Flakey, Fluffy, Buttery Bliss: The Dreamiest Medialunas in Buenos Aires

Just sweeter than a textbook croissant and equally hit-or-miss, the "medialuna" is a BA breakfast ritual worth perfecting. Wondering where to find the city's most glorious glazed crescents? From nostalgic neighborhood haunts to next-generation crust crusaders, here's our cortado-friendly hit list.

1. Café Rivas

Antiques-trawlers take note: there's no tastier (or prettier) preamble to a San Telmo Sunday. Located on one of the barrio's most poetic cobbled corners, this timeless charmer serves exemplary pastry alongside Art Deco fixtures and wood-paneled mirrors to whet your vintage appetite. NB: Homemade jam and butter come at an additional charge and are worth every centavo.

Café Rivas; Estados Unidos 302

2. Los Galgos

It's not everyday a languishing "bar notable" gets restored and resurrected by a highly regarded pair of local hospitality visionaries. Thanks to Julián Díaz and Florencia Capella (of 878 fame), this heritage boîte now boasts precision espresso and an all-day menu that's every bit as delicious as the '30s-era ambiente. The medialunas alone are worthy of a rush hour commute to Tribunales.

Los Galgos; Callao 501

3. Salvaje Bakery

If the bread whisperers at New York's Arcade Bakery or San Francisco's Tartine were to do a medialuna, it would probably resemble the gorgeous specimens at Germán Torres's Palermo homage to all things naturally leavened and fermented. Just like its flaxseed-flecked wheat and crackly country loaves, Salvaje pastries are made with the cult baker's reverentially maintained masamadre.

Salvaje Bakery; Av. Dorrego 1829