On the corner of Almirante Brown and Suárez, in La Boca, there is a century-old pizzeria whose family history dates back nearly four decades before its opening: to a bakery founded in 1893. It’s called Banchero and is linked to the origins of the cheese fugazza—the “fugazzeta”—which is ordered today at any pizzeria in Buenos Aires.
Juan Banchero officially opened the pizzeria on March 28, 1932. To celebrate its 94th anniversary, the restaurant organized a dinner show, during which Diego Banchero, a member of the founding family, recounted the business’s origins.
“This business began as a pizzeria in 1932, but before that, my great-great-grandfather and my great-grandfather ran a bakery called Riachuelo right here in La Boca,” he said.
From the Riachuelo Bakery to the Pizzeria
The story begins in 1893, when Agustín Banchero, an immigrant from Genoa, arrived in the neighborhood. Together with his son Juan, he opened a bakery they called Riachuelo, just a few meters from the river that gave it its name and from the port where many of their neighbors arrived.”
That bakery is linked to the origin of the cheese fugazza, also known as fugazzeta. Nearly forty years later, Juan Banchero himself turned the family business into a pizzeria, on the very corner where the restaurant still stands today.”
This, the oldest pizzeria in Buenos Aires, currently has branches, but in each one you’ll find a piece of its century-old history as the first Buenos Aires pizzeria to bring the taste of melted cheese, the dough, and so many other flavors to the palates of Buenos Aires.”
How to get there
Banchero is located at the corner of Almirante Brown and Suárez, in the heart of La Boca. It’s a great stop to combine with a stroll through the neighborhood—and a surefire way to try a pizza with over a century of family history behind it.
If you’re planning to go, it’s a good idea to check the hours and menu directly with the restaurant before heading out.
