Sherpa Buenos Aires: The #1 Food Tour in the World
We are beyond excited, and honestly, truly honored, to share some massive news with you. TripAdvisor officially named our Buenos Aires food tour the #1 best food tour in the world!
Though we’ve been recognized among the Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best before, this is still a massive milestone because we didn’t just top our specific category but also ranked as the #2 overall out of all global food and drink experiences. We were up against more than 400,000 experiences worldwide, competing shoulder-to-shoulder with global capitals that have massive, established tourism industries. Standing at the top of this podium is amazing, but definitely not a coincidence; it is the direct result of a team that pours their heart into every single tour.
If you’ve ever pulled up a chair with us, shared a laugh with strangers over a fugazzeta, and trusted us to show you the city exactly as it eats, this award belongs to you, too.
Let’s break down what made us the best food tour in the world, and where in the world we are setting the table next.
What ‘TripAdvisor’s Best of the Best’ Actually Means
You might be wondering how TripAdvisor actually decides who gets the top spot. The Traveler’s Choice Best of the Best is the platform’s highest honor, but it’s not handed out by a panel of hidden judges or food critics in suits.
It is based entirely on the real, unfiltered opinions of actual travelers. TripAdvisor calculates the winners by analyzing the quality and quantity of reviews and ratings collected over a 12-month period. Out of the millions of listings on the platform, fewer than 1% are awarded this title.
For us, that is the most important part. We don’t measure our success by Michelin stars, or white-glove service. We measure it by the connections made at our tables. Winning an award that is 100% driven by the people who actually walked the streets, drank the wine, and shared the food with us is the validation of the way we do things.
High Fidelity Local Experiences: The Sherpa Difference
We borrow the concept from music. In the world of audio, High Fidelity is about staying true to the original source: no distortion, no filters, no added noise. We apply that same philosophy to our tours. We want you to experience the city in its purest form, capturing the real pulse of the neighborhoods and the authentic rhythm of our tables.
The Origin: Two Friends, One Vision
Sherpa was born from a friendship that goes all the way back to 1998, when Alex Pels and Guillermo Borthwick met as eight-year-olds playing soccer in Buenos Aires. What started as a childhood bond eventually grew into a shared mission to showcase the best of our culture to the world.
Guillermo is a former lawyer whose path took some unexpected turns. After living in four different countries and working in Innovation at IBM, he decided to drop the corporate world entirely to build the best food travel company on the map.
Alex Pels was born in Argentina but spent some time living in the US: an experience that only deepened his appreciation for his roots. Now married to his Danish wife, he has dedicated his career to sharing Argentine culture through immersive projects like The Argentine Experience, Secreto Tango, and Fogón Asado (which even earned recognition from the Michelin Guide).
By 2013, the idea for Sherpa was already brewing while the two worked together at The Argentine Experience. In 2019, the very first Sherpa Food Tour finally hit the streets.
Like the rest of the world, we had to hit pause when 2020 halted all operations, but the vision never faded. We kept the tables waiting. Fast forward to today, and that same passion has led us right to the top, earning the #1 global food experience on TripAdvisor.
Buena Onda and Host Mentality
For us, the key to a memorable experience is the energy we bring to the table, or as we call it «Buena Onda». We want to be your local friends welcoming you to our city. When you pull up a chair with us, our main goal is to make you feel completely at home. We handle all the meticulous, behind-the-scenes details so you can just relax, drop your guard, and enjoy the night.
As you may have noticed, we believe that what’s on the plate is never just a meal but the most honest way to understand a destination. Every beloved street food bite and ancestral recipe tells the real story of the neighborhood. We use food as a vehicle for human connection. At the end of the night, we measure our success by the traces left behind: the used napkins, the empty wine glasses after a deep conversation, and the laughter shared across the table by people who started the evening as total strangers.
Our Local Partners
None of this would be possible without our local allies. We don’t see these spots as just stops on a route; we work together as a single, cohesive team. We are proud to collaborate with iconic places like El Preferido de Palermo, Wino, PICSA, Cabernet Fuego y Vino, Chori, Beba, El Federal, Antiche, and more.
These aren’t just venues; they are partners who share our pulse for the city and uphold the same high standards of quality that we bring to every single table. They are the ones who open their doors so you can feel like a true part of the neighborhood from the moment you walk in.
Our Guides: The Soul of the Experience
Our guides are the true hosts of the tour. They are passionate people who don’t follow a rigid script; they put their heart and soul into every tour to make things happen.
As Alex and Guillermo say, this award is, above all, a source of immense pride for the entire team. Seeing the hard work and passion our guides pour into every single tour recognized on a global stage is incredibly gratifying. They are the ones who ensure that every guest feels welcome and that the food remains a vehicle for real human connection.
The Best Food Tour is Setting the Table Globally
Buenos Aires is our home. It is where we started, where we fine-tuned every detail, and where we earned the title of the #1 food tour in the world. But the philosophy that got us to the top wasn’t built for just one city; it was built for anyone who craves an authentic connection to a new place.
We are taking the exact same standard that earned us this global recognition and bringing it across the map. Whether you are exploring the vibrant culinary scene in Lima, tasting your way through the streets of Mexico City, discovering the hidden spots of London and Amsterdam, or uncovering the soulful, local side of Paris, you will find the exact same Sherpa Way. And, spoiler alert, we have a lote more coming soon!
Of course, we don’t copy and paste the menu: every destination has its own unique, unfiltered pulse, but we do replicate the excellence. You will experience the same Buena Onda, the same unwavering respect for our local partners, and the same high-fidelity approach that won over the world in Argentina.
No matter which city you visit next, our promise remains the same: we are turning off the tourist autotune, pulling up a chair, and setting a table where things actually happen.
Want to dive into our Buenos Aires recommendations? Check Out Our Article on Argentine Food
