Restaurant in Buenos Aires Province, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
Pescaderia y Restoran Los Pinos
A dual fish shop and casual restaurant in Villa Gesell where you can buy the day's catch to cook yourself or have the kitchen prepare it for you. The fried fish empanadas and grilled sea bass are outstanding.
Pescaderia y Restoran Los Pinos on Av. Buenos Aires in Villa Gesell operates as a dual enterprise: a retail fish market in the front section where the day's catch is displayed on ice for purchase, and a casual restaurant in the rear where the same fish is prepared to order by the kitchen. Villa Gesell is a small Atlantic coast resort in Buenos Aires Province, roughly 360 kilometres from the capital, that has maintained a quieter and more family-oriented identity than Mar del Plata to its south, and Los Pinos reflects that unpretentious character precisely.
The fish sold in the retail section arrives daily from local boats and from the Mar del Plata fishing fleet further south. Merluza (hake) dominates the catch for most of the year, augmented by corvina negra (black drum), pejerrey (silverside), cazón (school shark), and seasonal langostinos (prawns). Visitors can select their fish from the retail counter and have it prepared in the kitchen — a la plancha (grilled), al horno (baked), or fried — or choose from the daily restaurant menu, which reflects whatever is most abundant and fresh that morning. The empanadas de pescado are the most celebrated preparation: a flaky pastry shell filled with seasoned white fish, hard-boiled egg, and red pepper, baked to order and served hot.
Merluza a la plancha is the kitchen's most frequently requested dish — a thick fillet of hake grilled with olive oil, lemon, and garlic, served with a simple salad and boiled potatoes. The preparation requires little intervention because the fish quality does the work. Cazón en escabeche, the cold school shark pickle served as a starter, represents one of the more distinctive Buenos Aires Province coastal preparations and is worth ordering when available. Pricing at Los Pinos is structured around the retail fish market reality — portions are sized generously and marked up modestly over the raw ingredient price, resulting in some of the most affordable high-quality seafood on the Buenos Aires Province Atlantic coast.
Signature dishes
- Empanadas de pescado — $6
- Merluza a la plancha — $12
Known for: Fresh local fish at market prices
Hours: 10AM-3PM, 6PM-10PM
Location
Av. Buenos Aires 140, Villa Gesell, Buenos Aires Province
-37.2590, -56.9695 — View on map
Highlights
- Dual fish market and restaurant in Villa Gesell — select fish at the counter and have it prepared to order
- Empanadas de pescado: flaky pastry filled with seasoned white fish, egg, and red pepper, baked fresh
- Daily catch from local boats and the Mar del Plata fleet ensures genuine freshness at market prices
- Merluza a la plancha executed simply and well, letting the quality of the catch carry the dish
- Among the most affordable fresh seafood restaurants on the Buenos Aires Province Atlantic coast
Tips
- Visit the retail counter first to see what was landed that morning before choosing from the restaurant menu
- Cazón en escabeche (cold pickled school shark) is a distinctively local preparation worth trying when available
- Summer lunch (November–March) fills early — arriving by 12:30 PM secures a table without waiting
- The empanadas de pescado are popular and sometimes sell out by 2PM on busy days — order them early or as a starter
FAQ
Can visitors buy fresh fish to take home as well as eat in the restaurant?
Yes. The front section of the premises is a working retail fish market. Visitors can purchase fish by weight for home preparation independently of the restaurant service.
What species of fish are typically available?
Merluza (hake) is the most consistent offering. Corvina negra, pejerrey, cazón, and seasonal langostinos appear depending on the daily catch. The kitchen can advise on what is freshest each morning.
Is Villa Gesell easy to reach from Buenos Aires?
Regular long-distance bus services connect Buenos Aires Retiro terminal with Villa Gesell in approximately four to five hours depending on the season. The town is also reachable by car via Ruta 2 and the coastal roads.
Does the restaurant serve anything other than seafood?
The menu is exclusively focused on seafood. No meat dishes are offered, though salads, chips, and bread accompany the main fish preparations.
Accessibility
The premises include the retail fish market at the front, which has a flat floor at street level, and the restaurant in the rear, also on the ground floor. The entrance from Av. Buenos Aires has no steps. Wheelchair access to the dining area is feasible, though the space narrows between tables during busy service.