Café Tortoni, located at 825 Avenida de Mayo in Buenos Aires, is a historic establishment whose name probably derives from the famous Café Tortoni in Paris in the 19th century. This café has been emblematic of the traditional spirit of Avenida de Mayo for almost a century and has become a legend of the city. It was home to the most prestigious literary peña in Buenos Aires, led by the painter Benito Quinquela Martín. Today, it is still an outstanding cultural and tourist center.

Although there is an anecdote by the poet Baldomero Fernández Moreno about going out for a coffee at the Tortoni in the rain, this establishment is officially part of the group of Notable Bars of Buenos Aires, a category supported by city government programs.

Café Tortoni was inaugurated in 1858, and although there are two theories about its name, one version suggests that it was founded by a Frenchman named Touan, who named it after a café on the Boulevard des Italiens in Paris. The other version attributes its origin to Oreste Tortoni, who would have opened the café on 200 Defensa Street. The most widely accepted version, supported by one of the last owners, Mr. Fanego, is the first one.

In 1880, the café moved to its present location on the first floor of Saturnino Unzué's residence, an Italianate style house that still preserves its original façade, although deteriorated. The opening of Avenida de Mayo in 1888 affected the original structure, and in 1898 a new and more luxurious façade designed by the Norwegian architect Alejandro Christophersen was built.

At the end of the 19th century, the café was acquired by Celestino Curutchet, another Frenchman. In 1926, "La Peña" was established, a space dedicated to arts and literature, which operated until 1943 and was led by Quinquela Martín. This peña, which originally met in another café, found its home in the Tortoni and became an important cultural center, attracting figures such as Alfonsina Storni, Jorge Luis Borges, and Federico García Lorca.

Between 1962 and 1974, another group of writers, led by Abelardo Castillo and Humberto Constantini, met at the Tortoni and contributed to the creation of important literary magazines. Carlos Gardel, who used to frequent the café, is also a prominent figure in the history of the Tortoni.

Today, Café Tortoni is owned by the Touring Club Argentino and continues to be a venue for tango and jazz performances, book presentations and poetry contests. It maintains its original décor and offers a variety of cultural activities in its basement and other areas of the establishment. The café is also remembered in the tango "Viejo Tortoni" by Héctor Negro and Eladia Blázquez.