A Trip Back in Time at Yiyo El Zeneize

For many years Yiyo El Zeneize distributed wines and canned goods. The almacén (general store) and cantina was a popular hang out for those who worked and lived in the neighborhood, including famous tango singers, poets, and artists. 

Yiyo El Zeneize is like a museum. It’s full of one hundred years of relics, memories, and antiques. Founded by Italian-born Yiyo, an eccentric antiquarian from Genoa, this cantina tells the story of Argentine history, tradition, family, and rebirth.

Yiyo’s sons took over the cantina where they tended bar for decades. But during the pandemic, Luis and Bautista, who were 91 and 93 years old respectively, passed away. That’s when Danilo, Luis’s grandson, and Omar, Bautista’s son, teamed up with two friends who work in the gastronomic industry, Maxi Luque and Cristian Díaz, and took over to carry on his family’s legacy.

The new team behind Yiyo spent weeks cleaning and organizing the space, which was filled with treasures that spanned over 100 years. “It was like opening Pandora’s box,” Maxi says, who was a major player in helping reinvent the food and drink menu. “We couldn’t believe everything we found, it was then when we realized its great potential.”

They found more than two thousand antique bottles full of Campari, Cinzano, wines and other liquors that they now store in the wine cellar underneath the restaurant. Most of these bottles aged perfectly and appear as specials on the drink menu. 

A major part of the project is the restoration and recovery of the antiques found inside. The office, for example, has remained the same for decades, giving diners a peek into Yiyo's past. The team also ventures to flea markets and auctions to collect glass and plateware.

Danilo says that the first month was a challenge: they strived to continue in his grandfather’s footsteps, not changing too much of the concept so that regular clients still feel at home. At the same time, they were looking to appeal to a young generation too.

The food at Yiyo puts a modern twist on Argentine classics. They are known for their picada dishes, cheese and meat plates including Yiyo’s famous canned goods like pickled eggplant, spiced tomatoes, marinated mushrooms, and black olives with orange and cashews.

The tortilla española with lime aioli comes with a salchicha parrillera on top, a sausage commonly found on the Argentine grill. The fainá, a chickpea cake, has smoked pickled eggplant, red peppers, and cashews. 

“It’s not easy to find these high-quality products on this side of town, so we want to show people something classic, but perfectly done,” the bartender and cook Maxi Luque explains.

The cocktail menu is very important at Yiyo. Aperitivos and vermouth culture is a major part Argentina's drinking heritage, going back decades, especially at this type of bar and cantina. 

Clients can try some of the best classic Argentine cocktails like the “Antique Negroni” that uses the aged Campari, gin, and vermouth bottles found during the restoration.

Even though Yiyo has only been open for a few months, it has become a barrio hangout once again. "It's a special place for all generations and walks of life to come together for great food and drink," Maxi says.