El Preferido de Palermo is a historic bodegon dating back to 1952. Housed in an iconic pink building from 1885, this spot has maintained its old-world charm despite a change in ownership and remodel.

When I moved here, this was a greasy spoon with bright orange and green tables. Legs of ham hung above the bar in front of stacks of canned peaches. Those canned preserves are long gone.

When the long term owners had to sell, the owner of Don Julio stepped in and turned this place into a fine dining adjacent (it's fancy but not snobby) version of its former self.

The menu is largely the same but also, it's 100% different. Classic 'bodegon' items like milanesa remain, but now they're made of sirloin. Salami is still on the menu but now it's interlaced with pistachio. And like with Don Julio, vegetables are grown on their farm.

It's not easy on the pocketbook, that's for sure, but a visit to El Preferido de Palermo is worth it. Make a reservation in advance.