The Ligurian Focacceria in Buenos Aires hidden in the cradle of Tango

According to some data collected over the last decade, 60% of Argentina's population has Ligurian ancestry. The strong bond between Genoa, Liguria, and the South American country is particularly evident in certain neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires. La Boca is the most famous in this regard, but the passion for “fugazza” and pesto is also palpable in San Telmo, the historic barrio that claims to be the birthplace of tango.

San Telmo and migrations

San Telmo is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in the Argentine capital. In the 17th century, the area, then known as Alto de San Pedro, was mainly inhabited by dockworkers and sailors. In 1734, the Jesuits began construction of the San Pedro Telmo Church, which eventually gave the entire neighbourhood its name. In 1871, a devastating yellow fever epidemic struck Buenos Aires, prompting the wealthy families who lived there to abandon the area in favour of higher and healthier districts. The large empty residences were then rented out to immigrants, who began arriving en masse in the capital towards the end of the 19th century.

The Fugazza of Buenos Aires

A symbol of Buenos Aires’ cultural mix, a city deeply connected to pizza and other leavened dough specialities, fugazza is the emblematic dish of Ligurian immigrants who arrived in Argentina in the 19th century, bringing with them their beloved fugassa, the traditional olive oil focaccia. Like all imported foods, Ligurian focaccia had to adapt to locally available ingredients, giving rise to the typical versions found in Buenos Aires today, where onions, cheese, ham, peppers, and the much-loved "muzzarella" (mozzarella) are ubiquitous.

Pirilo Pizzeria

Behind a small sign in the neighbourhood of San Telmo, at Defensa 821, lies a tiny, unpretentious shop that has remained unchanged over time. Founded in 1930, Pirilo Pizzeria has kept its original spirit intact for nearly 100 years, strongly reminiscent of the sciamadde found across the ocean—Genoese bakeries and fry shops, famous for their takeaway specialities. Even today, the business is still run by the same family, now led by Silvia Vizzari and her sister Maria Isabel, granddaughters of Vicente Vizzari and daughters of Juan, known as Pirilo, from whom the pizzeria takes its name. The walls are adorned with banners and jerseys of Club Atlético San Telmo, the local football team, whose blue and light blue colours dominate the decor.

The specialities of Pirilo Pizzeria include:

• Fugazza with onions
• Fugazzetta ripiena (stuffed fugazza) – a thick, fluffy version filled with plenty of cheese, not to be confused with Ligurian cheese focaccias like the famous Focaccia di Recco
• Pizza with mozzarella
• Fainá – the Italo-Argentine chickpea farinata, which, unlike its Ligurian counterpart, is flavoured with black pepper, rosemary, and cheese, and is often served on top of pizza

A slice of fainá costs 1,400 Argentine pesos (around €1.20), while a portion of cheese fugazza is about €4. There are no tables or chairs—at Pirilo, you eat standing up, in front of the marble counter, while an endless supply of fugazze is pulled from the same wood-fired oven that has been in use since the shop first opened. A beloved piece of Buenos Aires' gastronomic history.