Comedores Paisanos and Legumbrerías Bolivianas in an Argentine Production Area

Abstract

Entering one of Argentina’s largest agricultural production areas—the Platense horti-cultural belt—requires an understanding of its plastic nature, manifested in the exten-sive presence of greenhouses and agricultural input containers. Within this context, comedores paisanos (country canteens) and legumbrerías (vegetable shops) emerge in relation to the region’s history of Bolivian migration. This article offers an ethnographic analysis of these spaces, based on participant observation, interviews, and digital research. The findings demonstrate that canteens and legumbrerías play a central role in the formation and reinforcement of kinship and community networks by activating socioeconomic flows. As spaces of social reproduction, they allow migrants to feel at home by publicly recreating the domestic kitchens of their pre-mi-gration lives. However, the sector’s broader process of segregation limits the poten-tial of these spaces to transform Argentina’s wider food system. The study concludes that the recent rise of canteens and legumbrerías signals a redefinition of shared food practices, shaped by dynamics of integration and exclusion, valuation and devaluation, and is infused with common aspirations, dreams, and challenges.