Bar El Cairo, Historic bar building in Rosario, Argentina

Bar El Cairo is a traditional bar occupying the ground floor of a residential building at the corner of Sarmiento and Santa Fe streets in downtown Rosario. The interior features wooden tables, old chairs, and a long counter that give the room its particular look.

Bar El Cairo opened in 1943 on the ground floor of a large house at the corner of Sarmiento and Santa Fe. In the 1970s it was remodeled and became a meeting point for young intellectuals. The writer Roberto Fontanarrosa later made it known through his book "La mesa de los galanes".

Roberto Fontanarrosa, the Rosario-born writer and cartoonist, was a regular here and wove the place into his stories, which gave it a lasting place in Argentine literary life. Today, readers and fans of his work come to sit at the same tables he used, treating the bar as a kind of informal tribute to him.

The bar sits at a visible street corner in the heart of downtown Rosario, easy to reach on foot from most central points. Going during quieter hours of the day is a good idea, as the space is not large and can fill up quickly.

The bar was remodeled in the 1970s, after which it became a meeting point for young intellectuals. Roberto Fontanarrosa later made it famous in his book "La mesa de los galanes", and today it is one of the most recognized and busy bars in Rosario.