Buenos Aires has always been an open-door city. Its inhabitants are called porteños, which makes reference to the fact that the city is a port. The inhabitant of the province of Buenos Aires is called bonaerense.
Porteños are warm and hospitable: they usually invite tourists for lunch or dinner at their homes and prepare typical food.

The characteristic infusion is the mate. It is prepared by pouring warm water into a gourd, also called mate that contains yerba mate.

Some people add sugar, but most prefer "un amargo" (a mate without sugar).