78 Best Restaurants in Colombia

We've compiled the best of the best in Colombia - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

La Niña Juani

This colorful restaurant is an ode to owner Anna María Morillo's grandmother and the cuisine of the northern coast around Barranquilla and Cartagena. Stop here for your morning arepa con huevo (egg) made from freshly ground corn and served with homemade suero costeño (a local crème fraîche). There are a handful of tables on the sidewalk; inside there's a lively mural of a Cartagena street, and brightly colored bar stools are tucked up to the counter where you can stop for a freshly squeezed juice. Try posta negra, the Cartagena classic of slow-cooked beef in a local cola sauce or some spot-on renditions of Caribbean fish dishes, like red snapper in coconut milk.

La Perla

$$$ | Centro

While Cartagena has a number of excellent ceviche restaurants, La Perla is a standout for it's variety of traditional Perivuan dishes, some novo-Andino styling, and inventive uses of local ingredients. The decor is simple yet elegant and creates an intimate dinner experience in the narrow restaurant, although the dining room can feel a little crowded when full. Peruvian chef Carlos Achinelli offers a short, frequently renewed but always interesting menu, which rewards exploring and reliably impresses with punchy flavors. Favorites are the stuffed squid and the tiradito (paper-thin slices of raw fish) in lime and yellow chili leche de tigre sauce. But don't pass up on the tasty cocktail menu.

La Puerta Falsa

Celebrating its bicentennial in 2016, this traditional Bogotá restaurant in the heart of La Candelaria serves what locals would call "a taste of their grandmother’s kitchen." For breakfast, order the tamal (a classic jungle dish of spiced rice and chicken cooked in a banana leaf) or a hot chocolate Santafereño (chocolate from Santa Fe) with bread and cheese for dipping. At lunch, the traditional ajiaco stew is a sure bet. If you're dining in, grab a seat at the counter opposite the kitchen or head upstairs to one of the tiny wooden tables for a little more elbow room.

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La Regatta

$$$

Close to the seafront and all the downtown attractions, La Regatta offers some of the island's best seafood on a deck set right over the water. Head here in the early evening to enjoy a sundowner before diving in to dinner. Reservations are advisable.

La Vitrola

$$$$ | Centro

This friendly restaurant on a quiet corner in the walled city is the result of a New Yorker's love affair with the Caribbean. You can begin with ceviche catalina (fish and octopus marinated in lime juice); then try a zarzuela de mariscos (seafood casserole) or perhaps corvina con salsa de cebollin y jenibre (sea bass with scallion-ginger sauce). Ceiling fans, historic photos, and live Cuban music complete the mood. Be aware of their no-shorts dress code.

Makao Restaurant

Owned by two young Spaniards, the food here is a step above a majority of the town's options. The tapas choices are inevitably good, and the mains on the short menu are all hearty and well prepared; the trout al ajillo (with a creamy garlic sauce) is one of the best in town. A funky soundtrack and solid, rustic, wooden tables make this a comfortable choice any time of day.

Masa

An artisanal bakery and coffee shop, this spot is the perfect place to feed your midafternoon snack attack. The bread is top-notch, and there are plenty of sandwich options for the savory minded. This is also a haven for sweet tooths; try the decidedly Parisian almond croissant or monstrous ice-cream sandwich.

Mi Cocina Restaurant

$$$

An outlet for the Academia Verde Oliva---a cooking school with locations in Bogotá and Villa de Leyva---Mi Cocina serves traditional Colombian fare on wrought-iron tables; the red-and-yellow-tiled exterior patio has the best seats, and you can watch the wood-fired oven in action. The daily lunch special is a bargain, but look out for dishes with longaniza (a local sausage considered a regional delicacy) from neighboring Sutamarchán, or the ajiaco, a traditional Bogotá soup that is prepared superbly here.

Mila Pastelería

$$$ | Centro

This upscale bakery and coffee shop offers touches of quaint, country-style decor and friendly service. Particularly popular for a midmorning coffee break or afternoon tea, the temple of pastry, cake, and silken mousse delivers a welcome respite, and you'll likely end up spending more time than you have planned. The pour-over filter coffee is good, and the lemon-coconut drink—a Cartagena classic—may be at it's best.

Mini-mal

$$$

The inventive, contemporary Colombian menu at this casual eatery features products and flavors from far-flung corners of the country. Look out for giant ants, puffer-fish tails, plantain sushi rolls, and excellent fruit juices. Eclectic decor, colorful mismatched furniture, and a friendly staff make for a lighthearted dining experience that begs repeating.

Ocio

Located next to Museo Nacional, this industrial-style space delivers fascinating modern Colombian bistro food that highlights local Amazonian ingredients. Menu items include flavorful aromatic soups and glazed pancetta with tucupi, which is an acidic, umami-laden sauce extracted from wild manioc. Great service tops off an excellent experience.

Pajares Salinas

$$$

Although the starched-white tablecloths make this popular spot rather formal, the classic Spanish dishes are superb. There's a range of excellent tapas as well as daily specials, and the elegant dining room is decorated with works of art from around the world.

Restaurante Italiano

The name may be basic, but you won't forget the food served at this small, two-level restaurant catercorner to the Iglesia de San Francisco. There's a good selection of pizzas, pastas, salads, and excellent cremas (cream soups).

Restaurante Savia

Savia is a breath of fresh air for those craving something light and healthy as an antidote to the meat-heavy diet of the highlands. The menu is largely vegetarian, with hearty vegetable bakes with brown rice, quinoa, and lentils; much of the produce is organic and locally sourced from area farms or the on-site garden. The interior sets a rustic grocery-style ambience, and the courtyard is a treat in the sunshine. Salads are particularly good and large---think honey mustard, avocado, arugula, Brie, and apple, or fried tofu with nori and spinach. It's often busy and service is somewhat slow, but patience is rewarded with amazing food.

Sua Palomino Restaurant

An unassuming restaurant located just off the main road, Sua goes the extra mile to serve fresh, healthy food that's responsibly and locally sourced, an admirable mission in an area where sustainability is rarely considered. The interior is bright and cheerful with colorful murals and simple wood tables. Service is slow, but the menu is a delight, with splendid fish dishes including ceviche and grilled fish in coconut-and-ginger sauce, and plenty of light, tasty salads. Excellent juices are just the thing to take the edge of the heat.

Tabula

$$$

Drenched in light from the towering glass ceiling, this warm space invites long shared lunches (with plenty of wine) in front of the giant wood-burning oven. The mains, mostly cooked in said oven, are large plates meant to be shared---osso buco, beef shank, ham hock---and are flavorful and tender. But the stars of the show are the starters, equal parts modern and creole, that range from grilled beef tongue with sun-dried-tomato vinaigrette to a tiger-prawn-and-chorizo casserole in a bijao (banana leaf).

Tienda de Café

$$$

Right on the Usaquen Park, this lively café serves straightforward Colombian fare. It's a great spot for breakfast, especially on market Sunday—grab an arepa with everything and settle back to people-watch. Service can be sluggish at times, so don’t come if you're in a hurry.

Tomadachi

$$$

This seven-table ramen restaurant is easy to miss, but the hunt is worth it---look for the white noren (traditional Japanese curtains) covering the doorway. The soups and rice dishes on the short menu are so perfectly executed you might forget that you're not in Tokyo. Arrive early to avoid a long wait.

Colombia

Colombia

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