14 Best Restaurants in Colombia

A draw for serious coffee lovers, this tiny, charmingly rustic and colorfully cluttered café is the perfect place to delve into the wide world of Colombian coffee. Owner, roaster, and barista David is passionate and knowledgeable and with no pretense or frills. He offers an impressive array of modern methods of preparation—from Chemex, Aeropress, and cold brew to traditionally (and impeccably) prepared espresso—but also a mad genius edge by offering coffee from machines from as far abroad as Germany or Vietnam. The café also offers a wide variety of cold coffee, fruit drinks, and creamy caffeinated cocktails. Go when you have some time to sample beans from various regions around the country, or just sit at the wooden beam bench outside and watch a Getsemaní afternoon pass by. However, it's only open from 3 pm to 8 pm.

Just off the plaza, this tiny, family-run café serves its own brews as well as those sourced from 10 local farms. Take the time to chat to the fantastic baristas at the counter, and don't miss the pastries. It also offers the area's best coffee tour.

The owner of Medellín's beloved purveyor of high-end speciality coffee prides himself on his thorough investigation of and involvement with his suppliers from plant to cup. Let Pergamino's friendly and knowledgeable baristas talk you through the beans on the daily specials list and the best method of preparation. While you wait for your brew, let yourself be tempted by the selection of baked treats before choosing a cozy spot to linger over your choices. The street-side patio is perfect for people-watching.

One of the best places to hang out in town, Lulo gets it right with fresh juices, light healthy food, and a warm, easygoing vibe. The smoothies are outstanding, the wraps and gourmet arepas never disappoint, and breakfast is delicious. There are plenty of vegetarian options too, and they serve good local coffee from the Sierra Nevada.

An offshoot of the burgeoning coffee scene in Bogotá, Sybarita serves a smashing cup of coffee. The baristas are knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and have been known to talk customers through the range of modern and traditional preparation methods or the various coffee varieties and the country’s growing regions. Don't skip the desserts, like the house-speciality cheesecake. When you're done, stop by the counter and purchase a bag of your favorite beans.

One of the pioneers in Bogotá's burgeoning coffee-shop movement, Amor Perfecto has continued to source some of the best beans around. With plenty of comfy sofas surrounded by warm brick walls and wood floors, it's a pleasure to hang out here and soak up the coffee-spiced atmosphere. Every brew method is on hand, but don't miss the espresso---it's arguably the best in town.

A shipping container turned coffee shop, this Parque de la 93 café has a small, inviting wooden deck with scattered tables. It's the brainchild of two Americans who, when backpacking through South America some 10 years ago, fell hopelessly in love with Colombian coffee and threw themselves into the market. Now they source and roast some of the best local beans, with plenty of modern brewing methods offered up by knowledgeable and passionate baristas.

This long, narrow shop, with a coffee lab and roastery in the back, feels equal parts café and coffee school. The walls are lined with tables and decorated with informative posters that show off Colombia's coffee regions and the flavor profiles of their beans. The long counter at the entrance is packed with the available coffees, each in a glass jar, inviting visitors to examine and smell before making a choice. As with all Bogotá's best coffee shops, every modern method imaginable is available to prepare your coffee, and the talented baristas will be sure to recommend the best method for each bean or region.

Set in one of the village's most beautifully restored spaces, this otherwise simple café has an intricately designed roof that's worth checking out as it's the perfect example of traditional Antioquian style. This will become your go-to spot for a well-brewed cup of coffee and something sweet. Detailed murals add an extra touch of color to the space, and efficient service means you'll never wait too long.

Charming and plant filled, this quaint little coffee shop makes a great escape from the rush of the Sunday-market streets. Visit on a quiet day to relax, sip a coffee, and have a go at some of the dangerously tasty cakes. The Spanish hot chocolate is thick enough to stand a spoon up in, and is beastly good.

These guys do coffee right: they send an in-house team to local cooperatives to select the best microlots, which are then ground and roasted daily in accordance with their flavor profile. Every modern brewing method is on hand, and you will be expertly guided to the proper preparation based on the chosen beans. With tables overlooking Plaza Botero, this is a great place to rest and recharge with a pastry and cuppa while exploring the historic center.

A funky little café with checkered floors and tearoom-style salons, La Canoa's air-conditioned, brightly lit interior makes for a welcome respite any time of the day. The highlight is the selection of pastries and desserts for a snack with coffee. At lunchtime, the daily set menu is delicious and comes at a comfortable price; the homemade panini sandwiches are great, and the seafood salads are always a winner---try the Mediterráneo (shrimp and capers).

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.

Under the watchful gaze of the myriad black-and-white photos of Parisian life, the display cases of the village's favorite breakfast spot are heaped with sweet and savory delights like flaky almond croissants, chocolate éclairs, blackberry pasties, and savory quiches---the mustard-and-tomato quiche is a winner. Pair a treat with a cappuccino that comes topped with a mountain of frothed milk. Get in early for breakfast—doors open at 8 am—as the place fills up fast.