7 Best Restaurants in Colombia

Arguably one of Bogotá’s best fine-dining experiences, chef Leonora Espinosa's eatery was among the first to explore the potential of Colombia’s vast range of products, from the caiman pâté in an Amazonian pepper broth to giant ant bottoms (yes, ant bottoms) from Santander crusting a rare tuna steak. Espinosa forged bonds with isolated communities to incorporate flavors and ingredients previously relegated to obscurity, and combines them here using modern techniques. The 12-course tasting menu offers a glimpse of these far corners and really shines with its drink pairings, which range from well-chosen wines to cocktails with locally brewed liqueurs. The service is five star, and the space quietly impressive. For a more budget-friendly option, serving smart but traditional creole dishes, check out her second restaurant, Misia, just across the road.

Specializing in masterfully prepared seafood and white-glove service, Casa San Isidro would be worth the trip for the location alone. Perched 2,000 feet over Bogotá on top of the Cerro de Monserrate and accessible only by cable car, you'll dine fireside as a pianist provides the soundtrack. The French-influenced menu includes plenty of local dishes---a wide range of ceviches, Amazonian yellow catfish, and tropical blue crabs---to keep things interesting. Be sure to leave by midnight, Cinderella, before the last cable car returns to the streets below.

Time slips gently by at this 18th-century fortress-turned-restaurant by a marina in the Manga neighborhood, not far from the walled town. Fish is a focus, and the restaurant prides itself on its wine list. It's easy to linger on the waterfront terrace in the shade of a giant fig tree, and the refreshingly calm ambience has played a large part in making Club de Pesca a local favorite. The food, though fresh, doesn't stand up to other high-end offerings around town.

With El Cileo, chef Juan Manuel Barrientes brings a highly conceptual, contemporary tasting menu to Medellín in a clean space with bare wooden tables that become the canvas for the 13 courses he calls "experiences;" a meal here is equal parts theater and dinner. The small portions are Colombian at heart, with an array of curious local ingredients. The experience won't appeal to all, but for those it does, expect quality avant-garde cuisine at a bargain prices. Look for branches in Bogotá and Miami.

With its slowly revolving dining room, this is one of the capital's more unusual restaurants. Somehow the dimly lit, dark-oak interior successfully conveys the sensibility of a 19th-century frigate. The lobster, crab, red snapper, and locally caught rainbow trout are satisfying, but the real draw here is the view.

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.