3 Best Restaurants in Colombia

Just off the main road, this cozy space aspires to raise the level of dining in Salento, and for the most part, succeeds resoundingly. The menu ranges from meat dishes with fruit- and coffee-based sauces to simple pastas and vegetarian dishes. The tables in the backyard are the best, with fantastic views over the valleys behind town. The coffee and coffee cocktails are reason alone for a visit.

This cheap and cheerful spot is a Poblado breakfast institution that offers American and local classics---anything arepa and egg based---with a decent cup of coffee. Spend a lengthy breakfast or brunch at a table on the raised wooden deck; the daily set-lunch menu is one of the neighborhood's best bargains, with a selection of mains, soup of the day, and a side salad for around 20,000 pesos.

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.