30 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.

Canela Qué Que

$$ Fodor's Choice

A vivid lavender-and-green exterior gives way to a eclectic dining room with oversized globe lights and shattered-tile floors that lead to a garden terrace in the back. The overall ambience is light and cheerful, with a friendly staff and an accessible and flavorful menu; try the cazuelas. Served in a bowl, this Colombian dish has a base of beans, mature plantains, avocado, and arepas, and a choice of meat.

Lulo Cafe Bar

$$ Fodor's Choice

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.

Restaurante Italiano da Ugo

$$ Fodor's Choice

Just about a mile out of town, you'll find the cozy Ugo. The pastas, freshly made in-house, are the stars of the show, with influence from Ugo’s native Verona. The selection is good, and a few decent wines are on hand to make the perfect end to your day. Save space for the tiramisu.

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Restaurante Ringlete

$$ Fodor's Choice

There's simply no better place to try local Vallecaucana cuisine than from the hands of talented chef Martha Jaramillo, in this colorful, restored home. Many of her recipes are built on those of her grandparents and are slow cooked with rich, wholesome flavors like the classic arroz atollado (sticky rice with various meats) or the cola endiablado (beer-braised oxtail spiced up with three local chilies). Wash it all down with a lulada.

Verdeo

$$ Fodor's Choice

Just off a small park, and marked by a brightly painted exterior---most notably an oversized, happy white rabbit---this vegan restaurant is sure to add a little light to anyone's day. The interior is bursting with creativity---a jungle mural over the staircase, mismatched furniture and crockery, and plenty of greenery throughout. Friendly staff weave among the tables bearing plates filled with colorful, healthy vegetarian fare like stuffed veggie wraps, freshly squeezed juices, flavorful vegan burgers, and Peruvian causa (mashed yellow potato with stuffing). Service can be a touch slow at peak hours.

80 Sillas

The menu at this trendy ceviche spot reads like a fantasy list of ceviche creations, with everything from bacon to ketchup added to the Peruvian classic; the simpler creations are tasty and affordable. Also look out for the tiradito (thinly sliced fish served with mango, soy, and ginger) and octopus, which is plentiful and well prepared. Don't miss the blackboard list of cocktails, made by the excellent bar.

Abasto

One of the leaders of Usaquen’s gastronomic boom, Abasto is all about using local farm-to-table ingredients in its well-prepared, modern-bistro-style dishes. Much loved for its breakfasts, the restaurant tends to get packed, particularly for Sunday brunch, when the crowds hit Usaquen's street market, but the in-house baked goods make the wait worth it. If you can't get to a table, you can always grab a coffee and a pastry to go. The deli-grocery ambience tones down in the evenings, making it a cozy dinner choice with a constantly changing menu that keeps things interesting. When in season, look for the fantastically fresh trout or try the risotto-style rice dishes with shrimp or roasted veggies.

Bosques de Cocora Donde Juan B

If you're in Salento, head out to the Cocora Valley, where restored fincas now serve as country-style restaurants and guesthouses. The Bosques de Cocora is the pick of the bunch, offering sumptuous dishes of the local delicacy, trout, and set against a cloud-forest backdrop. At the restaurant, inquire about accommodation in their guesthouse, Finca San José.

Café Bernabé Gourmet Restaurant

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.

Cafetería Romana

Reminiscent of a 1960s-era diner, this unpretentious neighborhood favorite in La Candelaria serves a good selection of sandwiches. Stop here for a typical Colombian breakfast—hot chocolate with cheese and bread.

D'Andre Gourmet

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.

De Silvio Trattoria

The exposed stone walls and graffiti-covered exterior of an old Getsemaní home set the tone for this trendy Italian restaurant, which seamlessly blends the historical and modern faces of the neighborhood. Grab a table in the green, open-air courtyard and stick to the pizza. You'll enjoy a gently pleasant evening that isn't too heavy on the wallet.

Di Lucca

Perfectly located in the heart of the Zona T, this beloved Italian restaurant serves up pitch-perfect pastas and pizzas, stellar seafood dishes, and daily blackboard specials. The outside terrace is a lovely spot to dine. Reservations are essential.

El Altillo del Sol Cafe

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.

El Olivo Food House

Two restaurants in one, the Food House's Spanish owners have drawn on a wealth of travels to put together tastefully designed dishes with fresh, top-quality ingredients. Downstairs, the burger bar, Madison, channels a vintage American diner, with suitably killer milk shakes and chunky, pure-beef burgers with inventive toppings. Upstairs, and closer to home, El Olivo serves a modern market cuisine with Mediterranean roots and shares the space with a small gallery showing local artists. The effort put into sourcing quality products, and the owners' attention to detail, shines through in their food, with rich sauces, perfectly crisped croquetas de bacalao, and the paella which is sure to become a house favorite.

El Patio

None of the cutlery matches, the plates are a hodgepodge of styles, and the small dining room is crammed with tables, but all this simply adds to the restaurant's eccentric charm. It's in a great location a couple of blocks from the Plaza de Toros Santamaría in the bohemian neighborhood of La Macarena. Try one of the masterful salads or the delicious veal parmigiana.

Helena Adentro Restaurant

Equal parts art gallery and bar-restaurant, Heleno Adentro is a slice of young and creative Colombia, bursting with color and eye-catching design, with funky, repurposed antiques dotted here and there. The impressive bar and fruity cocktails are the main draws here, backed up by a short menu of local dishes with contemporary stylings designed to share and snack on. Unfortunately, mains are hit or miss, and service lags at times. The clear-roofed interior patio is the pick of the spaces, particularly at night, when it takes on romantic candlelit hues, but take time to explore the whole restaurant—each room is a visual treat.

Home Burgers

Sometimes you just need a good burger, and that is the simple premise behind Home Burgers, a modern diner-style salon with a fast-food counter. The burgers are quality beef, perfectly grilled to your liking, and the fries superb. There’s also an excellent veggie-burger option. Come early if you want to get a table—both Chapinero branches fill up quickly.

I Balcone

Directly above the famous Cafe Havana, I Balcone retains its mantle of go-to spot in the city for fans of thin-crust pizza thanks to an excellent dough and all handmade ingredients. The pasta, also freshly made, is an equally good choice, with the creamy lobster linguine a standout. The interior lacks a bit of love, but get there early to assure a spot at the little tables squeezed onto one of the balconies, and you can enjoy the inevitably pleasant evening and lively street life passing below.

La Condesa Irina Lazaar Restaurant

Plain white walls, simple wooden tables, and tiled floors set the scene at this neighborhood favorite. Since opening in 2010, this hard-to-find restaurant has gathered fans from every spectrum of Bogotá society for its big-hearted ambience, outstanding, seasonal menu, and easy-on-the-wallet prices. The menu changes constantly, but keep an eye out for shrimp and fish dishes, for which the chef has a particularly deft hand.

La Cosecha Parrillada Restaurant

There are plenty of restaurants in and around the center that have decent offerings, but La Cosecha stands out for quality and service. You can expect generous portions of well-cooked beef and some superb examples of local favorites like lengua a la criolla (beef tongue in a creole tomato and onion sauce).

La Frontera Restaurante Pizzeria

There are no frills here---candleholders are empty wine bottles and food is served on a smoothed slice of a tree trunk---but the pizza comes out thin, crispy, and delicious every time and the beers are cold. It's exactly what you need after a day at the beach.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

Colombia

Colombia

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