Food guide: the tastiest places in Colombia
Colombia has an enormous amount to offer: beautiful beaches, vibrant cities, desert landscapes and breathtaking jungles and mountains. Colombian cuisine is a little less popular. Everything is thrown into the deep fryer, and after the tenth time, beans, rice, fried plátanos and arepas really aren’t that tasty anymore. Fortunately, I also managed to find plenty of gems, so if you’re planning to travel to this beautiful country soon, make sure you don’t skip these spots!
Bogota
KLM now flies directly to the capital, Bogota. Tired and hungry after your ten-hour flight? Head straight to La Puerta Falsa for the ultimate Colombian comfort food. This restaurant is small and simply decorated. You won’t sit there for very long, but you will eat the best soup of your life: ajiaco. This hearty peasant soup has a version in several Latin American countries, but it is especially a signature dish in Bogota. This bowl of happiness consists of chicken, three types of potato, corn and guasca herb. La Puerta Falsa serves by far the best version—and keep in mind: the portions are enormous, so sharing is perfectly fine!
Medellin
Medellin is a beautiful city, but it can be quite overwhelming. It’s busy, large and vibrant, and there’s always something going on. Great, but this makes it difficult to distinguish the tourist traps from the places that aren’t. El Social is definitely not a tourist trap. This will become your favorite eatery in Medellin. El Social is the perfect place to start your night out. The tables are packed closely together, and everyone sits cozily outside on the street with a beer. The music is always good, and you’re always surrounded by dancing people. Order the chicharon at El Social. I ordered this several times in Colombia, since it’s on the menu everywhere, but it’s often not prepared well. When you deep-fry pork fat, you want it to be crispy—and they understand that at El Social. With a cold Aguila (the Heineken of Colombia) and an aguardiente on the side, your Colombian salsa night is complete. A fan of aguardiente just like me? At El Social, you can also buy the anise-flavored liqueur by the bottle. Delicious, but beware: hangover guaranteed.
Cartagena
At El Arsenal: The Rum Box, they know how to give you a wonderful evening. In this beautiful place, you’ll be shown to a table, and a glass of dark rum and delicious dark chocolate are immediately placed in front of everyone. This amuse-bouche is on the house. A good start is half the battle, as they say. The friendly person serving you writes his or her name on the tablecloth and asks the guests to do the same. The crayons remain on the table all evening, which can lead to some very funny drawings after a few rum cocktails. The food is delicious, including the tuna ceviche, briefly grilled salmon and chicken, but of course, the rum is the main attraction. At El Arsenal, you’ll find only rum from Colombia, used in delicious cocktails or served as a sipping spirit. Prices are slightly higher here than at other Colombian restaurants, but El Arsenal is definitely worth it.
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Minca
Minca is a wonderfully small village hidden in the Colombian jungle. There isn’t much to do besides ultimate relaxation! You come to Minca to hike (check out that incredible view!) and enjoy the delicious food. You could describe Minca as a hippie village, and that’s great, because it means plenty of vegetarian and vegan food. And believe me, if you’ve already been in Colombia for a while, you’ll really need that after all the fried meat and arepas you’ve been served. For lunch, Duni is the ultimate hotspot. Settle in with a good book and enjoy a healthy lunch, including iced coffees and fresh mango juice. In the evening, head to Casa Loma. Besides the beautiful view, you can enjoy tasty cocktails and live music here. Reserve a table and, for 22,000 Colombian pesos, or €5.92, you’ll get a delicious vegetarian three-course meal!
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Caribbean coast
Many backpackers in Colombia travel along the Caribbean coast. Palomino and Tayrona are very popular, but Costeño Beach is beautiful too! The place is popular for its expansive white beach, wild sea, jungle surroundings and fun hostels such as Costeño Beach Hostel and Los Hermanos. You can eat delicious (vegetarian) food at all these hostels, but we recommend going on a bit more of an adventure. You’ll find the hidden gem Don Samuel after a beautiful twenty-minute walk along the beach. A breathtaking way to begin your evening. Don Samuel is a small shack on the beach with three plastic tables and rickety chairs. There’s no menu and the food is simple, but always good. The catch of the day determines what they sell. Usually, it’s the classic fried sea bass (yes, they really do fry everything); rice dishes with shrimp and other seafood are also often on the menu. The portions are large, the food is delicious, and the unique experience and beautiful sunset make it my best dining experience during my trip to Colombia. Don’t skip this one!
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