“People are generally proud of their food. A willingness to eat and drink with people without fear and prejudice… they open up to you in ways that somebody visiting who is driven by a story may not get.”

– Anthony Bourdain

When Adam and I saw that our hostel, the Cranky Croc, offered a local food tour, we signed ourselves up immediately! Getting to sample local cuisines is a priority for us when we travel – nothing is off limits and we aren’t fussy when it comes to how ‘fancy’ or ‘basic’ the dish or establishment making the dish is. We just love getting stuck in!

The following tidbits of local food knowledge and cafe/restaurant recommendations are a product of the teachings of our wonderful local food tour guide, Milena. Her love of her home and local cuisine was immediately contagious. And part of what made the day so special was our lovely little tour group made up of individuals from all over the world – we all arrived as strangers but parted ways as friends with a shared love of new foods. The 5 hours we spent hopping from tucked-away cafes to bustling market stalls and unassuming restaurants flew by! 

I promised to share what I learnt from Milena with whoever happens to stumble upon my blog – enjoy my overview of the incredible food we had the pleasure of sampling in Bogotá!

For: The most authentic dish of Bogotá, Ajiaco 

Visit: La PUERTA de la CATEDRAL

Ajiaco was one of the dishes I was most looking forward to trying and it certainly did not disappoint! This dish has a soup/stew consistency and is made with chicken, corn and potatoes. The stock is gloriously rich and cloudy in consistency and was presented to us with a side of rice and a slice of avocado. We were encouraged to top our ajiaco bowls off with cream and capers which added even more depth of flavour and saltiness. 

SIMPLY DELICIOUS. 

Address: Cl. 11 #6-26, La Candelaria, Bogotá, Colombia

For: Mamona BBQ from the Orinoquia region 

Visit: Restaurante Carbón de Leña

At the entrance to this particular stop of our tour we were greeted with the sights and sounds of marinated large slabs of meat hung over a fire-pit which could only mean one thing – BBQ! 

Here we sampled mamona, potato, plantain and mashed avocado, apparently a very traditional type of meal often eaten by locals. Mamona is veal meat from a young cow – it was tender on the inside and crisp on the outside. I would put this dish in the category of homely comfort food.

Address: Carrera 52 Sur # 40-44, barrio, Bogotá, Cundinamarca, Colombia

For: snacking on deep-fried cheese-stuffed Carimañolas

Visit: Di Amato – Chocolatería & Gastrobar

Who can resist the allure of bite-sized meat/cheese-stuffed yuca fritters? These tasty torpedo-shaped snacks are considered to be a proper South American dish ideal for a midday snack to share with your fellow travel buddies!

Address: Cl. 12d Bis #2-17, Bogotá

For: Sampling aborrajado stuffed with cheese and plantain in a beautiful rooftop setting

Visit: Fulanitos

I don’t know where to begin first here – the restaurant setting or the food itself! Fulanitos is as unassuming as most of the eateries appear to be in Bogotá on the outside…but then step inside and you will see a gorgeous antique-styled multi-floor restaurant. Be sure to make your way upstairs to the rooftop for gorgeous views over the colourful streets below. 

The aborrajados we tasted here were stuffed with cheese, plantain and a hint of cinnamon – a wonderfully warm and dense snack – again with a very comforting feel like many of the dishes we sampled on this day. If you like fluffy deep fried batter then this is the one to try for you!

Address: Cl. 71 #10-85, Bogotá

TOP TIP: Be sure to try out a Colombiana soda while you’re here. It’s an orange-coloured ‘champagne cola’ which actually tastes nothing like cola but more like a cream soda. This drink was made famous by the largest soda producer in South America and can be found pretty much anywhere.

For: Popular street-food sweet-treat, obleas

Visit: Plaza De Mercado La Concordia

You will undoubtedly pass by a street food vendor selling obleas at some point during your stay in Bogotá, one way or another. This Latin American dessert is made of delicate communion wafers sandwiched together with sweet dulce de leche typically, although they can also be filled with cheese, fruit, whipped cream, jam or any combination of the former to your liking. 

Address: Cl. 12c # 1 -40, Bogotá

For: the freshest ceviche served with plantain and yuca chips

Visit: María Tomasa 

If Maria Tomasa’s beautiful decor won’t catch your attention when wandering the streets of Candalaria then the mention of their exquisite ceviche definitely will! 

Ceviche is a typical South American seafood dish originally from Peru, and is made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juice. The ceviche we tried here, served with crispy yuca and plantain chips, was fabulously light and zesty… not ‘fishy’ in the slightest. Ceviche would be the perfect choice for lunch on a warm day. 

Address: Cl. 17 #2-60, Bogotá

For: the tastiest tamales served in secret…

Visit: Hit Panaderia/ Donde El Flaco

Is there anything more alluring than having to work that little bit harder in chasing down your next meal when you know it’s being served in a secret bar that only the locals know about? 

Hit Panaderia is, on the outside, an unassuming bakery. But make your way to the back room where you will find a secret bar/restaurant filled with locals and students enjoying one of the most quintessential Mesoamerican/ Latin American dishes – tamale. 

The tamale served here were made of rice, chickpeas, carrot, corn and pork all stuffed into plantain leaves and then steamed through. Definitely one of my favourite dishes we’ve tried in Colombia thus far! 

Address: Dg. 49 Sur, Bogotá

TOP TIP: In the birthplace of cocoa, it’s not surprising you will find some great hot chocolate in Colombia. But what you may not expect to see on the menu is hot chocolate with cheese – I had to do a taste test of this popular unique concoction! The sweet hot drink coupled with savoury, stringy cheese makes for an interesting combo – I’m not sure it is my favourite beverage but I would highly recommend you try it out and see what you think of it yourself!

For: Chilling with a coca tea and Colombian coffee 

Visit: Café Galeria Nuestra Herencia

At first sight Café Galeria is shrouded by art work and graffiti and this theme travels inside and upstairs to the low-lit and low-ceilinged seating area where you will find groups and friends meeting for a coffee or as we did, a coca tea. 

We heard of coca leaves when researching our trip to South America as it is a well-known remedy for altitude sickness symptoms (of which we certainly had a few!). Coca tea is the herbal infusion of the leaves of the coca plant, native to South America and tastes floral, citrusy and mildly bitter. 

If herbal teas are not your vibe, however, this spot would also be the ideal place to try Colombian coffee called tinto campesino or tinto montañero. Milena explained that Colombians take their coffee making/drinking ritual very seriously – drinking coffee was described as being ‘me time’. The coffee should be made with love, by hand and NOT by machine. And, when drinking said coffee, it must be done meditively and on its own, without the distraction of phones/laptops etc. It is a moment to savour and catch up with your thoughts or with other friends also drinking coffee.

That is my kind of ritual. 

Address: Bogotá, Cundinamarca

Fun foodie facts about Colombia:

• Because of Colombia’s proximity to the equator, it doesn’t have clearly defined seasons. This is why there are upwards of 300 types of fruit to try here!
• Plantain and avocado are eaten by locals most days. 
• In general Colombians do not eat spicy food and most of the dishes you will try are not spicy at all. That doesn’t mean they don’t have an incredible amount of flavour, however! 
• There are 300 types of potatoes in Colombia, which is small in comparison to Peru which has over 3000!

Free ice-cream!

The local radio station, Vibra FM happened to be giving out free ice-cream when we were on our food tour. A great little bonus of the day!

OUR TOP RESTAURANT PICKS

For: arguably the best tamales in the city

Visit: La Puerta Falsa Restaurant 

If you see a queue outside one restaurant in a street filled with dozens of dining options, you know that one spot is worth a visit. It also happens to be one of the restaurants that my hero Anthony Bourdain visited when filming Parts Unknown back in 2013. Adam and I have made a point of paying a visit to as many restaurants he visited in his lifetime as possible. We aren’t religious but this is about as close to a pilgrimage as it gets! 

The two-story restaurant is furnished with old wooden floorboards, tables and stools that creak underfoot. There is no decor aside from a huge looming framed menu hanging in front of you as you walk in. If you want fine dining and frills then this will not be the dining spot for you – your loss my friends! These guys do good food and they do it well – there is no decor to hide behind here. 

Adam and I waited very patiently for an hour to get a lunch time bench spot at this historic eatery located in the old colonial building situated a stone’s throw from Plaza de Bolivar. We were eventually seated upstairs on rickety old stools next to a noisy generator – I just love the quirky vintage character of the place! We ordered two tamales which arrived promptly, were steaming hot and were beyond delicious…insert *chef’s kiss* here. 

Address: Cl. 11 #6-50, Bogotá

For: Super affordable breakfasts & cocktails

Visit: The Cranky Croc Hostel

Our hostel, The Cranky Croc, was truly such a gem. Not only was it a fabulous base for our exploration of Bogotá due to its location, but it also offered amazing food too! We ate breakfast in the hostel’s restaurant each day and as well as having snacks/dinner and drinking cocktails/beers in the evenings.

The owner of the restaurant, Eddie, was always there to make sure the food was done to the highest possible standard and you could tell he took a lot of love and pride in his work. We soon learnt that it was a popular spot with the locals too, so be sure to check it out!

For: Midday drinks/snacking or a fancy dinner date with cocktails

Visit: Origen Bistro

Origen Bistro was located just outside of our hostel and we were instantly lured into its quaint courtyard dining set-up. 

We visited twice – once in the middle of the day to take a break from exploring the area for a coffee and empanadas and a second time on our last night in Bogotá for a fancy dinner and cocktails date. In the day the courtyard is gorgeous and the foliage makes it appear like a little oasis from the outside world. At night that same courtyard is dimly lit with fairy lights, which creates an inviting and romantic atmosphere. 

You can expect high quality food, strong cocktails at very reasonable prices! 

Address: Centro Histórico, Cra. 4 #12 C 88, Bogotá

Some places we missed but came highly recommended:

El Gato Gris for a moody, romantic interior with live music. 

Address: Cl. 12b #Carrera 1A, Bogotá, La Candelaria

Andrés D.C. for dinner and dancing! Make sure you get a reservation before you go though!

Address: Cl. 82 #12 -21, Bogotá

There you have it folks – a pretty comprehensive summary of some of the best foody stop offs to visit in Bogotá.

Until next time,

Lica xoxo

P.S. Thank you to Milena for sharing her time and knowledge with us!