Colombia is a diverse and vibrant country that offers many opportunities and experiences, attracting an increasing number of digital nomads. Along with its beautiful landscapes, unique culture, and exciting city life, Colombia is also known for its enticing street food. Let’s explore some street food options worth trying in the country’s capital, Bogotá, and the city of Medellín.
Bogotá:
Bogotá, the capital and largest city of Colombia, offers a wide variety of street food options, from local traditional dishes to international cuisine. Here are some recommended food choices:
Caldo De Costilla:
This is a traditional Colombian soup that you shouldn’t miss if you enjoy soups. In the BuzzFeed Bring Me video “10 Must-Try Foods In Bogotá, Colombia,” they mention：
” I have the most delicious Caldo De Costilla, which is essentially beef broth with a little bit of cilantro and potato. It’s my favorite, and I’m really excited to share it and eat it here with you today.”
AREPA DE CHOCOLO:
This is a corn pancake filled with your choice of ingredients. In the BuzzFeed Bring Me video “10 Must-Try Foods In Bogotá, Colombia,” they describe：
” Colombians love their cheesy Reds and their edit bus. Essentially, they’re Oedipus, like your bread at home, and there are all different types of Oedipus. This is my absolute favorite. This is the best at it that you will try here in Colombia. The reason why a chocolo is because chocolo is a type of corn. It’s quite sweet, so the de pecho colo has, of course, cheese, vanilla, and corn. This is soft and sweet. It’s basically a soft, cheesy sweet pancake.”
Envuelto and Pan De Yuca:
These are two Colombian desserts and specialty bread. If you have a sweet tooth or want to try something different for afternoon tea, these are worth a taste. In the BuzzFeed Bring Me video “10 Must-Try Foods In Bogotá, Colombia,” they mention：
“We have the beautiful in Envuelto , and as you will see, it is not corn but a special texture which is the same ingredients as those of the arepa—more corn, more sugar, more cheese, more deliciousness. Here we have the bundle yuca, which is perfect for a quick snack or an afternoon bite. You can find these absolutely everywhere in Volta, but my favorite place to find this bread is actually in Colombian bakeries, which you’ll find in every corner of the city. And the reason why is because they’ll warm it up for you, so you’ll get that extra soft texture.”
Tamal Tolimanse:
This is a food wrapped in banana leaves, giving it a unique aroma and unexpected texture. In the BuzzFeed Bring Me video “10 Must-Try Foods In Bogotá, Colombia,” they explain：
“Essentially, it’s corn flour with a little bit of vegetables—carrots, peas—even with pork and chicken. It’s put into a paste or a masa and put in these Ojas de Plátano, which are banana leaves. And we see all this steam and the flower unfold. This is traditionally eaten for breakfast, an afternoon snack, and also as the main meal for Christmas.”
Chocolate Con Queso:
This is a characteristic Colombian beverage, perfect for afternoon tea. In the BuzzFeed Bring Me video “10 Must-Try Foods In Bogotá, Colombia,” they mention：
“We have the Chocolate Con Queso, which is a fermented rice drink topped with a little bit of cinnamon. We had to include the hot chocolate with cheese because how could you not have one of these while you’re in Vellore?”
Medellin
Medellin is the second largest city in Colombia and a favorite among digital nomads. The digital nomad community here is well-developed, and the city is also known for its delicious food. Let’s take a look at some recommended cuisine in Medellin.
Restaurante Idilico
This is a modern restaurant with a great ambiance. They also serve traditional Colombian yogurt. In the video “Where to Eat in Medellin Best Restaurants Rooftop Bars Food Tour” by Take Time To Travel, they mention:
“We’ll start on this treeline street in El Pabl and head over to one of our favorite restaurants in Medellin called the Restaurante Adilo, which has a modern cozy interior. But we decided to sit outside to enjoy the perfect weather. After we had a look over the menu, we ordered a couple of Club Colombia beers to drink. Then, as a starter, our friend chose the raw smoked trout with coconut cream, sweet-coated tomatoes, cav, and avocado. And we had the erepa with Crest, which is a motay orpa with local ricotta cheese, creamy Crest, and smoked butter, as well as the orpa deot with slow-cooked roasted pork, tomatoes, onion, coconut milk sauce, apple, and squiding sauce, fresh cheese, quots, and organic flowers. We were told that the sauce on the plate represents the Medellin skyline. All of the appetizers had a beautiful presentation and tasted delicious, but our favorite was the erepa with Crest, which was exceptional.
Then, our friend had the white fish Tempura with lemongrass rice, coconut onion tomato sauce, Colombian sour cream, and fresh salad. I ordered the slow-cooked roast beef, which was super tender and came with coconut rice, avocado, pickled onions, and Crest. And Tom got the roasted farm chicken, which was really juicy and came with mashed potatoes, broccolini, and Colombian sour cream. Then, for dessert, we shared the saourso and hibiscus flour with sour sop ice cream, meringue, wild blackberry powder, and fresh cream. This sweet treat was the perfect way to end our meal here. It was tasty and refreshing.”
Cl. 12 #43d-21, El Poblado, Medellín, El Poblado, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
https://maps.app.goo.gl/nygMSBnXZ435AMqf9
Restaurante La Gloria de Gloria
If you love grilled food, then this restaurant is a must-visit, especially for their famous crispy pork skin. Don’t miss it if you’re a fan of grilled dishes.
In the video “Where to Eat in Medellin Best Restaurants Rooftop Bars Food Tour” by Take Time To Travel, they mention:
“We ordered a couple of Club Colombia beers to start. It was pretty cool to see the chef cooking up the massive chicharrón right next to us, so of course, we had to get the chicharrón platter, which was huge.The platter included a massive portion of chicharrón, as well as chorizo, French fries, rice, fried egg, ground beef salad, avocado, sweet plantains, and blood sausage. It came with salsa and a bowl of beans with hooves. To eat the chicharrón, Mike ripped off individual pieces, which were nice and crispy on the outside, juicy and flavorful on the inside, and tasted amazing. Somehow, we finished the whole thing. Then, for dessert, we had the masamorra, which was also included. It’s a traditional Colombian dessert made of corn, sugar, and milk. It tasted alright.But we love the main course, especially. The chichiron, and throughout the lunch, our friendly waitress brought us five complimentary shots each, making for a very memorable meal and a great value. “
Cl. 37 Sur #35-06, Zona 9, Envigado, Antioquia, Colombia
https://maps.app.goo.gl/jhxoVZWf5K1DuUJA9
Cambria Cafe Resto
If you enjoy afternoon tea, then you definitely shouldn’t miss this place.
In the video “Where to Eat in Medellin Best Restaurants Rooftop Bars Food Tour” by Take Time To Travel, they mention:
“We’ll head back over to El Pabl for some delicious desserts at this pretty little place, which is called Cambria Cafe Resto. Let’s head on inside, where there’s this display case full of mouthwatering pastries and desserts, and on top, there’s even more sweet treats to choose from. From the patio was full, so we were seated inside at this table with a globe and flowers. To drink, Mike got a hot chocolate, which had a lovely design on top, and I got a cafe Americano to start, and to go with our beverages, we got a lemon merang pie as well as an apple nutcake, both of which looked amazing. Just after we started to sip on our hot drinks, more of our healthy breakfast arrived. We also got the almond croissant as well as the apple pie. What a great way to start the day. I couldn’t wait any more and cut into the apple nutcake, which was tasty, but my favorites were the lemon merang pie and the apple pie, and Mike preferred the almond croissant. We loved all of our sweet treats at Cambria.”
Carrera 43 E #12-16, Medellín, Colombia
https://maps.app.goo.gl/yVwU8SvL9vGV3Q4b8
Relato Restaurante
If you’re looking for a restaurant with an atmospheric feel, then you mustn’t miss this one.
In the video “Where to Eat in Medellin Best Restaurants Rooftop Bars Food Tour” by Take Time To Travel, they mention:
” Let’s head inside and show you what it’s like. Right when you step in the front entryway, you’ll find a nice bar and lounge area, and just up the stairs is Rato’s stylish and tropical main dining room. To start our meal, we had a couple of agila ears to drink. Then as an appetizer, we shared the wasabi biche, which is a white fish and shrimp ceviche with citric wasabi sauce and almond for a cake, as well as the cauliflower with crier and and compound butter, peanut crier cheese sauce, and balsamic reduction. For my main, I got the Lomo andado, which is a grilled Colombian beef tenderloin steak with mashed and grilled Yuca, hollay sauce, and balsamic coral glaze. Tom had the grilled salmon miso with mushroom and Colombian plantain risotto and avocado pesto salad. Our friend chose the coconut fish, which is fresh white fish cooked in a banana leaf with Coco miso sauce and a side of sweet coconut risotto. Then for dessert, we shared the pineapple brulee, which is a Rato-style creme brulee with caramel and pineapple. The pineapple brulee was the perfect way to end our dinner here.”
Cra 33 # 7-115, El Poblado, Medellín, El Poblado, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
https://maps.app.goo.gl/G8kmDDzPMvhgzupy5
Restaurante Mondongo’s El Poblado
If you simply want to experience authentic Colombian cuisine, then this restaurant is perfect for you.
In the video “Where to Eat in Medellin Best Restaurants Rooftop Bars Food Tour” by Take Time To Travel, they mention:
“But let’s go and get something to eat at this super popular eatery called Restaurante Mongos. Inside the restaurant is quite large, and after we were shown to our table, we started with a couple of Club Colombia beers as usual. Then for my lunch, I ordered a side of chicharron as well as the ajiaco, which is a traditional Colombian soup with meat, potatoes, and corn that came with avocado, banana, coriander, capers, heavy cream, rice, and an orpa. Our friend got the chicken with mushroom sauce, which is served with plantain, avocado, tomato, and French fries. Tom chose the breaded fish, which came with avocado, tomato, fried plantain, tartar sauce, and sweet and hot pepper sauce. The portions were huge and tasty. Our favorites were the chicken and the fish. The soup was good too, excluding the corn, but the chicharron was just okay.”
Cl 10 #38-38, El Poblado, Medellín, El Poblado, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Lunwq8CpPC2Qqrzn8
This article references the following video sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDLzJEfR94U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz6aTUGPccE
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