I didn’t go to Bogotá with food on my mind. Culinary pursuits way south would hail Mexico and Peru first as the real food destinations. And yet, besides absorbing the vibrant art scene and intoxicating energy pulsing through the streets, it seems all I did was eat! From the comforting classics to the exciting cuisine the new generation of young chefs is creating, to really get to know Bogotá is to eat your heart out… and I hope you’re very hungry. You’re in for a real treat.
At an elevation of nearly 9,000 feet, Bogotá is one of the highest capitals in the world. The altitude and cool climate mean the local staples tend to be on the heavier side – so pace yourself. The city is vast with roughly 8 million inhabitants spread throughout 20 little towns that were joined together decades ago. It would take months to truly get to know the innards of the city and its full culinary offerings hence I can only offer a delicious glimpse today. You’ll need to taxi your way to the various restaurants and neighborhoods so make sure you walk around the ‘localidades‘ enough to justify the next meal!
Starting at the heart of it all, the main square of Plaza de Bolívar puts you in the center of the action. It houses City Hall, Colombia’s high courts, the Congress building, and the Primatial Cathedral, as well as hundreds of pigeons. Locals meet here for a snack and a stroll around the old cobblestone streets branching out of the square.
The first food stop is right next door at the legendary La Puerta Falsa, Bogotá’s oldest restaurant, open since 1816. There will be a line and it’ll be crammed inside but it’s one of those can’t miss experiences. It’s also the perfect introduction to the local food customs: 1) no Colombian meals is complete without carbs and 2) cheese has a place absolutely everywhere.
People mostly come here for ‘onces‘, a mid-morning or afternoon snack which usually consists of some cheesy bread and a hot beverage. The restaurant is also famous for Colombian classics such as tamales and hearty soups.
For a true Bogotano experience, order the hot chocolate which comes with bread and cheese (chocolate completo). Yes, cheese. Cheese gets melted on, baked in, stuffed into, and served with just about everything in Bogotá, including hot chocolate and coffee.
Mixing cheese with sweets is perfectly normal here and I must admit a delightful surprise. Do as the locals do and dip it in until it melts, and then drink the whole thing. Yum. My kind of tea time. And it seemed to cure my horrible altitude-induced headache and brain fog hence why I suggest this as your first snack of your trip. 🙂
If you’re here on a weekend, don’t miss the weekend flea market in Usaquén, a neighborhood to the north of the city.
Every Sundays, outdoor vendors set out along the cobblestone streets, selling everything from quality handicrafts and paintings to food and cheap trinkets. It’s a great place to buy souvenirs that are not the touristy kinds sold in downtown shops.
There’s a wide variety of restaurants and bars throughout the neighborhood, but it’s worth seeking out Abasto for one of the best breakfasts in town.
The restaurant/bodega has an organic look and philosophy and works with nearby farms for its fresh take on local cuisine. The arepas (corn cakes), a diet staple, are famous and come with a wide variety of toppings…including cheese of course.
It’s also an ideal place to eat some greens and vegetables which you won’t get a huge dose of if you didn’t pick up yet on the heavy theme. Try their fresh hearts of palm salad – first time I was tasting it not from a can, a revelation!
And then jump straight back in with an heirloom potato gratin made with a local spicy ripe cheese.
In the Chico Norte neighborhood, a lunch at La Mulera Restaurante will introduce you to a host of other local rib-sticking specialties that feed workers on their midday break.
I chose as my main meal a bowl of ajiaco, a hearty chicken soup made with three different kinds of potatoes, corn and a distinctive aromatic herb. Bogotanos are proud of their soups for good reason – they’re deeply flavored and honestly perfect for warming your bones in the cool altitude climate. The ajiaco came with sides of rice, avocado, pickled capers and heavy cream to garnish – no wonder I could only stomach half of it after snacking on all these fried cheesy bites before!
The men in my group though all went with the ‘Bandeja Paisa‘ which loosely translates to ‘farmer’s tray’ due to the sheer size. This giant meal usually consists of rice, red beans stew, chicharrón (pork cracklings), avocado, minced meat, a fried egg, chorizo sausage, a platano, salad and tomato, blood sausage (morcilla), arepa and hogago (a hot salsa made from tomato and onions). You can find it on every Colombian restaurants’ menu with slight variations.
Head to El Nogal for a dose of greenery, plush residences and design boutiques – it’s like a little village within the bustling city centre.
It’s also where you’ll find, tucked away at the end of the street, El Bandido Bistro.
The very cool French Brasserie is there for when you want a break from the local fare and are looking for a scene with the in-crowd. You might catch a live jazz set or other retro act to accompany the excellent brasserie menu.
No visit to Bogotá would be complete without wandering the streets of La Candeleria, the historic central neighborhood flanked by colorful hillsides and intersected by winding streets covered in beautiful murals. And thankfully you can fuel your exploration with one of the most celebrated lunches in the city at the acclaimed Prudencia.
Stepping into the renovated colonial home, one immediately feels serene. The abundance of light and the natural elements applied throughout this most homey of greenhouse call for a slow, celebratory meal which is exactly what Prudencia has been setting out to do since it opened in 2016.
The striking setting is ideally matched to the incredibly flavorful food that comes out of the open kitchen. In the words of the American-Colombian owners: “food from all over the world, using local ingredients, minimal waste, a connection with the natural environment, and preservation techniques that take time, such as smoking and fermentation.”
Reservations are recommended, but even without one there’s a charming garden at the back where you can wait for a table while sipping a refreshing house made cocktail, such as this tarragon-infused cider with fennel and grapes.
The four-course set price lunch changes weekly, always includes a vegetarian option, and showcases the best of local ingredients in this showstopper of a meal where absolutely everything is made from scratch.
When the sun starts going down, head to El Chicó, an affluent neighborhood known for the Parque de la 93 garden plaza, surrounded by international restaurants and trendy bars. On the rooftop of The Click Clack Hotel where I was staying, the Apache burger bar has 50’s Americana vibes and panoramic views over the city.
Sample some cocktails and inspired snacks (I had a memorable octopus hot dog) before hitting the town for dinner.
A few short blocks away, get comfortable in the lounge or dining room of Local By Rausch.
The Colombian-born Rausch brothers are gourmet celebrities famous for experimenting with Colombian cuisine. Their eclectic restaurant is the place to sit back and relax with a creative cocktail and a modern take on local classic dishes, all buzzing with flavors and expertly executed.
Hidden on a curvy street in the Chapinero neighborhood, Mini-Mal feels like a hip and quirky apartment you’ve been exclusively invited to.
The interior is a lot more casual than the façade may make it appear, and eating in one of the house’s intimate rooms is incredibly cozy. People come here for the food as well as for the ethos of this Colombian fusion restaurant. The cuisine highlights artisanal products from the country’s often overlooked regions such as the Pacific coast and the Amazon, helping to spread awareness about Colombian biodiversity while supporting the regions’ farmers and fishermen.
It’s one of Bogotá’s most interesting restaurants and the creative plates, all beautifully presented, will give you a taste of the whole country without leaving your seat.
So many more Colombian dishes to try, but this is a good start to get a glimpse at this exciting cuisine’s incredible diversity and hearty nature. Just don’t forget to pack your stretchy pants…
