Food & Cuisine in Cartagena
Food info sections | Eating locally
Cartagena has built up an enviable reputation for its food and is a top culinary vacation destination. The excellent choice of international and local fare on offer makes eating out an absolute pleasure. Restaurants vie with each other to provide the perfect ambience and views to go along with the delightful dishes. A long wait is certain unless you book in advance at popular eateries during peak season. Some of the exclusive ones in the walled city are, however, really expensive. Restaurants that are cheaper and unpretentious but still serving excellent food are to be found in the Getsemani area of Cartagena.
Cartagena is a gourmet's delight!
After a busy day exploring or shopping in Cartagena, our Cartagena Restaurants Guide below will tell you all you need to know to find a great meal in the city. For more information on Colombian food and cuisine take a look at our Colombia Restaurant Guide.
Food & Cuisine in Cartagena
The cuisine of Cartagena is typically a great blend of African, European and indigenous gastronomic traditions. The assortment of ingredients used includes exotic fruits, spices and vegetables, some of which you have never heard of before and are not available in most countries. Seafood preparations obviously have a prominent place on the menu. Fresh fish, shrimp, lobster and other seafood are plentiful and are often prepared with coconut milk sauce and spices.
Meat (chiefly beef, pork, rabbit and chicken) forms an important part of the local diet along with corn and rice. Other staples include plantain, potatoes and cassava. Several varieties of plantain are grown in Colombia and are prepared and eaten in a myriad of forms. Vegetables and legumes are also widely used in the cuisine; however, purely vegetarian dishes are hard to find. Arepa, a bread made of corn, is very popular and you will find that many types of arepa are made and consumed across Colombia.
Traditionally the main meal in the region is lunch. Coconut rice served with meat or fried fish is typical. It is usual to have a soup, salad, fried plantains and a sweet dessert as part of the meal. A popular soup is Sancocho. It is usually made with lots of meat and vegetables. Any meat is okay while vegetables include potato, plantain, cassava and others. Fritanga is a well liked local barbecue. The grilled meat, which can be chicken, beef or lamb, is eaten along with arepas and potatoes.
There are plenty of street stalls and snack bars in Cartagena where you get meat balls, cheese sticks, soups and other light meals. A typical smoked meatball called butifarras is only offered by street vendors.
An array of mouth-watering fruits with varied tastes and flavours beckon visitors in Cartagena. A few of the exotic fruits are curuba, lulo, zapote, borojo and manzana. Delicious fresh fruits and juices are on offer at stands everywhere.
Locally grown and brewed coffee is of course something to be savoured in Colombia. Bars are not hard to find in Cartagena, many have live music and stay open well into the night.
