The Various Restaurant Eats in Bogota Colombia

One of the best reasons for coming to Bogota, Colombia is having a taste of the regional and local cuisine. I am a huge foodie and absolute love taking in local culture and locally prepared food. Bogota is foodie heaven and it did not disappoint. I split the food segment of this trip report into “Various Restaurant Eats” and “Various Street Foods” so you can make the comparison yourself.

Introduction to Bogota
American Airlines LAX Flagship Lounge
American Airlines LAX-MIA 757-200 First Class
Miami International Airport Oneworld Premium Lounge
American Airlines MIA-BOG 757-200 Business Class
Hilton Bogota Hotel Review Part 1
Hilton Bogota Hotel Review Part 2
Sheraton Bogota Hotel Review
Aloft Bogota Airport Hotel Review
The Sights and Sounds of La Candelaria in Bogota
The Sights and Sounds of Avenida Carerra 7 in Bogota
The Sights and Sounds of Chapinero in Bogota
The Sights and Sounds of Zona Rosa in Bogota
The Sights and Sounds of Zona G in Bogota
The Sights and Sounds of Avenida Carerra 15 in Bogota
The Sights and Sounds of Cerro de Monserrate in Bogota
The Sights and Sounds of La Macarena in Bogota
The Sights and Sounds of Santa Fe in Bogota
The Sights and Sounds of Usaquen in Bogota
The Sights and Sounds of El Salitre in Bogota
The Sights and Sounds of Barrio Engativa in Bogota
Is Bogota Colombia Safe for Tourists?
Scam City: Bogota Colombia Edition
The Various Restaurant Eats in Bogota Colombia
The Various Street Foods in Bogota Colombia
Bogota Airport LAN VIP Temporal Lounge
American Airlines BOG-MIA 757-200 Business Class
American Airlines LAX Flagship Arrivals Lounge

My very first meal was at Mama Lupe in the La Candelaria neighborhood of Bogota, Colombia.

Mama Lupe is a traditional Colombian restaurant serving real local food. During breakfast, I ordered my very first Colombian coffee served with Manuelita sugar which was delicious.

I ordered an arepa con queso (flatbread with cheese) with chorizo (sausage). Arepas are a big deal in Colombia and everyone pretty much eats them with a meal.

I also ordered a Tamal Tolimense which contained chicken, pork, egg, carrots, peas, potatoes, and rice, all wrapped with plantain leaves. The Tamal Tolimense also came with a side of pan (bread). This is definitely not your average tamale and I love the Colombian version much better than the Mexican ones.

For lunch, I went to Oma Restaurant and Café in Zona G which is famous for their coffee. The other famous coffee spot in Bogota is Juan Valdez Café. Since Oma served food, I ordered a cazuela de mariscos which means seafood stew. The entrée came with rice and patacon (deep fried plantain) which was delicious.

Beer is a huge deal in Bogota and I had two of the most famous local ones. The Bogota Beer Company is the local brewery which serves all types of microbrews. I had the light beer version which is the equivalent of a blonde.

The other famous beer in Bogota is Club Colombia and don’t mistake it for a nightclub if you see the name “Club Colombia” in a storefront awning.

I had dinner one night at Andres DC (Andres de Corazon) restaurant in the Zona Rosa district of Chapinero. I ordered a Club Colombia to start and my entrée was grilled chicken with an arepa.

For lunch one day, I ventured into the Santa Fe neighborhood (red light district) and found a hole in the wall restaurant called La Villa Cafe-Parrilla. I ordered the famous Bandeja Paisa which is the unofficial national dish of Colombia. The Bandeja Paisa consists of rice, beans, beef, plantain, chorizo, chicharron, arepa, avocado, and a fried egg. Don’t take this dish lightly as it will make you full for the rest of the day.

At the Hilton Bogota hotel, I ordered a latte from Devotion Café which was delicious.

I had room service while at the Hilton Bogota hotel and ordered an Ajiaco which is a popular soup dish made with chicken and potatoes. The additional sides such as rice, capers, and avocado can be eaten together or separate from the Ajiaco.

I loved the Ajiaco so much that I went to a local restaurant in the El Salitre neighborhood and tried it in a real sit down restaurant. The Ajiaco was much heartier when eaten in the restaurant and it’s served with rice, capers, avocado, and cream. The cream definitely helped the dish as it added to the texture and taste.

I washed it down with fresh Colombian fruit juice called mora (a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry) which was delicious.

There’s a chain restaurant in Colombia called Crepes and Waffles and it has over 35 locations in Bogota. I went to the location in Salitre Plaza in El Salitre. Not only does the restaurant serve crepes and waffles, but also meat dishes, pastas, and salads. I just had to try out the food and ordered a chocolate and raspberry waffle with vanilla ice cream.

It was delicious and everything on the menu is well priced. You might as well call this restaurant the Denny’s of Bogota. Patronize this restaurant because Crepes and Waffles only employ hard working single mothers who are the head of the household.

In the Gran Estacion Mall in El Salitre, I went to a restaurant called El Corral Gourmet. This is one of the most famous burger chain restaurants in Bogota and it did not disappoint. I started off with a margarita since it was during the festival of margaritas.

I ordered an El Corral burger which came topped with a fried egg. It was delicious and reminded me of the Red Robin burger back in the states.

My last meal in Bogota was at the Aloft Bogota hotel in the wxyz lobby restaurant and bar. I ordered a whole pescado (fish) on a bed of salad which was also delicious.