Must-see restaurants in Caribbean Coast

  • Ikaro

    Santa Marta

    Ikaro draws you in with its freshly baked bread and micro-roasted coffee and then entreats you to stay with its giant lounging ‘beds’ (ideal for sprawling…

  • Pizzeria the Meeting Point

    Barranquilla

    With its simple stools and tables on an enclosed porch, Italian-run Meeting Point looks more fast-food joint than promising pizzeria. But don't be too…

  • Josefina's

    Capurganá & Sapzurro

    Scour the coast and you won't find better seafood – or a warmer welcome – than at Josefina's. Her medium-sized pargo (red snapper) practically fills the…

  • Lima Cocina Fusión

    Riohacha

    The cool interior of this polished place exerts a magnetic force on hungry walk-by traffic. While the name's a little misleading (there's not much gourmet…

  • El Boliche

    Cartagena

    Small, delightful and not so well known that it's inundated, El Boliche basks in its relative obscurity. If you're reticent about raw fish, Boliche offers…

  • El Fuerte San Anselmo

    Caribbean Coast

    With its beautifully crafted interior and spacious, airy garden overlooked by a towering banana tree, El Fuerte really is a highlight of Mompós. Try the…

  • Interno

    Cartagena

    Interno is a restaurant inside Cartagena's women's prison that raises money for the rehabilitation of its inmates, who cook for and wait on you. Trained…

  • Casa d'Antonio

    Minca

    Handily situated in the middle of town overlooking the river, this hotel-restaurant serves authentic Málagan food – something of an apparition in these…

  • La Canoa

    Santa Marta

    A fusion spot with French pretensions that doesn’t come across as at all pretentious, La Canoa is a Franco-Colombian marriage made in heaven that’s ideal…

  • Restaurante LamArt

    Santa Marta

    Santa Marta’s charismatic Callejón del Correo (Carrera 3) sucks you in, especially in the evening, and there’s no better doorway to the melee than LamArt,…

  • Ouzo

    Santa Marta

    Ouzo offers a stripped-back, classic Greek and Italian menu that includes superb pizza from a wood-fired oven and a good wine list. The octopus is slow…

  • Ceviche with Lime

    La Cevichería

    Cartagena

    A once little-known spot prized by locals, La Cevichería was given ample publicity in an episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations in 2008. Cue the…

  • Caffé Lunático

    Cartagena

    There’s nothing remotely looney about this artsy little spot in the hosteling hub of Gestemaní that pays homage to Amy Winehouse in a head-and-shoulders…

  • Shagú

    Minca

    The gastronomic high point of Minca can be found inside Minca Ecohabs and is open to all comers. Chef Salvador brings a cosmopolitan touch to the menu,…

  • El Santísimo

    Cartagena

    A family-friendly restaurant that won’t scare off romantic couples, Santísimo indulges in a bit of creative recycling. The chandeliers are made from empty…

  • Espíritu Santo

    Cartagena

    In a city full of tourists, Espíritu Santo is where you come to meet the locals – hundreds of 'em in one sitting. (The restaurant is small from the…

  • Quintal

    Cartagena

    This innovative addition to Cartagena's eating scene is in a converted building facing the thick stone walls of Getsemaní. It offers a friendly gourmet…

  • Oh Là Là

    Cartagena

    This fabulous addition to Getsemaní's increasingly varied and interesting dining options brings a slice of Gallic culture to Cartagena's hippest…

  • Casa Sol del Agua

    Caribbean Coast

    Do as the menus of this sweet little riverside cafe suggest: read a book, drink a coffee and enjoy the river – from one of its outdoor rocking chairs, no…

  • Pastelería Mila

    Cartagena

    Cartagena's fanciest patisserie serves up breakfasts and lunches at this fashionable spot in the heart of the Old Town. The distressed walls and wooden…

  • Zion Beach Bar

    Caribbean Coast

    Grilled fish on your plate, sand between your toes, a cold beer within easy reach and Bob Marley on the sound system: sit outside this Caribbean-style…

  • Agua de Mar

    Cartagena

    This gorgeous and inventive place is one of Cartagena's most interesting restaurants, sporting titular water features and a very cool gin bar (the…

  • La Mulata

    Cartagena

    This stylish and rather eccentric comida corriente option is still outstanding, even if its prices have risen in recent years. A daily set menu offers a…

  • Donde Chucho

    Santa Marta

    Serving the best seafood on the coast, Donde Chucho is a local legend. Start with the signature ensalada Chucho (shrimp, octopus, calamari and manta ray…

  • Arabe Gourmet

    Barranquilla

    This rather high-end place has the feel of a private club, and is indeed housed in a grand turn-of-the-century mansion complete with valet parking…

  • Radio Burger

    Santa Marta

    This curious little restaurant occupies the site of Santa Marta's first-ever radio station, and it's a burger-producing homage to the fact that's crammed…

  • Pezetarian

    Cartagena

    Feast on affordable and delicious sushi, ceviche, wok dishes and salads at this ultracentral location. You'll find little else in this area at this price…

  • Lazy Cat

    Minca

    You can slink into the Lazy Cat at any time of day for all kinds of hunger relief, from breakfasts (COP$8000 to COP$10,000) to superb local coffee,…

  • Beiyu

    Cartagena

    A simple little cafe plying excellent Colombian coffee, fresh juices, full breakfasts and an innovative selection of lunch and dinner dishes, Beiyu is a…

  • Demente

    Cartagena

    Right in the heart of the Getsemaní action, Demente is an open-air (well, has a retractable roof), rather trendy spot where craft beer and great cocktails…

  • Beer & Laundry

    Cartagena

    It’s the bane of every backpacker: where to get your laundry done with minimal fuss. Here’s the answer: deposit it with the friendly English-speaking…

  • Restaurante Mompoj

    Caribbean Coast

    Named after the original name of the area before the Spanish conquest, the Mompoj is an excellent restaurant with an interesting and eclectic menu. Try…

  • Cevichería Chipi Chipi

    Cartagena

    As if to underscore this place's ceviche credentials, its dining room enjoys a somewhat writ-large nautical theme, but it remains a stylish and cool place…

  • El Patio Mágico de Gabo & Leo Matiz

    Santa Marta & Around

    This rather lovely place is a somewhat unexpected slice of local life run by the namesakes Gabo and Leo. With a daily changing menu that can easily be…

  • El Varadero

    Caribbean Coast

    Cuban seafood is the fare in this restaurant, where photographs of local celebrities deck the walls, and it's very good seafood indeed: the lobster salad…

  • La Casa del Marisco

    Riohacha

    This place, right on the seafront, attracts local families all day long with its deliciously prepared, freshly landed fish and seafood. Specialties…

  • Al Arz

    Riohacha

    Delicious, simple Lebanese food in a mercifully air-conditioned environment. The staff is exceptionally friendly, the hummus is creamy and the pita bread…

  • Capurgarepa

    Capurganá & Sapzurro

    This simple window-in-the-wall place with the silly name does do great arepas (corn cakes), but owner-chef Amparo will prepare more elaborate dishes,…

  • Joe Restaurante

    Caribbean Coast

    A Valledupar institution, El Joe is a heaven for meat lovers. The mixed grill is big enough for two and features a mountain of locally sourced beef, pork…

  • Estadero Doña Juana

    Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona

    Take a boat from Bahía Neguange to gorgeous Playa Cristal and head straight for Doña Juana's makeshift beach restaurant. You'll be taken to the kitchen,…