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…
Must-see restaurants in Caribbean Coast
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…
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…
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…
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…
Taganga
With tiki stylings and a laid-back vibe, Pachamama may look like an indoor beach bar, but casual as it may be, this is easily the culinary highlight of…
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…
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…
Minca
Handily situated in the middle of town overlooking the river, this hotel-restaurant serves authentic Málagan food – something of an apparition in these…
Palomino
Set in a lovely garden, Suá is a collectively run project with impeccable environmental and sustainability credentials, including a great vegetarian…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
Cartagena
This fabulous addition to Getsemaní's increasingly varied and interesting dining options brings a slice of Gallic culture to Cartagena's hippest…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Riohacha
This place, right on the seafront, attracts local families all day long with its deliciously prepared, freshly landed fish and seafood. Specialties…
Riohacha
Delicious, simple Lebanese food in a mercifully air-conditioned environment. The staff is exceptionally friendly, the hummus is creamy and the pita bread…
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,…
