50 Best Restaurants in Cartagena Colombia You Should Visit

Colombian food is more than the arepas and empanadas you can frequently see sold everywhere. In Cartagena, Colombia, chefs combine different Colombian and Caribbean cuisine flavors with Peruvian, Spanish, Asian, and Italian. If you plan to visit this city, here are the best restaurants in Cartagena Colombia you can visit!

While excellent food may be found across Colombia, it seems to be a given in cities around the Caribbean coast, like Cartagena. In addition to having a wide variety of seafood dishes, Cartagena is known for its flavorful cuisine, which African and Middle Eastern cooking styles influence.

These restaurants offer different flavors that will leave a lasting impression on you! 

1. Restaurante Pizzería dal Maestro

• Address: # a 16-148, Cl. 65 #1644, Cartagena, Provincia de Cartagena Bolívar, Colombia
• Contact Number: 6912528/300-3343889

Restaurante Pizzeria dal Maestro is a midrange family-friendly pizzeria 15 minutes from Cartagena Downtown. A mixed Italian-Colombian couple owns this restaurant, offering classic Italian dishes in fusion with local tastes. 

The must-try dishes on its menu are the following:

• Grilled fish or grigliata di pesce
• Carbonara pasta
• Greens with avocado, shrimp, and cherry tomatoes or Ensalada maestro
• Calzone with caramelized pineapple
• Seafood pizza filled with shrimp, mussels, squid, and clams
• Shredded chicken accented with bechamel-like sauce on pizza and pasta
• Chorizo-topped fries

2. Misia

• Address: Carrera 11 39 21, Cartagena, Bolivar, Colombia, 130001
• Contact Number: 310 6617212

Misia is a relaxed restaurant owned by Leonor Espinosa, a famous local chef. This restaurant is known for its chalkboard-written menus and cartoon-decorated placemats. If you love local Colombian and Caribbean dishes, you’ll love Misia’s simple breakfast dishes, homey plates, and fried snacks. 

3. Lila’s Pomarossa

• Address: Cra. 8 ###39-100, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia
• Contact Number: 3104426145

Lila’s Pomarossa is an elegant result of two beautiful families from Austria and Bolivia. This restaurant is located near the walled city’s edge inside a historic house surrounded by an interior courtyard. 

They are best known for their upscale, tropical dishes incorporated with smoking, pickling, curing, and preserving. When you visit this restaurant on a Saturday, you can dine while enjoying live calypso and reggae music. 

One famous dish of this elegant restaurant is its empanadas filled with Bolivian aji peppers, smoked Toyo or shark, and Suero costeno or sour cream. 

4. Alquimico

• Address: Cl. del Colegio ###34-24, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia
• Contact Number: 3165331932

Alquimico resembles The Great Gatsby, designed with velvet carpets, majestic white columns, and waitstaff wearing suspender-clad. This three-floor restaurant and bar are situated inside an old shoe store. Enjoy dining and drinking in this elegant and aesthetically-pleasing restaurant. 

They offer a cocktail menu featuring fruity and herbal infusions, which you can enjoy while eating its tapas menu. You should try two outstanding dishes in Alquimico: the spicy meatballs and grilled octopus. 

You will certainly enjoy your dining experience in Alquimico as you play billiards on its second floor and dance to the DJ’s live music on the rooftop during weekend nights.

5. Restaurante El Gobernador

• Address: Calle del Sargento Mayor #6 – 87, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar
• Contact Number: 3157417642

Restaurante El Gobernador is an award-winning restaurant located on Bastion Luxury Hotel’s ground floor. Jorge Rausch, a world-renowned and award-winning Bogotano chef, designs its menu. 

When you dine here, you can sit in the main salon or the quieter mezzanine, ideal for more private dinners. You can also sit on the outdoor patio if you love to eat outdoors. 

Chef Jorge Rausch mixed French techniques with local ingredients, producing unique dishes such as the following:

• Arroz cremoso with coconut milk
• Achiote
• Sea bass with Gruyere crust
• Leeks cappuccino
• Fondue
• Cilantro

El Gobernador also features delicious desserts, including pistachio dacquoise mixed with corozo compote and cotton candy. 

6. Carmen

• Address: Carrera 36 # 10A-27 El Poblado, Medellín, Colombia
• Contact Number: 3103949344

Carmen has two main branches, one in Cartagena Downtown and one in Medellin. In Cartagena, Carmen occupies a colonial house designed with sleek, modernized pieces of furniture and a peaceful and lush outdoor area where guests can sit and dine. 

They mix classical and contemporary Colombian flavors, and this restaurant is best known for its seafood dishes and the no me llamas Cazuela dish. This famous dish combines crab rice, mussels, local lobster, octopus, rock shrimp, sweet plantain bisque, and whitefish. The food in Carmen is best paired with wine. 

7. La Mulata

• Address: Cl. del Quero #9 58, Cartagena, Provincia de Cartagena Bolívar, Colombia
• Contact Number: 56646222

La Mulata is a hipster vibe restaurant serving local comfort food dishes. It’s open daily from breakfast to lunch and is perfect for locals and tourists with flexible working schedules. All dishes in this restaurant are made with locally sourced ingredients.

Some surprisingly simple but delicious dishes you should try out in La Mulata are seafood on plantain leaves, agua frescas, ceviches, and other dishes made with native produce. 

8. Townhouse Boutique Hotel and Rooftop

• Address: Cra. 7 #36-88, Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia
• Contact Number: 304 3551068

Townhouse Boutique Hotel’s rooftop bar is open for everyone, including guests who are not checked in. The rooftop bar serves cocktails during the happy hour, and the crowds become rowdier during the second wind from 8 PM to 1 AM. 

If you don’t like cocktails, other options range from wine to beer. Bring your friends along and enjoy different bar eats such as nachos, chocolate fudge cake, and sliders, which are all perfect for sharing. 

9. Gelateria Paradiso

• Address: Cl. 36 ##4-57 local 5, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia
• Contact Number: 56604945

After spending a day by the beach, head to Gelateria Paradiso by the water to enjoy scoops of gelato. This famous gelato shop makes all its flavors from scratch without hydrogenated fats and preservatives. It has over 100 different flavors inspired by Caribbean flavors, such as:

• Lulo
• Corozo
• Kola Roman, a famous local brand of soda
• Coconut-lemonade
• Sour guava
• Soursop 
• White chocolate
• Basil
• Stracciatella

Gelateria Paradiso also offers milkshakes, fruit juices, coffee, brownies, and tea. 

10. El Bistro

• Address: Carrera 7 between, Cl. 35 ##36, Cartagena de Indias, Bolívar, Colombia
• Contact Number: 56602065

El Bistro, owned by Lard Brurein, initially served dishes from the native Berlin. Then, he gradually shifted to serving different Caribbean El Bistro mixes cuisines from different places, including Jamaica, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, and Colombia. All ingredients are locally sourced from farmers’ markets and the chef’s organic garden. 

This restaurant has a relaxed vibe serving healthy and tropical dishes, German loaves of bread, and different European pastries. 

11. Mar Y Zielo

• Address: Cra. 5 ##34-63, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia
• Contact Number: 3176911393

Mar Y Zielo is a famous gastro bar located in Cartagena’s main tourism area. It features seafood dishes mixed with Peruvian flavors with ingredients locally sourced from Colombia. When you dine in Mar Y Zielo, you also enjoy live music throughout the evening. 

If you love cocktails, this gastro bar also features a cocktail menu with local flavors of tamarind, banana, cinnamon, and pineapple. Mar Y Zielo serves generous portions of its drinks, ideal for large groups and best enjoyed from the gastro bar’s rooftop. 

12. Donjuan Cartagena

• Address: Calle del Colegio # 34-60 Local 1 Centro histórico, Cartagena de Indias.
• Contact Number: 56643678

Donjuan Cartagena is a fusion of a classic bistro and the Caribbean’s traditional flavors. Its ingredients include fresh seafood, fish, classic Colombian-style meat, local fruits, and vegetables. 

Some of the most popular dishes you should try in Donjuan Cartagena include Crudo de Robalo, raw sea bass mixed with tapioca, cilantro, and Lulo, and pork ribs with a stew of arracacha and lentils. 

In addition, they also serve tropical desserts to complete the neo-bistro experience. 

13. Caffe Lunatico

• Address: Segundo piso Cartagena, Bolívar, 130001, Colombia
• Contact Number: 3203830419

Caffe Lunatico is situated in the bohemian neighborhood of Getsemani and offers a stunning view of Plaza Trinidad, the neighborhood’s nightlife center. 

This quiet and relaxing restaurant features Spanish food at budget prices and has cooking classes for locals and tourists interested in mimicking this restaurant’s dishes. 

They also serve a vegetarian menu and substitute coconut, edible flowers, and mango for fish. 

14. Cuzco

• Address: 33-48 Calle Santo Domingo, El Centro, Cartagena, Bolívar, 130001, Colombia
• Contact Number: 56606764

Cuzco is a famous restaurant awarded as 2019 Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice. It’s an excellent restaurant for special occasions or when you want to impress your special someone on your first date. Cuzco is set in an elegant colonial mansion with indoor and outdoor seating. 

This unique-style restaurant mixes Peruvian and Colombian tastes and features a bar menu serving different South American wines. 

15. Malagana Cafe and Bar

• Address: Cra. 10 #31-55 Cartagena, Bolívar Colombia
• Contact Number: 56488998

Malagana Cafe and Bar is a family-owned restaurant and is one of the only major restaurants in the neighborhood of Getsemani. It is most famous for its fish tacos. Still, it also serves other small dishes, including ceviche soaked in coconut milk, octopus and shrimp dishes, and fruit-based cocktails. 

When you visit Malagana, enjoy the live music of zouk, kizomba, reggae, and salsa echoing from this cafe and bar’s rooftop. 

16. Cafe Stepping Stone

• Address: #30-40 a, Carrera 10 #30102, Provincia de Cartagena Bolívar, Colombia
• Contact Number: 3108214364

Cafe Stepping Stone in the Getsemani neighborhood is owned by three Australians who aim to offer working opportunities to train the social and technical skills of the disadvantaged local youth. 

This restaurant offers gluten-free, vegan, and all-day breakfast dishes. Cafe Stepping Stone is famous for its Thai corn fritters and falafel. 

17. Restaurante Celele

• Address: Calle del Espíritu Santo, Cra. 10c ##29-200, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia
• Contact Number: 3017420389

Restaurante Celele is one of the successful restaurants in Cartagena. It won the 2019 Miele One to Watch Award on Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants list. This award-winning restaurant services a contemporary tasting menu with a la carte options. Some of its most famous dishes include the following: 

• Traditional stew served with cured duck slices, sweet aji peppers, pineapple vinegar, and sour oranges
• Mingui, a puree of cooked pumpkin and plantain served with granola and whipped coconut cream

18. Harry’s Restaurant

• Address: 31-81, Cra. 3 #31-19, Cartagena, Provincia de Cartagena Bolívar, Colombia
• Contact Number: 5664-9446

Harry’s restaurant is located in the interior courtyard of Hotel Charleston Santa Teresa. Chef Harry Sasson owns it, and it’s his only restaurant outside Colombia’s capital. This restaurant serves generous portions of the New York steakhouse and tapas. Other traditional dishes include:

• Arepa de Huevo
• Posta Cartagenera, or stewed meat soaked in sugar-cane sauce
• Crab or shrimp rice
• Fried plantains

19. El Baron

• Address: Plaza San Pedro Claver Cra. 4 #31-7 Cartagena, Colombia
• Contact Number: 315646-3018

El Baron is best known for its classic cocktail drinks and other mixology trends. This famous cocktail place is located in San Pedro Claver and is best known for the following flavors:

• Pintor de Anecdotas with rye
• Banana strawberry shrub
• Oloroso sherry
• Blackberry and soy reduction
• Arquitecto de Inviernos served with eucalyptus-infused vodka, aloe vera, Fernet-Branca, and citric acid

Try out their lamb kofta, spicy fried chicken, pork samosas, and shrimp rolls for the tapas menu. 

20. Cafe de Mural

• Address: #29- a, Cl. de San Juan #29100, Cartagena, Provincia de Cartagena Bolívar, Colombia
• Contact Number: 56472912

Cafe de Mural is an ideal place for coffee lovers. It stands in the middle ground between affordable coffee chains and high-end specialty cafes. The owner believes that coffee should be for everyone and makes sure that this cafe shop serves coffee suitable for all their customers. 

Beside Cafe de Mural is a coffee-focused lab where you can see the cafe’s staff experimenting with different machines to discover new coffee flavors and variety. 

21. La Cocina de Pepina

• Address: Cl. 25 #10B-6, Cartagena, Provincia de Cartagena Bolívar, Colombia
• Contact Number: 3008565189

La Cocina de Pepina is the perfect restaurant when you’re craving seafood. It shows the Caribbean cultural and biological diversity while utilizing local ingredients such as plantain, cassava, beef, chiles, eggplant, pork, hens, fish, and ducks. The must-try dishes are the following:

• Pasteles and hallacas
• Mote de queso
• Boronia or a puree of eggplant and sweet plantain
• Gallina Monteria or chicken stew
• Viuda de Carne salsa or garnished salt-cured meat

22. Kazabe Restaurante

• Address: Hotel Cartagena Plaza, Piso 2, Cra 1 Nº6-154 Cartagena, Bolívar
• Contact Number: 5651 7450

Kazabe Restaurante is a beautiful creation of Chef Charlie Otero. It features dishes that showcase the culture and cooking styles in the Bolivar Region, where Cartagena is situated. This restaurant uses locally sourced Colombian ingredients to create Colombian main dishes such as carimañolas, eggplant and rice tamales, and ceviche. 

They also serve tropical desserts pie de mongo, a pie infused with unripe fruit preserve, coconut cake with anise seeds, cassava, and unripe mango cheesecake. 

23. Ely 

• Address: Calle 7 #2-50 Cartagena, Bolívar Colombia
• Contact Number: 56550557

Ely is located in the neighborhood of Bocangrande and is a famous hangout spot among Cartageneros. This all-day cafe serves hearty breakfast dishes, healthy salads, bowls, sandwiches for lunch, and pastries and cakes for dessert. 

They also feature liquor from its well-provisioned bar, local tea, and coffee. It also has lively and energetic music and books you can borrow and read while you enjoy your cup of coffee to meet your local friends. 

24. M Cocina Arabe

• Address: Cl. 6 #3-24, Cartagena, Provincia de Cartagena Bolívar, Colombia
• Contact Number:  56550154

M Cocina Arabe, located in Bocagrande, is a Lebanese-inspired restaurant with chic decorations and hipster vibes. Monica Espinosa owned this chic restaurant, who learned her recipes from her mother-in-law. The famous dishes you must try out in M Cocina Arabe include the following:

• Kibbehs
• Rice with almonds
• Tabbouleh
• Stuffed grape leaves
• Fatay or empanadas filled with ground beef
• Pharaoh’s beef loin
• Lentil soup
• Labneh

25. Kiosco El Bony

• Address: Cra. 1, Cartagena, Provincia de Cartagena Bolívar, Colombia
• Contact Number: 3003556863

Kiosco El Bony has been an iconic kiosk serving locals and tourists since 1975. It’s owned by former Olympic boxer Bonifacio Avila and his wife. This famous kiosk is best known for its traditional Cartagena classic dishes, including the following:

• Seafood stew
• Arepa de Huevo
• Fried fish
• Coconut rice
• Unripe fried plantain
• Tropical salads

Don’t also forget to try out Kiosco El Bony’s fruit juices and cocktails such as pina colada, coco loco, and margarita. 

26. Restaurante Dunia

• Address: Carrera 4 #5-166 13001 Cartagena, Bolivar, Colombia
• Contact Number: 56651571

Restaurante Dinia is the perfect restaurant to enjoy many unique flavors.  They also serve fried doughy snacks for weekend breakfast, best paired with fruit juices. Some of the must-try fried snacks include the following:

• Empanadas
• Arepas de Huevo
• Fried dumplings
• Palitos de queso or cheese sticks baked or fried in pastry dough

27. Fenix Hotel and Beach Club

• Address: 3183771676
• Contact Number: Punta Arena, Tierra Bomba Cartagena, Colombia

Fenix Hotel and Beach Club is 15 minutes away from Cartagena, and you have to take a boat ride to get to this tropical paradise. This beach club offers a broad menu for its guests, ranging from light dishes to hearty mains and vegan alternatives. 

The must-try dishes in Fenix Hotel and Beach Club are the following:

• Ceviches
• Paella 
• Tiraditos 
• Tacos
• Fried fish with coconut rice
• Fried plantains
• Pasta Negra Cartagenera, a famous Colombian-style beef dish

28. Chicharrones de Turbaco

• Address: Turbaco-Cartagena, Turbaco Bolívar, Colombia
• Contact Number: 3105236405

If you love chicharron, don’t forget to take a side trip to Chicharrones de Turbaco, an hour away from Cartagena Downtown. This restaurant fries the meat in pigs’ fat and serves the meat with steamed tender corn cakes, boiled cassava, fried plantains, Suero costeño, and Questo costeño or fresh salty cheese. 

However, if you are not a fan of pigs’ meat, fish sancocho, fish soup, and fried fish are popular alternatives. 

29. Blue Apple Beach House

• Address: Playa Mamon #1-1, Bocachica, Isla Tierra Bomba, Provincia de Cartagena Bolivar, Colombia
• Contact Number: 3167506979 

Blue Apple Beach House is located on the island of Tierra Bomba and features local Caribbean dishes mixed with Southern France and Mediterranean flavors. The staff of this club restaurant has a diverse mix of disadvantaged locals and professional Colombian chefs that you might find very welcoming.

30. Doña Lola

• Address: Cartagena, Bolívar, 130001, Colombia
• Contact Number: 56438949

Dona Lola is housed in Hotel Casa Lola in the neighborhood of Getsemani. It features the local Caribbean cuisine, and you can get a table in the courtyard or near the restaurant’s windows. Dining in this restaurant allows you to admire and appreciate Getsemani’s cobblestone streets filled with locals.

Listen to live violinists and cellists along the streets of Getsemani while you dine in Doña Lola, and you’ll certainly have a memorable dining experience.

31. Cuba, 1940

• Address: Bolívar, 130001, Colombia
• Contact Number: 3046807301

Cuba, 1940 has a vision of bringing back the old Havana glamor to Cartagena’s colonial streets. It features a long mojito list with large plates and delicious tapas. This restaurant is the perfect place to cleanse your palate after a day of Colombian cuisine.

Enjoy live Cuban music until the early morning after dining. Dip yourself in the small plunge pool at the back of the dining area after spending the entire day under the Cartagena heat.

32. Portal de los Dulces

• Address: Cra. 5 #33-15, Cartagena, Provincia de Cartagena Bolívar, Colombia
• Contact number: 300 8400255

Portal de Los Dulces in the Plaza de Los Coches is a famous candy shop that allows you to enjoy the Clock Tower View as you indulge yourself with regional candies. The candies you should not miss out on include the following:

• Cocadas or coconut macaroons filled with pineapple or guava
• Sugar-coated tamarind balls
• Camellito de angel or shredded papaya in spiced syrup
• Munequitas de Leche or small doll-shaped milk caramels
• Casabe filled with plantain puree

33. Maria

• Address: Local 2 Historical center Calle del Colegio #34-60, Cartagena, Provincia de Cartagena Bolívar, Colombia
• Contact Number: 3165247046

Maria is a vibrant and lively restaurant that features contemporary and high-quality dishes made with locally restaurant’sedients. This restaurant’s main ingredient is seafood; Chef Alejandro Ramirez gets his daily fresh seafood from La Boquilla, a nearby village. 

Their menu is seasonal, and it changes three times a year. It also features a cocktail menu filled with tropical fruits made with skilled craft techniques of homemade bitters and smoking. 

34. Época Espresso Bar – Arzobispado

• Address: Calle de Arzopispado, Carrera 5 #34-52, Centro Historico, Cartagena de Indias Bolívar, Colombia
• Contact Number: 56641806

Epoca Espresso Bar is located in the Walled City and aims to capture the aroma of special coffee beans from Colombia’s coffee-growing regions. Drinking coffee in this cafe is best paired with pancakes, omelets, French toast, and other Colombian and Mexican pastries and dishes. 

If you don’t like coffee, you should still try out their cocktails infused with cardamom, cacao, rosemary, beets, and cantaloupe syrups. Epoca Espresso Bar is an excellent hangout spot to meet friends, do some work, and take a break from the loud city. 

35. Zaitún Cartagena

• Address: Calle de Ayos, Cl. 35 #34-37 Local #3 Centro Historico, Provincia de Cartagena Bolívar, Colombia
• Contact Number: 56606204

Zaitun Cartagena is a mix of Colombian and Lebanese cuisines ranging from carimañolas to kibbehs. The must-restaurant in this unique restaurant include the following:

• Stuffed cabbage
• Falafel
• Hummus
• Stuffed grape leaves
• Cartagena-style sirloin soaked in beef stock, vegetables, clover, and cane sugar

36. Buena Vida Maresqueria

What a vibrant and trendy eatery right in the heart of Cartagena! It wasn’t easy to select from the menu of Buena Vida because everything looked good. You can order fried calamari, seafood bisque arepas, and lobster mac ‘n cheese.

The full spectrum of Cartagena’s flavor! Grilled octopus was something you could order.

Additionaly, the fun atmosphere, tasty food, and entertaining drinks left an indelible impression on customers. Some cocktails are served in a seashell, while others include margaritas with adorable mini Mexican sombreros or tamarind balls for decoration.

37. Los Fritos De Dora

• Address: Plaze de San Diego, Cartagena de Indias, Cartagena, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar

You can’t visit Cartagena without trying some Fritos Cartageneros, and the best place to do so is in Plaza de San Diego. Fifty-seven years ago, Dora Gaviria first set up shop in the square with a street cart selling her now-iconic Fritos.

Fry-duty is now primarily handled by her son Jorge Luis del Valle and three granddaughters: Andry Paola, Anyela Juliana, and Dora Viviana Ros. Carimaolas chicken or beef empanadas and the legendary arepa de huevo (stuffed with egg, pork, chorizo, and cheese) continue to draw long lines of hungry locals. Come by Los Fritos De Dora and wash down your meal with refreshing tropical juice or homegrown soda.

Los fritos de dora street food stalls

Nobody who knows you well would be surprised to learn that you enjoy decent street cuisine the most. If you are looking for the best food stalls in Cartagena, you’ll probably find a page that embodies the virtues of Los Fritos de Dora.

For almost 60 years, the Fritos (fritters) from this modest street food stand in Plaza San Diego have been among the best in Cartagena. Locals and visitors throng the cart as soon as it opens at 4:30 PM in search of delicious meals at dirt-cheap eats.

38. Tomillo Cevicheria y Mar

• Address: Cra. 8 #38 – 26, San Diego, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia

If you’re looking for seafood restaurant in Cartagena but haven’t heard of any fine dining restaurant, you should try Tomillo Cevicheria y Mar. It’s another fine diningfor fresh seafood of Colombian Caribbean cuisine, and it’s tucked away in an alley just off Plaza San Diego.

You might enjoy the pulpo a la parrilla if you like octopus dishes. Served with potatoes, chimichurri, and corozo sauce, it comprises grilled octopus tentacles. The Caribbean region of Colombia is home to a unique berry known as corozo.

39. Cazuela de Mariscos

Cazuela de mariscos is a Cartagena meal. In this context, “stew” refers to a popular dish from the Caribbean, typically consisting of various kinds of seafood simmered in coconut milk. Any delicious mix of shrimp, squid, octopus, mussels, fish, crab, or lobster is a common ingredient, though the exact seafood used is up to the chef.

When prepared right, cazuela de mariscos is tasty and pretty well sums up what gastronomy in this Caribbean city is all about. It would be best if you tried it twice before leaving Cartagena.

You can anticipate some of the tastiest seafood of your life because of the privileged location on the Caribbean coast. You could visit a different restaurant for lunch and supper each day of your trip to Cartagena and still not be able to sample all of the best Cartagena restaurants that are present.

40. Cafe Del Mar Cartagena

• Address: Baluarte de Santo Domingo, Centro, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia

Cafe del Mar, which stands just on the walled city, is a tourist hotspot. The view of the sun sinking over the ocean on one side and the colonial city below on the other is unbeatable, but prepare to pay three times as much for a beer or cocktail. Always crowded, so allow extra time when you arrive.

Make a reservation in advance if you want the best seats in the house right along the wall with unobstructed views of the sea; otherwise, be prepared for long queues. However, the line moves swiftly.

41. La Cevichería

Did someone actually travel in Cartagena? It may seem small and unassuming, but be careful not to underestimate it. The film has also appeared on best restaurants magazine and TV show as Anthony Bourdain appeared in ‘Non reservation’.

This blue, white interior design and outdoor kitchen gives off a Mediterranean feel with a Caribbean twist. Foods are fresh, healthy, Mediterranean-based and have a distinct Colombian flavour. This coconut is an interesting nod to the Caribbean.

42. Donde Fidel Salsa Bar

The Airbnb owner suggested a handful of his favourite best Cartagena restaurants for the evening. Donde Fidel Salsa bars are touristy and must-sees for first-time visitors to Cartagena. DodeFidel is a good place for a classic cocktails while good salsa music is played.

Donde Fidel Salsa Bar is near the clock tower on Plaza des Colchons. It’s touristish, but it’s one of the funniest places in the city. Two visits were taken to Donde Fidel and it was nice to sit and drink the Aguila beers and observe people dancing salsa.

43. La Esquina Del Pandebono

• Address: Calle San Agustin #35 – 78, Centro, Cartagena de Indias, Bolívar, Colombia

During your visit to Cartagena, I’m sure you’ll pass by this neighborhood bakery and cafe frequently as it is situated in a popular area of the walled city. You can’t dare yourself to pass by without purchasing their loaves of bread and pastries; they are well-liked by tourists and locals.

They specialize in pandebono, as the name would imply, but they also sell a wide variety of other bread and pastries, including almojabana, pan de yuca, and pasteles.

44. Mar y Zielo Gastro Bar

Food fans: Happy Days. You can see it here. Come here and try all kinds of delicious Caribbean dishes, particularly seafood-forward recipes that employ a new technique. Think white fish, served with coconut emulsed sauce and a sweet guava and grapefruit slurry and cheesey Yuca torpedo on the side.

Tell us about the interesting combo? Croquettes, coconut milk ceviche and large servings of chicharion pulpo shrimp is one of the main dishes! Do not leave out pork belly baked in pineapple reduction sauce. Sit out on the rooftops and enjoy the scenery. You will want reservations for the spot before it is booked.

45. Club De Pesca

I strongly advise making a reservation in advance for a candle-lit table tucked within the walled city of this historic fort with a view of the water if you are thinking about having a romantic dinner while visiting Cartagena.

There is unquestionably no more romantic restaurant in town for a supper date. The restaurant’s serve food focuses on seafood, as one might anticipate, given the setting and name. The seafood is fresh and beautifully prepared, the service is formal with a white tablecloth. The location’s romantic night appeal cannot be matched.

46. Capitan Submarino Ostreria y Bar

• Address: Cra. 7 #3655, Centro, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia

Shoppers can enjoy oyster plates in the Capitan submersible. It is a restaurant and bar that serves oysters on the half shell, as well as other foods including ceviches en aranca, burgers, and Cuban sandwich recipes.

The Capitan Submarino is situated close to Fernandez Madrid Park in one of the busiest areas of the walled city.

The Capitan Submarino’s interior will be to your taste. It’s cozy and discreet, perfect for sipping a couple of beers or inventive cocktails and tucking into a platter of excellent oysters.

47. Sierpe Cocina Caribe

• Address: Cl. de la Sierpe # 29 -09, Getsemaní, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia

Although Sierpe Cocina Caribe wasn’t far behind, Arrabal Gastrobar was perhaps the favorite seafood Cartagena restaurant. In Cartagena, fresh fish is easy to obtain, but ironically, two of the best seafood dinners came from eateries in Getsemani.

In Cartagena, pulpo achiotado from Arrabal Gastrobar is a well-liked octopus dish. It tasted amazing but wasn’t as inventive or beautifully presented as the octopus dish at Arrabal. You might be smitten with Colombian dishes after trying just one good food with their local flavors.

You may love crab, and this arroz de jaiba will not disappoint. It is made out of coconut rice, veggies, and blue crab and is as beautiful as it is delicious.

Sierpe Cocina Caribe offers a fancy caribbean design, just like many of the great Cartagena restaurants.

48. La Estrella

• Address: 152 Cra. 6 #36 Cartagena, Bolivar Colombia Calle de la Universidad; esquina con calle del Sargento Mayor, Cartagena Colombia

La Estrella is a pub and restaurant in the walled city that specializes in serving inexpensive Colombian dishes and drinks to locals.

Although La Estrella serves great food, people prefer this Columbian restaurant because of its laid-back neighborhood atmosphere and inexpensive beers. One of the cheapest beers in Cartagena was Colombian Aguila, which sold for about COP 5,000–6,000 per bottle.

49. Fritos la Mona

• Address: Cra. 7 #36-2 a 36-122, Cartagena de Indias, Bolívar, Colombia

The preferred Fritos vendor in Cartagena may have been Los Fritos de Dora, but Fritos la Mona isn’t a dud either. This little street food vendor, situated in a more central area of the walled city, has a dedicated following of Fritos fans.

They also have wonderful arepas de huevo. Similar to Los Fritos de Dora, Fritos la Mona is well-liked and produces a neverending flow of fritos.

50. Restaurante Espiritu Santo

• Address: Cl. 35 #6-69, Centro, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia

Restaurante Espiritu Santo would undoubtedly come first on any list of the best restaurants in Cartagena based on local acclaim. It’s a sizable restaurant that is constantly crowded, mostly with locals, at nearly any hour of the day.

When ordering it at Espiritu Santo, you can also order plantains, patacones, coconut rice, and a piece of whole-fried fish that you can eat while sipping the broth.

You might have to wait for a little at Restaurante Espiritu Santo during busy lunch hours because it is only open for lunch. Although they have a location in Getsemani, you can visit their restaurant in the walled city.

The large dining area at Espiritu Santo is generally always crowded with locals. One of the best locations in Cartagena is this restaurant if you’re seeking inexpensive food with traditional flavors.

Conclusion

With our list of the best restaurants in Cartagena, Colombia, you won’t have a day without discovering new flavors and having a taste of home. Don’t hesitate to try out something you’ve never had. You’ll be missing out! 

A woman over 50 like you deserves a big break, and this city is the perfect place for you. What are you waiting for? Book a flight today!

If you are planning a solo trip or a small group for your next trip, please read some helpful articles: Solo Travel for Women Over 50 and Traveling with Friends.

I traveled with a girlfriend on this trip over a holiday. We had a great time on this short but fun trip.

It is always important to make sure that you and your fellow traveler are aligned with your expectations for the experience.

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