Photo Credit: Peartree Photography
The 10 Best Restaurants In Cartagena, Colombia You Should Visit In 2022
Cartagena, Colombia, is one of the most popular destinations in Latin America. The city combines the Caribbean atmosphere with a cosmopolitan tone. It also exudes a rich Afro-Colombian culture that makes it even more interesting to explore.
If you are planning to visit the country soon, indulging in the cuisine of Cartagena is sure to add a little flavor to your trip. That’s why we’ve rounded-up these 10 best restaurants you should visit in 2022.
1. Carmen
Carmen offers a tasting menu and à la carte dishes that show the diversity in Colombian food. Its wine and cocktail lists express the same appreciation for tradition and good vibes.
2. Celele
Chefs Jaime Rodríguez and Sebastián Pinzón spent years exploring the Caribbean coast, meeting indigenous peoples, discovering new flavors and ingredients and documenting recipes that were in danger of being lost.
In 2021, Celele earned the Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award.
3. Mar y Zielo
Located in the historic center of Cartagena, Mar y Zielo Gastro Bar is a contemporary restaurant inspired by the journey through Colombian lands and the history of its products.
It has a lounge with an à la carte menu, a dining room, and a rooftop to enjoy Cartagena afternoons and nights with local cocktails.
4. Harry Sasson
Located in the interior patio of the Hotel Charleston Santa Teresa, Harry Sasson offers what is considered the best of Colombian Caribbean cuisine with other flavors from different regions of the world.
The menu combines Mediterranean tapas like serrano ham, patatas bravas, fried eggs and fried squid, with traditional dishes of the region like arepa de eggs, posta from Cartagena, grilled fish and seafood, soupy rice dishes, and steakhouse-style meats.
5. La Cevichería
La Cevichería is a restaurant with a beach vibe. The restaurant offers fifteen types of ceviche, paellas and dishes with octopus, lobster and seafood. Don’t forget to try the traditional Cartagena shrimp cocktail.
6. Alma Restaurante
Alma, located in the Hotel Casa San Agustín, mixes tradition and avant-garde with ingredients from different regions of the Caribbean and the Colombian Pacific.
The menu includes glazed pork rinds, lobster patties and chicken spring rolls. The bar offers a rich list of cocktails and drinks, with a special section of gin and tonics, mojitos and martinis.
7. DKP
DKP Restaurant is an incredible place with unique charm. The restaurant features traditional Caribbean food from Cartagena.
8. Buena Vida Marisqueria y Rooftop
With a fancy Caribbean design and relaxed atmosphere, Buena Vida offers an innovative experience for those who want to enjoy the flavors of Cartagena.
Its menu is inspired by the Caribbean coast, with carefully selected fresh local ingredients. On its first two floors there is the seafood restaurant and on the third is the rooftop.
9. Candé Restaurante
Awarded several times for its quality, Candé is an authentic Colombian restaurant, with music and dancers, local and traditional dishes.
10. Casa Pestagua Boutique Hotel Restaurante
Casa Pestagua is housed in an 18th-century aristocratic mansion. The luxurious restaurant serves Caribbean cuisine prepared with fresh ingredients, as well as seafood dishes. The contemporary jazz bar offers classic cocktails.
