This guest post was written by Steve Dillon, co-founder of Other Way Round Travel
When I first visited Colombia back in 2010 I had almost no idea of what to expect. The people, places, culture, food – it was all entirely unknown and immensely exciting. I couldn’t wait to explore, experience and taste Colombia and I wasn’t disappointed. This was the start of my love affair with Colombia and the delicious food.
At that time I was traveling with my Colombian girlfriend (now wife) to visit her family in Medellin. After a 20-something hour flight from London (that was back in the days before there were direct flights), I arrived rather exhausted and expected to head straight back to the house to grab a few hours kip. But I quickly learned that’s not the Colombian way.
Unbeknownst to us, there were about 30 members of our Colombian family waiting at the airport to greet us. We were whisked straight off to El Rancherito, a nearby traditional Colombian restaurant, to fill up on a hearty breakfast.
This was my first real encounter with Colombian food and it was memorable for a couple of reasons.
A memorable introduction to the best local dishes in Medellin
Firstly, it was memorable because I loved the absolute simplicity of the food and found it genuinely delicious. That day I only had an arepa with Colombian cheese and aguapanela (a sweet Colombian drink made of water and sugar cane), which to this day remains my staple breakfast.
And secondly, I remember how keen everyone was for me to like the food. “Te Gusta”? (“Do you like it?”). “Rica?” (“Tasty”?). Colombians, and especially Paisas (the people from the state of Antioquia, including Medellin), are extremely proud of their food and are always super keen for visitors to try it out for themselves.
This detour to El Rancherito when arriving back to Medellin has since become somewhat of a family tradition. A big part of experiencing the REAL Colombia is to experience traditional Colombian food. We now live in Medellin for part of the year and want to share with you some of what we consider the best local dishes in Medellin.
A bit about the food scene in Medellin
When people think of Colombia, food is typically not one of the things that first springs to mind. Living most of my life in the UK, I personally had never even seen a Colombian restaurant before – and had never sampled the food. Like many things related to Colombia, the secret is slowly starting to spread and Medellin is becoming a foodie hotspot.
New restaurants are popping up almost daily and you’ll find something to suit every taste. There’s awesome street food, traditional Colombian cuisine, and high-end restaurants which wouldn’t look out of places in the sleekest parts of London or New York. Not to mention the endless amount of hipster coffee shops and cool bars.
Like in many cities, there a few specific clusters where most of the best spots can be found. Wander the streets of Provenza in trendy El Poblado and you’ll find an endless supply of restaurants that really are inviting. Avenida Jardin in the up-and-coming Laureles is also a great alternative full of great food options. Or even head over to the huge street food market Mercado del Rio, housed in an old warehouse in El Poblado, where you’ll find a great atmosphere and some of the finest restaurants in Medellin.
Best local dishes in Medellin
There are so many dishes typical to the region to experiment with. If you’re a first-time visitor you absolutely must try some of them: arepas, bandeja paisa, chicharrón, calentao, tamales, sancocho, mondongo to name only a few. Not to mention the plethora of weird and wonderful tropical fruits and the subsequent assortment of fruit juices (limonada de coco is ridiculously good).
Below are five of my favorite restaurants for traditional food in Medellin.
El Rancherito
Ok, so let’s get this out of the way: yes, it is a chain. In fact, it’s the biggest chain serving traditional food in all of Antioquia. But it’s a good chain and worth visiting. They serve traditional food from all regions in Colombia, in very hearty portions, and excel at the local cuisine from the Antioquia region. It’s my go-to place for a great bandeja paisa while in Medellin (or at least it was before I turned veggie, but that’s a different story).
This is the same restaurant I discussed in the intro to this blog, so of course it holds a little nostalgia for me. However, I think it’s a great place for any visitor to soak up the Paisa atmosphere at full throttle. El Rancherito restaurants will typically be packed with Colombian families, have a nice relaxed atmosphere, and will often have live music in the evenings. Don’t be surprised if the table next to you decides to get up for a bit of salsa. This is Medellin! There are various locations spread throughout the city, but my favorite is in Las Palmas.
3 Tipicos
This small family-run Colombian restaurant serves high-quality traditional food at very reasonable prices. It was recommended to me by several Colombian friends before I finally tried it out myself.
They have three locations but the best for visitors is their restaurant located in Provenza, in a cozy spot nestled away in a quieter corner of this rather hip part of Medellin. Many people come here to try out their signature 3 tipicos dish, a combination of three typical Antioquian foods, although they also have a reputation for doing a great sancocho (local soup) as well as a having a great selection from the parilla (grill). If you can manage to get there on a Sunday you will often see them cooking the sancocho in the traditional way, over an open pit fire.
Mondongo’s
A huge local favorite, it’s a bit of an institution in Medellin and one of those must-visit places if you really want to experience local culture. Mondongo’s is widely recognized as the place to go in Medellin for its namesake dish – mondongo – which is another Antioquian soup (did we mention that Colombian’s love their soup) consisting of diced tripe (the stomach of a cow or pig) and a bunch of slow-cooked vegetables. It’s actually much tastier than it sounds, I promise!
While the style and decor of the restaurant are fairly basic, that’s not really what people come here for. They have restaurants in both Laureles and El Poblado but I recommend the latter. Ask for a seat on the outer deck overlooking Calle 10, one of the most lively and energetic streets in the city, to get a front-row view of all the action.
Alambique
This is quite possibly my favorite restaurant in Medellin and the first place I take friends when they’re in town and looking for a lively evening out. Alambique is a trendy restaurant/bar (so trendy that they don’t even have a website) that serves traditional Colombian food with a modern twist. The restaurant is located in the heart of bustling El Poblado but is somewhat hidden away. You probably wouldn’t even notice it if you weren’t specifically looking.
The decor inside is artsy, the rooftop bar is cool, and the food is well plated (you’ll love it if you’re an Instagrammer). It’s the perfect place to come with friends, share some awesome food while listening to cool music and taste a few cheeky cocktails from their huge selection. My favorite dish is the delicious Canasticas de buñuelo, which combines three of my favorite things: buñuelos, limonada de coco, and rum.
El Cielo
If you’re looking to celebrate a special occasion – or just want to treat yourself to some seriously top-notch food while in Medellin – then head over to El Cielo. This restaurant is also located in El Poblado and is the brainchild of 30-something local chef Juan Manuel Barrientos, who has carefully crafted each meal to be a “roller coaster for the senses.”
The menu is built around traditional Colombian ingredients. However, El Cielo delivers it in an altogether different way by using molecular gastronomy and serving ‘moments’ rather than courses. They have a boutique wine list to match.
This restaurant is quickly gaining worldwide recognition and has been named multiple times in San Pellegrino’s 50 Best Restaurants in Latin America. When you go, you’ll quickly understand why. Be sure to make a reservation in advance.
Get tasting
Finally, I want to say that if you’re planning a trip to Colombia, then sampling the food is a must. Be adventurous, try everything and – most importantly – enjoy! There are so many choices to taste the best local dishes in Medellin.
About the Author
Steve is the co-founder of Other Way Round Travel. Along with his Colombian wife, Marcela, Steve takes adventure travelers on small and intimate luxury group tours of Colombia to provide them with an immersive and REAL taste of Colombia.
They currently offer three trips including 1 week in Medellin, 8 days in Cartagena and Bogota and a Colombia all-in-one tour. If you have any questions about traveling in Colombia, where to stay, or what to see, then ask these guys.
