June 18, 2024, 11:41 am
Part of the experience of travelling in Colombia is tasting Colombian food. If you are looking to try local food during your trip to Colombia, check out this list of the must-eat Colombian items that you will not regret taking a bite into:
Hot Chocolate with Cheese
This delicious combination is easy to find in any local restaurant in Bogotá. This filling and sweet drink is your traditional hot chocolate 2.0.
Served with a slice of cheese that's meant to be melted in your steamy hot drink, it's surprisingly nice and comforting, especially in Bogotá's chilly weather.
Ajiaco
There is nothing more Bogotano than an Ajiaco. Now, this is what you call chicken soup for the soul. Yet another very filling dish, this is more like a thick chicken stew made with several varieties of local potatoes, chicken, and a local herb called guasca to give it its distinct flavor.
Cazuela de Marisco
By far, my all-time favorite Colombian food is a mouthful of seafood goodness in a single bite. Every restaurant and every grandma has their own unique recipe for this gorgeous seafood stew, but everywhere I have been, it has always been amazing. It’s probably easier to find on the coast. Do not miss the opportunity to try this amazing must-eat Colombian dish.
Arepas de Chóclo
How could you vacation in Colombia without trying the all-star food of South America? The arepa!
I’m not talking about the plain one that's given to you on the side with your meal-of-the-day at a local restaurant. These are usually undercooked, bland and taste something similar to soaked computer paper.
Instead, go for the one everyone loves, foreigners included. Try the must-eat Colombian arepa de Chóclo: a mix of fresh corn and cheese, the arepa de chóclo makes for a hefty and solid breakfast.
Mondongo
Mondongo is a traditional soup that is made from a base of tripe, onions, potatoes, garlic, cilantro, and tomatoes and a few other additions including pork meat and/or pork sausage. Mondongo is typically eaten with white rice and a slice of avocado. This soup can also be very filling; so, don't think it "light" just because it's a soup!
Bandeja Paisa
A large majority of tourists that travel to Colombia go to the region of Antioquia. If you too will be visiting the area, you are not to miss the ever famous bandeja paisa.
Meant as a breakfast dish for farmers of the region in order to store enough energy for the hard day’s work ahead, you are guaranteed an extremely filling Colombian dish. With a nice mix of beans, plantain, avocado, different parts of the pig, and all topped off with an egg, this is the ultimate breakfast of champions. Be ready to enter in a coma after this one.
Pro tip: If you are not up for the challenge, you can ask for a children’s bandeja paisa or even sharing an adult size between two people is more than enough!
Although, there are many more fabulous Colombian food items to try, the list above gives you a good starting point during your vacation to Colombia.
Sancocho Antioqueño
A soup made with a little bit of everything, sancocho antioqueño is another filling soup you will find in the Coffee Region. It is generally made with a mix of pork, beef, potato, yucca, cilantro, onion, garlic, green plantain, sweet plantain, corn, carrot, cabbage, salt, and cumin. Like mondongo, it is traditionally eaten with a slice of avocado and white rice.
Mazamorra
A cold soup, mazamorra is made from cracked white or yellow corn that is pressure cooked and covered with milk. Panela (unrefined cane sugar) is either sprinkled into the soup or the soup is served with a bowl of panela chunks that you bite as you eat the soup. Although the combination may sound strange, it's a creamy, refreshing delicacy that is perfect as an appetizer or even dessert, although for many Colombians it's seen as a drink!
If you want to learn more about delicious Colombian food, sign up for a Cooking and Food tour in Bogotá. You’ll get a chance to try delicious Colombian foods at a traditional market and learn how to make a Colombian dish with an expert chef at a cooking school. You’ll also end the day with a sweet treat in Bogotá’s dessert district.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jade
Jade is a world citizen who moved to Bogotá in 2014 with her Colombian partner and loves the city more with each passing year. She is a digital marketing expert and blogger. She writes about cultural insights and is integrated into the Colombian community. Read more at Bogotastic.com.
