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The most traditional recipes aim to fill the belly and ward off the cold. Soups, such as ajiaco and puchero (with chicken, pork, beef, potato, yucca, cabbage, corn, and plantain and accompanied by rice and avocado) are common on local menus. Bogotanos like to start the day off with santafereño, a steaming cup of chocolate accomp
The most traditional recipes aim to fill the belly and ward off the cold. Soups, such as ajiaco and puchero (with chicken, pork, beef, potato, yucca, cabbage, corn, and plantain and accompanied by rice and avocado) are common on local menus. Bogotanos like to start the
The most traditional recipes aim to fill the belly and ward off the cold. Soups, such as ajiaco and puchero (with chicke
The most traditional recipes aim to fill the belly and ward off the cold. Soups, such as ajiaco and puchero (with chicken, pork, beef, potato, yucca, cabbage, corn, and plantain and accompanied by rice and avocado) are common on local menus. Bogotanos like to start the day off with santafereño, a steaming cup of chocolate accompanied by a slab of cheese—you melt the cheese in the chocolate. Lunch is generally served between noon and 2. Restaurants open for dinner around 7, and the more upscale ones stay open until after midnight.
You'll find the city's most iconic dinner experience about 40 minutes outside of Bogotá. This multisensory, multilevel restaurant is part Burning Man, part roadside barbecue joint---think vibrant colors, music, people, energy, and great food. The menu, which reads more like a book, focuses on beef and all things grilled, with plenty of local dishes from arepas to ceviches. Try La Trapa, a salted, muslin-wrapped tenderloin grilled directly on the fire.The entire complex encompasses 2½ miles, with 11 seating areas that fit about 2,000 diners served by hundreds of staff. Every inch is decorated with found objects and memorabilia, like gloriously gaudy neon lighting and stylized bric-a-brac. Any empty floor space usually becomes a dance floor with the party extending well into the night. Arrive before 6 pm on Friday and Saturday to avoid the cover charge (10,000 pesos Friday; 15,000 pesos Saturday). If you can, spend the night in one of Chia's B&Bs; it's much more pleasant than ending the night with a long taxi ride (a taxi costs around $80).
Chefs José Barbosa and Álvaro Clavijo are the driving forces behind one of Bogotá's standout restaurants that seamlessly blends Colombian products and creole flavors with avant-garde techniques. You may be welcomed with chicharron---the much-loved thick-cut fried bacon that's served with dehydrated cilantro, candied lime, and charcoaled chili---which sets the tone for a menu that features both meat-based and vegetarian dishes. Be sure to save space for the delicate and masterfully presented desserts. The space is comfortably cool, with plenty of exposed brick and greenery creating a decor that's balanced between retro and modern.
Unobtrusively tucked away in a typical Chapinero home, the quietly cool Nueve has floor-to-ceiling wine racks that reflect more than 14 countries, a passionate and knowledgeable waitstaff, and strikingly modern tapas that reinvent traditional Spanish bites with local flavors and ingredients. Try as many little dishes as possible, like the local creole potatoes tuned into patatas bravas (stuffed with spicy Basque sausage) or the fried burrata with a guava-and-black-olive paste. Come early to try one of the spot-on classic cocktails, like a fine old-fashioned, at the adjoining Prohibition-era-style bar. Reservations are recommended.
This newest branch of the hugely popular Osaka franchise offers a perfect rendition of the refined flavors born more than a decade ago in Lima. The beautifully designed space is a modern play of wood, stone, and greenery in several salons, with prominence given to a long sushi bar and a brightly lit bar where bartenders whip up innovative cocktails. The menu is a mix of Peruvian and Japanese flavors, with traditional dishes from both nations and plenty of novel in-house inventions. For quality and freshness, the fish is arguably the best in the city, but don’t miss out on the flavorful and creative hot dishes—and save space for dessert.
Carrera 13 # 85 – 25, Bogotá, Bogota D.C., Colombia
The frequently changing, local-produce-inspired menu at this Chapinero home turned restaurant hits all the right spots, with starters like grilled octopus with corn and chorizo or smoked trout with cassava and a berry compote, and comforting mains that include slow-cooked roasts and the famous chicken curry with roast carrots. There's also a great wine and cocktail list, as well as expertly made coffee. The weekday lunch special is a bargain, offering a starter and main of the day. It's popular, so come early.
Calle 54 A No. 4 -13, Bogotá, Bogota D.C., Colombia
Offering typical Colombian dishes, Casa Vieja is known for the quality of its ajiaco, a hearty Andean potato stew with chicken, corn, cilantro and a local herb called guasca. Dinner in this Belle Époque–style restaurant is accompanied by antiques and artwork from Colombia's colonial past. Beyond this location in the Candelaria, there is spot in the Centro Internacional, and another in Usaquen.
Av. Jiménez No. 3–57, Bogotá, Bogota D.C., 110111, Colombia
The sister restaurant to 80 Sillas, Horacio is equally well designed, with a great staff and a menu that focuses on simple ingredients. You can't go wrong with anything porcine or slow cooked---the crispy pork belly and homemade pâté are spot-on---and the wine list is filled with quality choices. Upstairs, overlooking a tree-filled patio, is the best place to dine.
Home to some of Bogotás best thin-crust pizza, this Zona G locale is unbeatable for its cozy, low-lit atmosphere and light and crispy pizzas with generous, quality toppings. Tables are tucked between exposed-brick walls and wine displays, with the bar and pizza oven in the back. There are branches in Usaquen and Zona Rosa.
For a taste of the American South, or just a good night out, head out to the hugely popular La Fama for Colombian-Texan-style barbecue. Here you'll find traditional barbecue staples like slow-smoked ribs or brisket as well as more local fare like the hump, a traditional cut of local beef that's marinated for two days and then smoked for 15 hours. The pecan pie is an excellent way to end the meal.
Calle 65 Bis No. 4-85, Bogotá, Bogota D.C., Colombia
The inventive, contemporary Colombian menu at this casual eatery features products and flavors from far-flung corners of the country. Look out for giant ants, puffer-fish tails, plantain sushi rolls, and excellent fruit juices. Eclectic decor, colorful mismatched furniture, and a friendly staff make for a lighthearted dining experience that begs repeating.
Carrera 4 A # 57 – 52, Bogotá, Bogota D.C., Colombia
Although the starched-white tablecloths make this popular spot rather formal, the classic Spanish dishes are superb. There's a range of excellent tapas as well as daily specials, and the elegant dining room is decorated with works of art from around the world.
Carrera 10 No. 96–08, Bogotá, Bogota D.C., 110221, Colombia
Drenched in light from the towering glass ceiling, this warm space invites long shared lunches (with plenty of wine) in front of the giant wood-burning oven. The mains, mostly cooked in said oven, are large plates meant to be shared---osso buco, beef shank, ham hock---and are flavorful and tender. But the stars of the show are the starters, equal parts modern and creole, that range from grilled beef tongue with sun-dried-tomato vinaigrette to a tiger-prawn-and-chorizo casserole in a bijao (banana leaf).
Right on the Usaquen Park, this lively café serves straightforward Colombian fare. It's a great spot for breakfast, especially on market Sunday—grab an arepa with everything and settle back to people-watch. Service can be sluggish at times, so don’t come if you're in a hurry.
This seven-table ramen restaurant is easy to miss, but the hunt is worth it---look for the white noren (traditional Japanese curtains) covering the doorway. The soups and rice dishes on the short menu are so perfectly executed you might forget that you're not in Tokyo. Arrive early to avoid a long wait.
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