6 Best Restaurants in Colombia

Caribbean Place Donde Martin

$$$ Fodor's choice
This local spot is considered to be one of (if not the) the best restaurants on the island. It features a seafood menu that has a leg up on its competition in terms of quality and variety, thanks to the talent of its chef, Martin Quintero, who prepares exquisite dishes such as local crab in coconut sauce or lionfish in ginger butter. Eclectic touches, notably the jumbled-wine-bottle garden, add character to the otherwise simple decor. A live band in the evenings fills the place with a lively island ambience. Reservations are advised.

Divino Niño Jesus

$$$

Set right on South West Bay beach, with tables under the trees, this is exactly the place one hopes to find on a Caribbean holiday. Niño's serves fabulous dishes like lobster in a garlic sauce or grilled fish of the day, which should be washed down with cold beer and fresh juices. Avoid peak lunch hours as service tends to dip considerably when it gets busy.

Donde Chucho

$$$
Now grown to several locations around Santa Marta, this branch in a quieter corner of the Parque de los Novios has a superb seafood selection backed up by a smooth jazz soundtrack. Grilled fish dishes are excellent, as are the ceviches. Service varies between attentive and friendly to quite distracted, but the ambience and fresh fish make it worth it.

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La Fragata

$$$$

With its slowly revolving dining room, this is one of the capital's more unusual restaurants. Somehow the dimly lit, dark-oak interior successfully conveys the sensibility of a 19th-century frigate. The lobster, crab, red snapper, and locally caught rainbow trout are satisfying, but the real draw here is the view.

La Regatta

$$$

Close to the seafront and all the downtown attractions, La Regatta offers some of the island's best seafood on a deck set right over the water. Head here in the early evening to enjoy a sundowner before diving in to dinner. Reservations are advisable.

The Grog Rocky Cay

$$$
For lunch with your toes tucked in the sand and delicious seafood on your plate, The Grog is the spot. Ask for a table under one of the trees on the beach, and with piña coladas in hand, order fresh and tasty dishes like the arroz caribe, a stir-fry with grilled shrimp and octopus. This is a great place to see the day to its end.
Seafood Lunch $$$
San Andrés, Archipiélago de San Andrés, 880008, Colombia
311–232–3247