Colombian Food: 15 Dishes You Have to Try

Colombian food is diverse, regional and delicious. Here are the dishes and drinks you shouldn't miss.

Must-try dishes

• Arepas — grilled corn cakes, eaten everywhere, in endless varieties.
• Bandeja paisa — the hearty Antioquian platter: beans, rice, pork, chorizo, egg, plantain and avocado.
• Ajiaco — Bogotá's creamy chicken-and-potato soup.
• Sancocho — a rich regional stew (chicken, fish or beef).
• Lechona — slow-roasted stuffed pork.
• Posta cartagenera — Cartagena-style braised beef.
• Ceviche — fresh Caribbean-style seafood.
• Empanadas — crispy stuffed pockets.
• Patacones — fried green plantain.

Sweets and snacks

• Arequipe (dulce de leche), obleas, buñuelos and pandebono.

Drinks

• Colombian coffee — some of the world's best, at the source.
• Fresh fruit juices — try lulo, maracuyá, guanábana and more.
• Aguardiente — the anise-flavored national spirit.
• Champús and cholado — refreshing fruit drinks from Cali.

The best way to taste Colombia

Join a food tour or cooking class with a local guide — markets like Cartagena's Bazurto or Medellín's plazas are a feast for the senses. On GuiME you book directly with certified local guides.

Browse food experiences across Colombia on GuiME.