Zach & Jackie
Eat+Drink
Carmen Restaurante
Set in a lovely colonial mansion (inside the Ananda hotel) with a poised but unpretentious vibe, Carmen has raised the bar on Cartagena’s gourmet dining scene. Start with the ceviche lamindo (fish infused with fermented coconut and served with the theatrical enhancement of “coconut smoke”). The fish of the day (wrapped in a green plantain crust and served with coconut rice risotto, and drizzled with a rum raisin purée) is heavenly, or there’s an outrageously good pineapple and cachaça–encrusted red snapper bathed in a curry sauce and dressed with creamy yam, tempura banana, and a lychee chimichurri.
ALMA Restaurante
Alma serves as a restaurant and a centerpiece of [Hotel] Casa San Agustin, where fashionable locals and guests share a passion to enjoy the cuisine of coastal Colombian cuisine amidst a vibrant environment. Alma restaurant radiates the life of Cartagena de Indias and offers the best of traditional cuisine of the renowned Chef Heberto Eljach in the heart of Casa San Agustin Hotel, where you can enjoy an exquisite seafood casserole, as well as a variety of ceviches, matured meat in various cuts, lobster tail and seafood prepared with traditional cooking, among other dishes that are a celebration of Chef Eljach´s creativity and skill on fresh seafood.
La Cevichería
Located in the quaint Plaza San Diego, La Cevicheria serves some of the best seafood in Cartagena. Formerly visited by Anthony Bourdain, this restaurant is still a hit with locals and tourists who love to eat. The little corner spot is cute, casual and very reasonably priced. Chef Jorge Escandón like to take advantage of Cartagena's variety of fresh tropical fruit by incorporating htem into his spectacular seafood dishes. Grab a table out front and enjoy a refreshing cocktail while people watching as your food is prepared. La Cevicheria serves so much more than ceviche: paella, seafood platters, fresh lobster, pasta dishes, salads, etc.
Restaurante Candé
Restaurante Candé, located in the heart of Cartagena, offers a delightful taste of Caribbean cuisine with a touch of elegance. The establishment boasts a lovely ambiance and live music that adds to the dining experience. The interior design is charming and creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Prices are reasonable for the quality of food and service provided, making it an excellent choice for a fine dining spot.
Basilica Pizzería Café
Basilica Pizzería Café because it reminded us of a little street side cafe you could find in Rome. The bistro-style tables on the sidewalk was a perfect place to enjoy our candlelight dinner. The pizzas were fantastic (as was the sangria) – a very casual place that could be enjoyed alone or with a group of friends!
Di Silvio Trattoria
Just a block down from Piazza De La Trinidad, a pizzeria by the name of Di Silvio Trattoria is hidden in a courtyard behind graffiti-covered walls. With vines crawling up the cracked concrete walls and white lights twinkling in the darkness of the evening, the ambiance of this place is top-notch. They serve super thin crust, artisanal style pizzas with authentic Italian toppings like arugula, prosciutto, and freshly shaved Parmigiano Reggiano.
La Brioche Centro Historico
This was one of the first places we sat down for breakfast in Cartagena, noted for their French-inspired interiors and French-Colombian menu. Must try: the croissant de choco-almendra. For breakfast or brunch: we recommend their Plato Tipico, a plate of deviled eggs, arepas de queso, salchicha Antioqueño and queso Cartagena.
Época Café Bar
This truly is a paradise for coffee-lovers, with an experienced barista who will explain the numerous varieties and preparation methods on offer. They offer milk substitutes like almond and soy milk for those who need to steer clear of dairy (which is incredibly difficult in Colombia) and make an excellent iced latte. Brunch consists of traditional American bagels, toast with avocado and smoked salmon and, of course, eggs however you like them!
Café San Alberto Cartagena - Plaza Santo Domingo
Single origin coffee from our their farm, brewed through multiple alternatives in an effort to surprise visitors and honor a longstanding family tradition. A complete coffee experience with a lot of interaction between visitors and baristas, who brew most of the drinks at the table.
Beiyu
With natural, organic ingredients, this Getsemaní eatery offers up healthy brunches including fresh fruit juices, smoothies, granola, salads, wraps and plenty of sandwiches. Also has vegan options available. Not to be missed are the açaí bowls and the Colombian coffee!
La Palettería
There are shops all over Cartagena that are dedicated solely to popsicles. Not an ice cream shop that sells popsicles in addition to ice cream, but popsicle-only shops. They call them paletterias, and although you can find them anywhere, the most popular one is La Paletteria. You’ll know you’re in the right place when you can barely move inside the shop because it’s so packed! They have flavors ranging from Nutella, banana split and decadent chocolate, to Colombian fruits like lulo (some say it tastes like a combination of kiwi, citrus, and pineapple); maracuyá (passion fruit) and granadilla (purple passionfruit). *CAN'T MISS!
Patti Gelateria Santo Toribio
Wonderful gelato with a huge range of vegan options (almost all are also sugar free). Highly suggested: salted caramel, avellana, and pistachio!
Gelateria Paradiso
María Nevett, its owner, transformed all the typical tropical flavor of the city, into exquisite handmade ice creams, completely natural without additives or preservatives. In addition to extracting the pulp from each bag of passion fruit, tree tomato, sapodilla, mamey, corozo, cape gooseberry, coconut, guava, tamarind, loquat and curuba. María plays with the other Caribbean flavors, lemonades, flower of Jamaica, and the classic vanilla, chocolate, arequipe delicacies, created in the traditional technique of Italian artisanal gelato.
Alquimico Bar
Voted Best Bars in the World, 2023 Edition **Fabulous craft cocktails and bites! Alquímico shows its multiple personalities across three – usually packed – floors of a renovated colonial mansion in Cartagena de Indias. While each of the bar’s three floors expresses its own identity through drinks and dishes (strictly vegetarian), Alquímico is also Trinh’s Antioquia farm, which provides the Cartagena team with many Colombian ingredients, such as pine extract or the citrus cordial that goes into the Gimlet. The Raíces (Roots) menu on the first floor, for example, takes inspiration from every region in Colombia, while the terrace’s #FromTheFarmToTheBar cocktail pays tribute to the experiences the team lived through together on the hacienda during the pandemic. Just some of the many reasons Alquímico had been named The Best Bar in South America for the past three years.
El Barón
Also voted World's Best Bars 2015 & 2016 Editions. Nestled in the heart of Cartagena’s historic city centre lies this unpretentious drinking spot. For nearly a decade the team at El Barón have been offering up a combination of classics and inventive, progressive signature drinks, led by German bartender Noah Matthies. House creations make use of an array of modern techniques, resulting in cocktails such as the Rosarito, pairing mezcal with cilantro, pineapple extract and bitters. This rustic bar is cosy and compact, with a welcoming, convivial atmosphere and a charming terrace for an al fresco cocktail, or to enjoy the bar’s selection of Cuban and Colombian cigars, expertly paired with various spirits.
Mirador Gastro Bar
Set on the first to fourth floor, the venue includes Mirador Lobby Bar and the Salón Mirador restaurant, but the 'cherry-on-top' space is the lovely and sprawling Mirador Rooftop. With a modern yet natural and lush setting, the open-air terrace comes surrounded with fantastic 360° views over Cartagena, including close-ups of the majestic clock tower. Up here you can indulge in a wide variety of tasty food and drinks. Eats range from seafood and meat to pasta and burgers, while drinks come as crafted and refreshing cocktails and mocktails, as well as plenty of wine, sangria and beers. Packed with a fun, friendly and vibrant lounge atmosphere, Mirador Gastro Bar is always a great option to enjoy the best of Cartagena. Visit for a relaxing coffee or a sunny brunch, or come for afternoons and evenings with amazing sunsets, complemented with live music and DJs.