4.6374° N, 75.5703° W
THIS IN-DEPTH GUIDE COVERS THE EXCITING FOOD SCENE OF SALENTO, COLOMBIA - INCLUDING ALL OF THE TOP RESTAURANTS AND CAN'T-MISS TRADITIONAL COLOMBIAN FOODS.
We were lucky enough to spend 3 months living and exploring Salento, Colombia - one of the most colorful towns in the country and also one of the most visited. In fact, after the historic coastal city of Cartagena, Salento and its neighbor Cocora Valley (Valle de Cocora) are the second most visited place in all of Colombia.
While it is safe to say that most touristy towns don't usually have the best food options - many seem overpriced and underwhelming - somehow Salento has been able to foster a relatively strong food scene. And while Colombian food might be the most common cuisine available, the town is also home to various other international restaurants and cuisines, including Venezuelan, Spanish and Italian.
Below you will find our comprehensive Salento Food Guide, which outlines all of the best spots to eat at while visiting the town as well as a brief outline of some of the can't-miss traditional Colombian foods that all travelers should try at least once while exploring the country.
► Make sure to check out our interactive Salento Food Map at the end of this article to get an idea of where all of the top restaurants and cafés are located in town.
\\ A Quick Guide to Traditional Colombian Food
Below are some of the top foods all travelers should try at least once in Colombia. Luckily, many of these foods (and drinks) are easily available throughout the country - from the hot Caribbean Coast all the way to the cold mountains of the central Andes region.
During our time in the country, we noticed that the most famous Colombian foods usually focus on simple ingredients (potatoes and cheese being easily the most common items) that fill you up. This is likely due to the fact that many of these traditional foods and meals came about during a time when many Colombians were struggling to make ends meet. Fast forward to today, and food that was once considered comida de pobre (poor people food) is now eaten by all socio-economic classes.
TOP FOODS TO TRY IN COLOMBIA
| Aguapanela: this simple, sweet drink is quite common throughout the whole country of Colombia. But, while you can find it nationwide, it is especially easy to come across in the colder, mountainous region of the country. Aguapanela, which is simply just hot water with panela (unrefined cane sugar), is served at all times of the day, though especially during lunch and at dinner time. At some restaurants you can also get it with a side of cheese.
| Hot Chocolate with Cheese (costeño or campesino cheese): at first these two foods might not seem to go together very well. But let us tell you, after a cold day outside, nothing tastes as warm and as cozy as a huge cup of hot chocolate and a salty slice of cheese.
❔ GOOD TO KNOW: costeño cheese comes from the coastal region and is very salty. Campesino cheese comes from the mountains and is a little less salty and a little tangier. It is also very squeaky.
| Lulada: this local drink originated in the Valle de Cauca region of Colombia. It is made of smashed lulo, which is an exotic fruit that is yellow in color and quite tart (it is also popular in nearby Ecuador and Panama), lime juice, water, sugar, and ice.
| Arepas: very likely the most popular food in Colombia, arepas are a simple but filling food that can be made in a variety of different ways. While arepas are eaten at all times of the day, they are especially popular in the morning (they are one of the most common Colombian foods for breakfast throughout the whole country) and as a late afternoon snack.
A couple of well-known arepa varieties are arepa de huevo (which is a fried arepa with a cooked egg inside), arepa de queso (corn arepa with salty melted cheese inside), arepa andina (a simple flat white corn arepa) and arepa paisa (similar to arepa andina but with melted cheese on top). In Salento, you can find a couple of different arepa stands, including one selling stuffed arepas (delicious!).
| Pan de bono (pan de yuca, pan de queso): no day in Colombia is complete without at least one pan de bono, or its two almost identical brothers pan de yucca and pan de queso. No matter which one you choose, it is always a good idea to eat it with either a hot coffee or hot chocolate in hand.
All three of these treats look pretty much the same: a small doughy ball that is somewhat gooey on the inside. The pan de bono is the gooiest, while the pan de yuca is a bit more firm. No matter which one you choose, you can expect a slightly salty and cheesy delicious treat.
💬 INSIDER TIP: we found the best pan de bonos in Salento were from Casa de Pan, a panaderia off of Calle 5 about a block and a half from the main plaza. We recommend stopping by for an early, light breakfast of pandebonos there.
| Obleas: a very common afternoon snack or after dinner dessert, obleas are thin Colombian wafers characterized by their round shape and slightly brown color. They are traditionally spread with arequipe (caramel) and other toppings such as fruit jams, grated cheese, or chocolate sprinkles.
| Hogao: one of the most popular condiments in Colombia is hogao, which is a savory mix of tomatoes, onions, garlic and cilantro that are sautéed until they become soft and fragrant. This delicious sauce is added to numerous other popular Colombian foods, including bandeja paisa (see below), arepas and red beans.
| Calentado: while arepas and pandebonos are popular Colombian breakfast foods, the most traditional Colombian breakfast is definitely calentado - which mostly consists of last night's reheated leftovers. The dish stems from the past when much of the Colombian population lived in poverty and nothing - including food - was wasted. Today, the filling breakfast usually includes rice, beans, plantains, steak, fried eggs, and arepas.
| Arroz con Coco: this popular side dish is a delicious mix of savory and sweet. It consists of white rice, coconut milk, sugar, salt, and water. Some people add dried fruits like raisins to make it sweeter, while more traditionally it is served on the coast, both the Pacific and the Caribbean, with fried or grilled fish and patacones (fried plantains).
| Bandeja Paisa: this massive meal, which is also known as bandeja de arriero, bandeja montanera and bandeja antioquena, is a heavy, high calorie feast that is traditionally served on a big, oval platter. There are commonly a total of 13 ingredients used in the dish, including golden-fried chorizo sausages with lime, hogao sauce, white rice, ground beef, plantain, an arepa, avocado, stewed red beans, fried pork belly, and a fried egg. Originally, the platter of food was meant to provide plenty of nutrition and energy to the local farmers to help keep them going for the whole day. Today, you can find bandeja paisa at most traditional Colombian restaurants - including at many in Salento.
| Ajiaco (the national dish of Colombia): this savory soup is made up of chicken, potatoes, corn and herbs. In the past, it was considered a poor man's dish because it had to include three varieties of potatoes - which were and are abundant and inexpensive in Colombia. The soup is often topped with avocado slices, capers, rice, cilantro, and black pepper.
While you can find plenty of food tours all over Colombia, here are some of the best: