Wondering where to eat in Cartagena and which of the Cartagena best restaurants are most worth trying? Here I’ll share 50 of the best restaurants in Cartagena, Colombia, including options for Cartagena restaurants for all budgets from fine dining to cheap eats. So, read on to learn about 50 great restaurants in Cartagena to try during your visit.
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Cartagena Best Restaurants Introduction
Perhaps it was all the wonderful things to do or the nearby beautiful beaches that attracted you to Cartagena. However, an important part of any travel experience is treating yourself to some great food too!
And, you wont’ be disappointed by the food and dining options in Cartagena either!
Here, I’m going to help make sure you get the most out of your Cartagena eats. After living in Cartagena over a decade, I’ve put together a list of 50 Cartagena restaurants I recommend you consider trying on your visit.
I have actually eaten at all these places too. Well, in all fairness, there’s one place that just opened a location in Cartagena, but I’ve eaten at a location elsewhere.
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->Click here to get a free planning checklist for your trip to Cartagena!
Now I will say, Susana and I have a habit of finding places we really like and sticking to them, so there a handful of highly regarded restaurants in Cartagena we haven’t tried just because we haven’t gotten around to it or they have opened fairly recently.
I’ve included a list at the bottom of this post mentioning some of those that you may also want to check out. I have also tried to include a bit of variety as well as some options for all budgets here.
It shouldn’t be surprising that the very best Cartagena restaurants tend to be higher end places with high prices. It’s absolutely worth splurging and treating yourself to at least one of not several of these places (hey, it’s vacation after all!).
I’ve made a point to include a number of reasonably priced places we love too, because, well, teachers who moonlight as professional bloggers can’t afford fine dining all the time either.
This also shouldn’t necessarily read like a ranking. Generally I’ve got the places I would recommend first higher on the list but depending on what you want, places lower on the list might be better options. And, well, you’re not going to go wrong eating at any of these Cartagena best restaurants.
For each of the 50 restaurants in Cartagena, Colombia below I’ve included their location or locations and whether you need reservations. I’ve also included an estimated price range, which I’ll explain below.
By the way, if you’ve stumbled upon this post, you may also be interested in checking out my posts on the best local dishes to try, the best street food, and the best spots for sunset drinks. You might also want to consider doing a dinner cruise on the bay, street food tour, or a tour of the city market and cooking class.
How I Defined Price Levels
Honestly, this is harder than it seems.
The reality is, it depends a lot on what you’re ordering. Lobster and fancy cocktails with specialty liquor is going to be pricey even at “cheap” places. Some of the priciest Cartagena restaurants also do sometimes have some cheaper dishes on the menu.
Second, what’s expensive and what’s cheap is just completely subjective. Third, prices change, and so does the exchange rate, which plays into that subjective part. If I put some things I consider expensive in pesos in dollar terms it doesn’t sound that bad (it’s even worse when I try to put dollars into pesos back home!)
Therefore, I’ve tried to categorize the relative prices the best I can based on the following categories.
Price Categories:
- High – These are the priciest places in town, where you want to go for fine dining, to splurge, or for special events.
- Moderately High – These are nice places that have slightly more reasonable prices than the high end places and offer a happy medium between casual and fine dining.
- Moderate – These are sit down places where you can have a nice meal and not spend too much.
- Cheap – These are places where you are getting a good value. I’ve included both truly cheap stuff street food as well as some sit down places that aren’t dirt cheap but good values compared to most sit down restaurants in Cartagena.
->Click here to get a free planning checklist for your trip to Cartagena!
The Best Restaurants in Cartagena
1. Restaurante Fuerte del Pastelillo (formerly Club de Pesca)
Location: Manga
Price Category: High
Need Reservations: Yes
This is just about always my number one recommendation for where to eat in Cartagena when people ask me for suggestions.
If you’re looking for a place to get great seafood and treat yourself to a nice place, this is it. It has always been one of my go-to places for treating Susana to a nice dinner or taking friends or family visiting.
They just recently changed their name. I’m not sure why, but their decoration and menu look the same, so I have no qualms putting it at the top of this Cartagena best restaurants list.
The food is terrific, and there is a charming open air atmosphere. The restaurant is located right on the bay on a colonial era fort and there is often nice live ambient music in the evenings.
If you want a special romantic dinner, ask them to reserve one of the tables in the cannon openings. It feels very exclusive and the view of the bay is gorgeous.
In addition to the fresh seafood, their coconut pie is awesome and worth saving space for dessert. The sunset here is also gorgeous, so if you want to see it make your reservation a bit early and enjoy a drink or two before getting dinner as their drinks are not outrageously high despite being a higher end restaurant.
See their website where they have a menu posted here.
2. Jardín Santa Clara (formerly 1621)
Location: Walled City
Price Category: High
Need Reservations: Yes
The next place on this list of top restaurants in Cartagena is located inside the gorgeous Hotel Santa Clara, a former convent, and one of the finest luxury hotels in Cartagena. It is in the interior garden, including some tables in the courtyard itself, and has a lovely, romantic atmosphere.
It used to be named 1621 and have French inspired food, however, it changed names a while back to Jardín with a new menu. We liked 1621, in fact, this was where I proposed to Susana. However, we went more recently since the name change and liked it even more!
I had a great octopus with sort of a black bean paste, and it was awesome, just bursting with flavor. They also have some nice drinks and we had a delicious dessert. So, while I would have recommended it before, I recommend it even more so now, putting it second on this list of best Cartagena’s restaurants.
It is possible to get a table here without a reservation, but if you want to be at the few tables in the center of the garden it’s best to make them. The hotel’s lounge and bar El Coro is also great and their new rooftop bar also looks great (every time we’ve tried to go it’s been closed) if you want a drink before or after dinner.
They have a menu posted here.
3. Candé
Location: Walled City
Price Category: Moderately High
Need Reservations: Not always, but good idea, especially on weekends
If you’re looking for a place that has great food and a nice atmosphere at prices a bit more moderate than the two places listed above on this list of Cartagena best restaurants, check out Candé.
The food here is really good and has some creative spins and preparations of traditional Cartagena dishes (speaking of that, be sure to check out my list of dishes you should try in Cartagena). There is also sometimes a band and even traditional dance show.
The location in an old colonial house is also charming.
This was actually the first place Susana and I treated ourselves to a nice dinner out once things reopened, and we have been there a number of other times before and since. It’s plenty nice for a special occasion or romantic dinner, while the prices make it a place you could go just for a nice casual dinner out or with family too.
You can see their website, which was under renovation at the time of writing, here.
4. La Mulata
Location: Walled City
Price Category: Moderate
Need Reservations: No
La Mulata is also one of my go-to recommendations when people ask me about places to eat in Cartagena.
If you want to get traditional dishes from Cartagena that is fresh and well presented but at very reasonable prices, this is the best restaurants in Cartagena for you. Their food is great, and they have a rotating daily menu that is always fresh. Their prices are also fair and one of the better values in Cartagena.
Just about anything here is good, but the camarones al ajillo (shrimp in garlic sauce, see a recipe for it here by the way) are terrific, as are their ceviches and fish filets. Most of their dishes come with a fish soup starter and coconut rice. There are also good non seafood dishes.
They do not appear to have a website or menu posed anywhere at the time of writing.
5. La Laguna Azul
Location: Getsemaní
Price Category: Moderate
Need Reservations: No
The next place on this list of the best restaurants in Cartagena, Colombia is a hidden gem. La Laguna Azul is a little hole in the wall place at the entrance to the Centro Commercial Getsemaní located on Calle Larga.
Their ceviche is some of the best in the city, and their portions are larger than most ceviche places. There’s one that has a sesame (ajonjolí in Spanish) oil on it that is awesome!
There’s just a few little tables here and you’re more likely to see other locals than tourists. Order an ice cold beer from the shop next door and enjoy some of the best ceviche in town.
They do not have a website.
6. La Cevichería
Location: Walled City
Price Category: Moderately High
Need Reservations: No, but expect a wait at peak times
Unlike Laguna Azul, La Cevichería is very famous. Anthony Bourdain’s visit put it on the map and it is a standard on any best restaurants in Cartagena lists or recommendations.
And, well, it deserves that reputation. The ceviche here is terrific and they have a wide variety of options and preparations. They also have a number of cooked dishes, and their seafood paellas are some of the best in the city and perfect for sharing.
Their prices are higher than Laguna Azul’s, but they aren’t horrible. In fact, their lobster ceviche is actually probably one of the best deals on lobster in town. Their drinks are decently priced as well.
If you like some spice, their hot sauce is also great, but is straight fire. You can even buy a bottle to take home if you like it.
See their website where they do have a menu posted but without prices.
7. Donde Magola
Location: Walled City
Price Category: Cheap
Need Reservations: No
Don’t leave Cartagena without trying an arepa de huevo! The best place to do that is at the next place on this list of Cartagena best restaurants.
Donde Magola, located in a tiny spot by the Exito San Diego in the Walled City serves up fresh arepas de huevo all day as well as other common Cartagena street food like empanadas, carimañolas, and papas rellenas. If you’re not sure what those are, check out this guide to the best Cartagena street food to try.
There are some great stands around town, in fact, some of the best are just around the corner, where you can get arepas de huevo. However, what I love about Donde Magola is they have different varieties. The standard arepa de huevo comes with the egg and ground beef, but here you can get different meats.
Honestly, my favorite is probably just the traditional, but I also like to get the chicharrón one here. Susana loves the shredded beef (carne desmechada) one. They also have chorizo, butifarra, chicken, and even shrimp filled ones. Their sauces are also great, and I love that you can come here and get a fresh arepa de huevo all day and even into the night.
They don’t have a website or menu posted online. Besides their main location, they do have a smaller one nearby just outside the Éxito San Diego supermarket.
8. Buena Vida Marisquería
Location: Walled City
Price Category: Moderately High to High
Need Reservations: Not always, but strongly encouraged especially for rooftop and/or weekends
If you’re looking for a place that has good as well as some creative food and is also a good place for a drink or three, Buena Vida definitely belongs among the top restaurants in Cartagena.
In fact, this has become one of favorite places. They have great seafood, including some creative dishes that aren’t as common in Cartagena like crab cake sandwiches (hamburguesa de jaiba), shrimp tacos, and seafood pizza as well as more traditional dishes. They have a bit of a Mexican influence and have great margaritas and some interesting takes on micheladas.
The menu is larger inside, however, the rooftop is a great place for a few drinks and does also offer a smaller, more appetizer/bar food style menu. It’s a good spot to go as a couple or with a group of friends. It can often be full, so make sure you make reservations if you want a table on the roof.
You can see their website, which was also being renovated when writing this, here.
9. Carmen
Location: Walled City
Price Category: High
Need Reservations: Yes
For the more serious foodies, this definitely belongs on any list of the best restaurants in Cartagena. It’s one of only a handful of places in town that offer chef designed multi-course menus. They also have a terrific standard menu.
You’ll find a neat mix of traditionally inspired Cartagena and Colombian food with creative twists. We have actually only been here once, but it was one of the best meals we have ever had in Cartagena. They also have tasty, creative craft cocktails.
The little courtyard is also pretty, and there was live music the night we went. It’s a great place for a romantic night or even a nice family or group dinner. It is definitely pricey, but the quality is worth it if you want to treat yourself at one of the best Cartagena restaurants.
See their website where they have a menu posted, including in English, here.
10. Alma
Location: Walled City
Price Category: High
Need Reservations: Yes
Alma is also a well known standby amongst the best Cartagena restaurants. It is located inside the Casa San Agustín, Cartagena’s finest hotel. Alma offers great dining in an elegant atmosphere.
This is another place that’s great for a date or special occasion. We have been here several times as well as taking my mom. The menu here isn’t super large, but there is some variety, including good seafood as well as good steaks.
They also do a more reasonably priced lunch menu and have solid drinks. Their lobster empanadas are a great starter and they have an awesome cazuela de mariscos and seafood pasta. You won’t go wrong with anything here though.
See their website where they have a menu posted, including in English here.
11. Harry’s Cartagena
Location: Walled City
Price Category: Moderately High
Need Reservations: Usually not
Next up on this list of the best Cartagena, Colombia restaurants is another inside a swanky hotel. The Hotel Charleston Santa Teresa is in a lovely former convent like the Santa Clara. Their restaurant, Harry’s Cartagena is run by one of Colombia’s most famous chefs, Harry Sasson, who has several highly regarded restaurants in Bogotá as well.
I’m going to be honest, we have actually never ordered anything here off the main dishes menu.
They have something called “bar food” which I guess is kind of like appetizers. They are big portions though and actually fairly reasonably priced. Especially since they give you complimentary bread and cheese, sharing a couple of these works as a full meal for 2 or even 3 if you’re not very hungry.
Our favorites are the crab nachos and chicharrónes, which are called something like huesitos on the menu but are chicharrón in a spicy ginger and jalapeño sauce.
I think once when we were here with some friends we got a chorizo or something too, but honestly, we like those two so much that we haven’t tried any other things, much else followed through on saying we will actually order a main dish next time.
Given how full of flavor those two are and Harry Sasson’s reputation, I don’t have any doubt the main dishes are terrific too.
The hotel courtyard where the restaurant is located is nice as well, and this works as something for a fancier meal, a more casual dinner or lunch, or just some nachos and drinks with friends. The courtyard bar out front is also pretty, although I don’t think they serve food there.
See their website where they have a menu posted here.
->Click here to get a free planning checklist for your trip to Cartagena!
12. Mar y Zielo
Location: Walled City
Price Category: Moderately High
Need Reservations: Not always, but strongly encouraged, especially for rooftop
This best restaurant in Cartagena is charming and its rooftop has one of the prettiest views of Cartagena’s cathedral.
We have actually only been here once. Susana treated me for a birthday. We did get a table on the rooftop, which I believe has a slightly more limited menu than inside. The view was great and the food and drinks were even better.
The food had a creative spin and was full of flavor. This is one of those places that is on our list of where we would like to go back, and so I definitely recommend it as one of the best Cartagena restaurants.
See their website where they have a menu posted here (sala is inside, zielo is the rooftop).
13. Caffé Lunático
Location: Getsemaní
Price Category: Moderately High; For breakfast/brunch: moderate
Need Reservations: Generally no
This is one of the restaurants in Cartagena that had been on my list of places I wanted to go for the longest time. I had heard really good things about their brunch as well as their cooking classes. They also do yoga classes I believe.
I finally made a point to wander in for breakfast one morning. I was not disappointed with my bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich. They had a good looking menu for dinner as well, and it has a nice, locally owned atmosphere.
They had tasty juices as well, and I did see bottomless mimosas on the menu too. So, this is a good spot for a proper brunch too. The view of the Castillo San Felipe from here is also terrific, and now I have it on my list to go back for dinner sometime!
See their website with menu here.
14. La Brioche
Locations: Walled City and Bocagrande
Price Category: Moderate
Need Reservations: No
As much as I liked Lunático, I think Brioche is the best spot for breakfast in Cartagena (there is another good spot below). They have a fairly large menu and huge portions. They also have good coffee and pastries if you just want a simpler breakfast or cup of coffee.
However, this café and bakery is not just for breakfast. They have some sandwiches and salads for lunch on their menu as well.
And, while it may be surprising for a café and bakery, I think Brioche has the best burgers in Cartagena. Big, and on the gourmet style side, my favorite is the Gastón, which comes with a hashbrown on it, but the traditional cheeseburger is really good too. You can tell they use quality beef and their burgers are in fact homemade.
See their website and menu here.
15. Kokoa
Location: Getsemaní
Price Category: Moderate
Need Reservations: Generally no, but sometimes there’s a wait
Next up is our favorite Cartagena restaurant for sushi. Kokoa, located on the trendy colorful Calle San Andrés in Getemsení, has a cool, beach/reggae style vibe and a large menu with a variety of sushi rolls as well as other Japanese and Chinese inspired dishes.
It’s nice enough to come here on a date or a fun place to go with friends and have some drinks and sushi as well. I like that they have some creative rolls and some combos that work well in a group.
They don’t appear to have a website but their Instagram does show a menu (carta).
16. Mistura
Location: Walled City
Price Category: Moderately High
Need Reservations: Not always, but strongly encouraged
Mistura also has some great and creative sushi, plus a lot more on their menu. They have a bit more of a Peruvian-fusion influence, and though we have only been here once, I have no qualms putting it on this list of best Cartagena restaurants. It’s another place we have on our list of places to go again.
Both of the dishes we ordered were tasty as was the sushi roll we ordered as an appetizer. The courtyard inside is very pretty as well and its location just off the Parque Fernandez de Madrid is great and central to everything.
See their website, where you can find a menu, here.
17. Cuzco
Location: Walled City
Price Category: Moderately High to High
Need Reservations: Not always, but a good idea on weekends
For something a bit more straight up Peruvian, consider the next place on this list of Cartagena best restaurants.
Cuzco perfectly threads that needle of nice enough to take a date but not feeling too fancy to go as a family or group of friends. The prices are on the higher end but they have a big menu with something for everyone and some more moderately priced stuff.
I’m serious when I say it’s a crowd pleaser too. When we had our wedding, a group of my family members ate here two times in like 4 days they liked it so much. I think I’ve always just gotten the classic seafood arroz chaufa when I’ve been here and loved it but there are lots of good looking dishes on the menu.
They do have a website here, but you have to enter your email to see the menu and at least for me the email they sent didn’t actually have the menu attached. You can try and see if it’s fixed though.
18. Demente
Location: Getsemaní
Price Category: Moderate
Need Reservations: No, but sometimes there is a wait on weekends
This little bar and restaurant has my favorite pizza in Cartagena.
The pizza is brick oven style. I think their oven may not actually be brick, but the pizza is awesome with that little bit of charring on the crust.
They have a few creative and tasty combinations like a meatball pizza (my favorite). They do also have tapas on the menu that are tasty but, at least in my opinion, a bit overpriced and not worth ordering over the pizzas. If you’re not too hungry, a couple could share a tapa and a pizza though.
I love their little beer garden in the back as well, and they have good drinks to go with a pretty large liquor and even decent craft beer selection.
It’s definitely one of our favorite Cartagena restaurants for a casual meal and drinks or to go with friends. Right next to the Plaza de la Trinidad it’s a good place to start the night or stop by while out out on the town as well.
They don’t appear to have a website or menu up on social media. We have gotten them to send it to us by reaching out to them for deliveries though. See their Instagram here.
19. León de Baviera
Location: Getsemaní
Price Category: Moderate
Need Reservations: No
If you’re looking for another good place for drinks with friends that has good food too, check out León de Baviera, next up on this list of best restaurants in Cartagena.
This is one of the handful of places that was open all the way back during my first year in Cartagena in 2011, and I think it’s been around much longer than that. The owner Stefan, from Germany, is a nice guy and is usually around.
The brats are authentic and delicious and come with tasty sauerkraut. They have some other traditional German dishes like goulash as well, although I always just go with a brat. This has always been a favorite spot of mine to go with buddies for some drinks and food, and they do some specials during the week that are pretty good deals too.
This is a great spot to go for soccer games too. Just know it can get crowded for big matches so go early. We saw lots of 2018 World Cup matches here, and they were always good fun. They also are well known as one of the first and few places that play rock music and often have live bands on the weekend.
So, while most of these places on this list of Cartagena, Colombia best restaurants serve Colombian food, if you want something a bit different and with an atmosphere more like a bar in the US with German food, check out Leon.
They don’t have a website and their menu doesn’t show up linked on their social media pages but you may be able to ask them for it.
20. Terraza Municipal
Location: Getsmaní
Price Category: Moderate
Need Reservations: No
More or less across the street from Leon, you’ll find the next place on this list of Cartagena, Colombia restaurants to try.
In a park along the waterfront that overlooks the bay, Terraza Municipal is a group of food trucks. They were originally known as the Santa Isabel Food Trucks. I’m not sure exactly what happened, but the whole area is now known as Terraza Municipal, so I’m assuming the owners of Municipal bought them all out.
Anyways, I was already a fan of Municipal’s tacos and chicken sandwich (hey a gringo occasionally needs a fix), which they serve here now along with burgers. They also still have a pizza truck, a sushi truck, and a seafood truck. Everything I’ve ever had here has been good.
Oh yea, and there is a cocktail and beer truck too.
We enjoy coming here for dinner and drinks the two of us, or with friends. It’s also a cool place for sunset drinks where you can see the pretty colors of the clouds over the water and then stick around for dinner.
They don’t have a website but you can usually find their current menu linked from their Instagram page, at least at the time of this writing.
21. Street Food in Plaza la Trinidad
Location: Getsemaní
Price Category: Cheap
Need Reservations: Nope
While we are on food trucks, you’ll find the best night time street food stalls around the Plaza de la Trinidad in Getsemaní. The guy near the left hand corner when facing the church is quite good.
I recommend trying a patacón con todo, which is a big plantain patty covered in meats and cheese. Hotdogs or chorizo dogs topped off with cheese and crunch shoestring potatoes are also worth trying.
This is already a popular evening hangout spot, so if you want some cheap dinner or late night snack, it makes for a good option.
If you’re looking for something more like empanadas or arepas de huevo at night, check out the aforementioned Donde Magola or the fry stand in the Plaza San Diego.
22. Di Silvio
Location: Getsemaní and Bocagrande
Price Category: Moderate
Need Reservations: No, but expect a wait at the Getsemaní location on weekends
This is one of our favorite places. In fact, one of our very first dates was here, and it’s a place we’ve been back to tons of times.
Di Silvio serves up tasty pastas and pizzas as well as some other Italian inspired dishes. I love their carbonara pasta and Susana loves their seafood pizza. Everything we have tried here has been great though, and it has always been a crowd pleaser whenever we have gone with friends or family too.
The fact that there always seems to be a wait at their main location in Getsemaní and they have expanded not only to the place next door but to several other locations, including one in Bocagrande, is a testament to them being one of best Cartagena restaurants. I also appreciate that their prices have stayed relatively reasonable despite their popularity.
See their website and menu here.
23. Marea by Rausch
Location: Walled City
Price Category: High
Need Reservations: Yes, you want to get a seat on the deck
Owned by the Rausch brothers, two of Colombia’s most famous chefs, Marea has a privileged location in the Cartagena Convention Center with a gorgeous deck on the water overlooking the bay.
You’ll definitely want to make reservations to get a table there. The view of the Clocktower and wall is gorgeous. The food is very good too, and there are some creative spins on traditional dishes here. It’s definitely on the higher end price wise, but it’s a great place for a special occasion or just sampling some very good food with a great view.
See their website where they have a menu posted here.
24. Andrés Cartagena
Location: Walled City
Price Category: High
Need Reservations: Not always, but strongly encouraged
Andrés Carne de Res is one of Bogotá’s most well known restaurants. I don’t know how best to describe it to be honest. It is sort of like a Colombian version of a place themed restaurant like Hard Rock Café. I use the comparison carefully though, because food is actually good.
They are known for good steaks and a night club atmosphere later in the evening.
So, this is the one place on this list we have not actually been I mentioned in the introduction. We have, however, been to a Andrés location in Bogotá, and I went to their original location in Chía all the way back in 2011 just after arriving in Colombia.
Their steaks are really, really good. They are also very pricey and are big portions. I would actually probably recommend sharing one and maybe getting an appetizer. The trapero steak is the best one.
It’s an interesting experience going to one of these. I can’t say for sure what the one in Cartagena is like since we haven’t been, but I’m sure it’s fun and a good choice if you want a tasty steak (there is another option for a good steak in a more traditional restaurant atmosphere below).
See their website where they have a menu posted here. (Be sure you are looking at the Cartagena location).
25. Espiritú Santo
Location: Walled City
Price Category: Cheap to Moderate
Need Reservations: No, but can have a wait at lunch time
If you’re not interested in all the pomp and frills of a place like Andrés, and just want a simple, no-nonsense place serving up delicious, homestyle food for fair prices, then Espiritú Santo might go straight to the top of your list of best restaurants in Cartagena to try.
Espiritú Santo is one of the longest running places and one of the few places in the Walled City that does not charge higher end prices these days. They of
