Eating in Cartagena: A Guide for Those Who Believe a Great Dinner Is Part of the Trip
There are cities where you eat to stop being hungry. And there are cities where eating is the reason you came back.
Cartagena is the second kind.
Costeño Colombian cuisine is one of the great culinary traditions on the continent — and for some reason it remains a well-kept secret. A blend of Indigenous, African, and Spanish heritage, seasoned quite literally by the Caribbean and centuries of inspired improvisation. The result is a table that tastes of history and celebration at the same time.
What You Must Eat in Cartagena
Arepa de huevo. Not the supermarket kind. The one from the woman with the stove on the corner of Getsemaní who has been frying them the same way for 30 years. Crispy outside, soft inside, with a whole egg hidden within. The most honest breakfast in the world.
Shrimp ceviche with coconut milk. Ceviche on the Colombian coast doesn’t lean heavily on acid — it leans on coconut. The result is softer, sweeter, more tropical. Try it before you form opinions about ceviche.
Red snapper with garlic or in coconut milk. Caribbean Colombian fish is fresh in a way that simply doesn’t exist in most restaurants around the world. Order it al ajillo if you want something direct; in coconut milk if you want to understand the gastronomic magic of this city.
Arroz con coco. Not a side dish. A protagonist. Loose grains, a gentle toasted coconut flavor, that particular golden tone that only comes when it’s made right. Accompany everything with coconut rice.
Patacones with hogao. Twice fried, flattened, topped with caramelized tomato and green onion sauce. There is no more satisfying snack in the known universe.
The Romantic Dinner in Cartagena: How to Do It Right
The historic center has a density of exceptional restaurants that few Latin American cities can match. The perfect formula for an evening: aperitifs at a bar with a view of a plaza, then dinner with tablecloths and a wine list, then a final drink on a rooftop terrace where the lit-up city stretches out below.
Book in advance. The best places fill up in high season. And arrive at sunset — the magic of dining inside the walled city begins when the colonial streetlamps come on and the temperature drops those two degrees that make everything more pleasant.
If you want to know where to catch the light before dinner, here’s our guide to the best places to watch the sunset in Cartagena.
From Amarla, Everything Is Steps Away
One of the advantages of staying at Amarla Boutique Hotel in the Ciudad Amurallada is exactly this: Cartagena’s gastronomic heart within walking distance. No Uber, no transfers. You step out of the hotel, turn a corner, and you’re at the best dinner of your trip.
Our rooms were designed so that every day starts well — and every evening does too.
The Amarla team knows the city deeply. Our curated experiences from the hotel include gastronomic activities like costeño cooking classes and rum tastings. When you arrive, just ask. We always have a plan B that’s better than plan A.
Want to understand why Amarla is the ideal base for exploring the city? Read more about the best boutique hotels in the Walled City.
