Food · Bogotá · Colombia
What to eat in Bogotá
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Bogotá, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Start with Ajiaco santafereño, Chocolate santafereño and Changua. Eat ajiaco, sancocho or tamales at the shared counters of La Perseverancia or Paloquemao, cooked by long-time market cooks. Lunch, served from about noon to 2pm, is the main meal; set menus ('corrientazo') are cheap and filling.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Ajiaco santafereño
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 7
- Tipping
- Restaurants usually add a voluntary 10% service charge; pay it if you were happy with…
- Food experiences
- 4
11 foods to try
Dish
1.Ajiaco santafereño
Bogotá's signature soup of chicken, three kinds of potato and corn on the cob, flavoured with the herb guascas. It is served with capers, cream, avocado and rice on the side.
Where: Traditional restaurants in La Candelaria and La Perseverancia market, especially at lunch.
Drink · Vegetarian
2.Chocolate santafereño
A cup of hot chocolate served with a slice of fresh cheese, which you drop into the cup to melt, plus bread or almojábanas.
Where: Historic cafés in La Candelaria and bakeries across the city, especially in the afternoon.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
3.Changua
A highland breakfast soup of milk, water and eggs poached in the broth, with spring onion, coriander and pieces of stale bread.
Where: Traditional breakfast restaurants and markets.
Dish
4.Tamal
Corn dough filled with pork, chicken, chickpeas, carrot and egg, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. The Tolima-style tamal is a popular weekend breakfast with hot chocolate.
Where: Bakeries, markets and traditional restaurants, especially on weekends.
Bakery · Vegetarian
5.Almojábanas and pandebono
Cheese breads: almojábanas are soft, round cornmeal and cheese rolls, while pandebono is made with yuca starch. Both are best warm from the oven.
Where: Bakeries across the city in the morning and afternoon.
Dish
6.Fritanga
A shared platter of fried meats — chorizo, morcilla, chicharrón, ribs — with potatoes, plantain and arepas, eaten with ají.
Where: Traditional restaurants, markets and roadside places on the way out of the city.
Street food
7.Empanadas
Fried corn-dough turnovers filled with meat and potato, served with ají picante; a cheap and filling snack.
Where: Street stands, bakeries and TransMilenio station kiosks.
Drink · Vegetarian
8.Aguapanela
A simple drink of panela (unrefined cane sugar) dissolved in hot water, often with lime or cheese; a warming staple on cold Bogotá days.
Where: Cafés, markets and restaurants everywhere.
Drink · Vegetarian
9.Chicha
A fermented corn drink with Muisca roots, sour and lightly alcoholic. It was banned for decades in the 20th century and is now a symbol of La Candelaria.
Where: Bars in the Callejón del Embudo next to the Chorro de Quevedo.
Dessert · Vegetarian
10.Obleas
Thin wafers sandwiched with arequipe (dulce de leche), jam, cheese or cream, sold from street carts.
Where: Carts in La Candelaria, Usaquén and around parks.
Snack · Vegetarian
11.Tropical fruit
Colombia grows dozens of fruits rarely seen abroad: lulo, uchuva (goldenberry), granadilla, pitahaya, curuba and feijoa, among others.
Where: Paloquemao market, street vendors and juice stands.
Food experiences
Market lunch
Eat ajiaco, sancocho or tamales at the shared counters of La Perseverancia or Paloquemao, cooked by long-time market cooks.
Fruit tasting at Paloquemao
Vendors cut and explain exotic fruits on the spot; guided tours make it easy to try a dozen in a morning.
Coffee culture
Bogotá has a strong specialty coffee scene, especially in Chapinero, Quinta Camacho and La Macarena, with cafés roasting beans from every Colombian region.
Fine dining in Zona G and Chapinero
Several of Latin America's acclaimed restaurants are in Bogotá, using Amazonian, Pacific and Andean ingredients; book well ahead.
Quick bites and street food
- Changua — Traditional breakfast restaurants and markets.
- Almojábanas and pandebono — Bakeries across the city in the morning and afternoon.
- Empanadas — Street stands, bakeries and TransMilenio station kiosks.
- Tropical fruit — Paloquemao market, street vendors and juice stands.
Vegetarian options
Of the 11 foods in this guide, 7 are usually vegetarian: Chocolate santafereño, Changua, Almojábanas and pandebono, Aguapanela, Chicha, Obleas and Tropical fruit. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Lunch, served from about noon to 2pm, is the main meal; set menus ('corrientazo') are cheap and filling.
- A voluntary 10% service charge is usually added to restaurant bills.
- Many restaurants in the north close early on Sundays.
- Altitude makes alcohol stronger; drink slowly for the first days.
- Book popular restaurants in Zona G and Chapinero ahead on Thursday to Saturday nights.
Tipping
Restaurants usually add a voluntary 10% service charge; pay it if you were happy with the service. Tip guides and porters, and round up taxi fares.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Buenos días | Good morning |
| ¿Me regala…? | Could I have…? (polite way to order) |
| Un tinto, por favor | A black coffee, please |
| Chévere | Cool, great |
| ¿Cuánto vale? | How much is it? |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Bogotá famous for?
Ajiaco santafereño, Chocolate santafereño, Changua and Tamal. Bogotá's signature soup of chicken, three kinds of potato and corn on the cob, flavoured with the herb guascas.
+Is Bogotá good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Chocolate santafereño, Changua and Almojábanas and pandebono.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Bogotá?
Restaurants usually add a voluntary 10% service charge; pay it if you were happy with the service. Tip guides and porters, and round up taxi fares.