Food · Medellín · Colombia
What to eat in Medellín
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Medellín, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Juan Gómez, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Start with Bandeja paisa, Arepa paisa and Arepa de chócolo. Weekday lunch menus at local restaurants give a soup, a main with rice, beans, salad and plantain, and a juice for a low price — the best-value meal in the city. Lunch is the main meal; many restaurants offer a set 'menú del día' or 'corrientazo' at midday.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Bandeja paisa
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 7
- Tipping
- Restaurants usually add a voluntary 10% service charge, which it is customary to pay.
- Food experiences
- 4
10 foods to try
Dish
1.Bandeja paisa
Antioquia's famous platter: red beans, rice, ground beef, chicharrón (crispy pork belly), chorizo, a fried egg, fried plantain, avocado and an arepa. It is a huge lunch rather than a dinner.
Where: Traditional paisa restaurants across the city, including the long-established chains and fondas in El Poblado and Envigado.
Bakery · Vegetarian
2.Arepa paisa
A thin, plain white-corn arepa served with almost every meal, often topped with butter, cheese or quesito (fresh cheese).
Where: Every bakery, breakfast counter and restaurant.
Snack · Vegetarian
3.Arepa de chócolo
A sweet, thick arepa made from fresh yellow corn, griddled and topped with melted fresh cheese.
Where: Street stalls and markets, and roadside stands on the way to Guatapé and Santa Elena.
Dish
4.Mondongo
A hearty tripe soup with pork, potatoes and vegetables, served with rice, avocado and banana. It is a classic Antioquian lunch dish.
Where: Traditional restaurants, especially at lunch on weekends.
Street food
5.Empanadas antioqueñas
Small, crisp corn-dough turnovers filled with potato and meat, served with ají (fresh chilli sauce) and lime.
Where: Bakeries, street carts and Metro station kiosks.
Snack · Vegetarian
6.Buñuelos
Deep-fried cheese and cornstarch balls, crisp outside and fluffy inside, eaten with hot chocolate or coffee.
Where: Bakeries all day; especially popular at Christmas with natilla.
Drink · Vegetarian
7.Mazamorra
Cooked white hominy corn served cold in its own liquid with milk, eaten with a piece of panela (unrefined cane sugar) or bocadillo (guava paste).
Where: Traditional restaurants as a dessert or with lunch, and street carts downtown.
Drink · Vegetarian
8.Tinto
Small cups of black coffee sold everywhere from flasks. Medellín's specialty cafés also serve single-origin Antioquian coffee prepared by pour-over and espresso.
Where: Street vendors for tinto; specialty cafés in El Poblado, Provenza and Laureles.
Drink · Vegetarian
9.Aguardiente antioqueño
The anise-flavoured cane spirit of Antioquia, drunk in small shots at parties and fondas, often with a slice of mango or a sip of water.
Where: Bars, fondas and celebrations everywhere; the Feria de las Flores in August.
Dessert · Vegetarian
10.Obleas
Two large, thin wafers spread with arequipe (dulce de leche), cheese, jam or cream, sold as a street snack.
Where: Street carts near parks and plazas, such as Parque Berrío and Pueblito Paisa.
Food experiences
Menú del día
Weekday lunch menus at local restaurants give a soup, a main with rice, beans, salad and plantain, and a juice for a low price — the best-value meal in the city.
Coffee tasting
Specialty cafés in El Poblado and Laureles run tastings and cupping sessions of Antioquian and Colombian coffees; coffee-farm tours are also possible outside the city.
Fruit at the markets
Try lulo, granadilla, maracuyá, guanábana and mangosteen at markets and juice stands; vendors cut fruit to eat on the spot.
Restaurant scene in Provenza
Provenza and nearby Manila have many of the city's most creative restaurants, using Colombian ingredients in modern ways.
Quick bites and street food
- Arepa paisa — Every bakery, breakfast counter and restaurant.
- Arepa de chócolo — Street stalls and markets, and roadside stands on the way to Guatapé and Santa Elena.
- Empanadas antioqueñas — Bakeries, street carts and Metro station kiosks.
- Buñuelos — Bakeries all day; especially popular at Christmas with natilla.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 7 are usually vegetarian: Arepa paisa, Arepa de chócolo, Buñuelos, Mazamorra, Tinto, Aguardiente antioqueño and Obleas. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Lunch is the main meal; many restaurants offer a set 'menú del día' or 'corrientazo' at midday.
- A voluntary 10% service charge is usually added to bills; ask if you want it removed.
- Juices can be made with water ('en agua') or milk ('en leche'); say which you prefer.
- Ají, a fresh chilli and herb sauce, is on most tables; try it before using a lot.
- Restaurants in El Poblado and Provenza fill up on Friday and Saturday nights; book ahead.
Tipping
Restaurants usually add a voluntary 10% service charge, which it is customary to pay. Tip tour guides, especially community guides in Comuna 13, and round up taxi fares.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ¿Qué más pues? | How's it going? (paisa greeting) |
| Parcero / parce | Buddy, friend |
| ¡Qué chimba! | How cool! (informal slang) |
| Con mucho gusto | You're welcome / my pleasure |
| La cuenta, por favor | The bill, please |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Medellín famous for?
Bandeja paisa, Arepa paisa, Arepa de chócolo and Mondongo. Antioquia's famous platter: red beans, rice, ground beef, chicharrón (crispy pork belly), chorizo, a fried egg, fried plantain, avocado and an arepa.
+Is Medellín good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Arepa paisa, Arepa de chócolo and Buñuelos.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Medellín?
Restaurants usually add a voluntary 10% service charge, which it is customary to pay. Tip tour guides, especially community guides in Comuna 13, and round up taxi fares.