What I Ate During My Trip To Cartagena, Colombia!

Discover the vibrant rooftop bars and popular restaurants I visited during my trip!

What I Ate During My Trip To Cartagena, Colombia!
Photos by Nicia Travels | Design by BrownStyle Magazine

There’s so much to do in Cartagena, Colombia—it just depends on what you’re in the mood for. In my last story, I shared with you my experience visiting the bustling city, which is located on the shores of the Caribbean Sea. (If you haven’t already, take a look at my travel recap. I cover everything from my accommodation details to the exciting activities I experienced during our group trip abroad!)

Donicia on the colorful streets of the Walled City
Photo by Nicia Travels

Now, I’m excited to take you on a journey to highlight some of the delicious foods I tried during my stay. Find out about the restaurants and rooftops I visited during my trip, plus see the yummy dishes that I highly recommend you try if you visit Cartagena, Colombia. Let’s talk food!

Mirador Gastro Bar

Mirador Gastro Bar is a rooftop bar located within the Walled City, a beautiful historic centre of Cartagena. If you’re looking for live entertainment, you’ll love the live band that set the tone for our trip on our first night. I enjoyed both the views and my food. Take a look at the Mojarra Caribena dish I ordered, which features Caribbean mojarra, coconut rice, patacones (fried green plantains), and fresh salad.

Photo by Nicia Travels | Pictured: Mojarra Caribena

Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena – El Jardin Restaurant 

Hotel Santa Clara is probably one of the most popular hotels in the area. Rated the best hotel in South America, this historic convent converted into a hotel boasts 125 guest rooms, including 25 suites along the Caribbean Sea. They have two restaurants located inside. We went to El Jardin and enjoyed the stuffed crabs and mashed potatoes.

Photo by Nicia Travels | Pictured: Stuffed Crabs and Mashed Potatoes 

Andrés Carne de Res Cartagena

If you’re looking for a good time, then I would definitely go to Andrés Carne de Res Cartagena. It was very entertaining! They had a live band and entertainment, making it the perfect venue to dance the night away. Take a look at the shrimp and rice dish I ordered from their menu.

Photo by Nicia Travels | Pictured: Shrimp and Rice  

Cafe Del Mar

Cafe Del Mar’s rooftop gets crowded very quickly because everyone wants to get there to watch the sun go down. It is best to have a reservation, but if you don’t then you should get there as soon as they open. That’s what we did and the line was long. I recommend eating tapas here and then going out for dinner somewhere else. I think it’s a great rooftop bar for light bites and drinks.

Photo by Nicia Travels

Mar Y Zielo 

If you’re looking for a chill or mellow vibe, then I would choose Mar Y Zielo. I highly recommend making a reservation on their website because it’s a small rooftop venue. You can eat inside as well, but people mainly go there since the view is nice. My meal was served cold and I was shocked, but I understand why.

Pesca Viajera is Solano Bay whitefish served with spicy coconut cream and sour guava, completed with a grapefruit sorbet and Patacon crunch. I wasn’t used to the taste but thoroughly enjoyed it.

Photo by Nicia Travels | Pictured: Pesca Viajera

Overall, I enjoyed my food adventure in Cartagena, Colombia. Stay tuned for my upcoming travel adventure next week!

Editor’s Note: This story has been edited and condensed for clarity. This story was originally published on niciatravels.com.

Donicia is a foodie, social media marketer, and travel enthusiast who documents her adventures on her blog, Nicia Travels. Her love for travel started in her youth when she often visited her parent's homelands of Antigua and Anguilla. As a college student, she studied abroad in Sevilla. Some of her favorite travel destinations thus far are Zanzibar, Dubai, and Italy. When she's not enjoying a trip or writing about her excursion, she's researching food or at the spa.