Updated on 04/19/2024
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I would also like to recommend our Colombia travel guide, which provides a perfect overview of the tourist attractions in Colombia. Enjoy reading it!
In recent years, Colombian cuisine has undergone a culinary revolution, where talented chefs and innovative restaurants have elevated traditional dishes to new heights. They offer a luxurious sensory experience, combining tradition, creativity, and the highest quality ingredients.
Do you want to live the experience? I will introduce you to the most luxurious restaurants in the main cities of Colombia.
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A brief overview of Colombian gastronomy
Colombian cuisine is an interesting blend of indigenous, Spanish, Arab, and African influences. From the mountains to the coasts, it is distinguished by its abundance of fresh ingredients, aromatic herbs, and spices, creating a fascinating palette of typical dishes. Among them, highlights include ajiaco, bandeja paisa, empanadas, etc.
And of course, in Colombia, you can find not only native food but also a varied offering of foreign and fusion cuisines, such as Mexican, Asian, Italian, French, Arab, and Greek cuisine.
So, Colombian cuisine often evolves to take typical dishes to the highest level or fuses with other cuisines to create sophisticated gastronomic experiences that surprise you with every bite.
The most luxurious restaurants in Colombia
First, I want to clarify what we mean by luxurious restaurants. We are talking about restaurants that blend modernity and sophistication in their facilities with haute cuisine.
And what is haute cuisine? It refers to the style and preparation of dishes using elevated and avant-garde cooking techniques, such as the use of liquid nitrogen, spherification, trickery techniques, and foams, along with the highest quality ingredients. Additionally, it pays great attention to the aesthetics of the plate, essentially conceiving a work of art.
By having these two elements, it is common to receive prestigious recognitions such as Michelin stars that highlight the quality and culinary merit of a restaurant or chef. In fact, some of the chefs I will mention have 1 of the 3 stars awarded by the French Michelin Guide.
In summary, haute cuisine is not just eating; it is a sensory experience. Therefore, considering the above, I present to you the most luxurious restaurants in Colombia.
Luxurious Restaurants in Bogotá
Criterión
Criterión is a restaurant created in 2004 by the famous Colombian chef Jorge Rausch and his brother Mark Raush. In this place, you will find haute cuisine signature dishes, typical Colombian dishes, and recipes inspired by European gastronomy. Its main proposal is the use of international techniques with Colombian products. For these and more reasons, it is one of the 50 best restaurants in Latin America.
At Criterión, you can order à la carte or try an innovative tasting menu. Among its dishes are ajiaco empanadas, Colombian buñuelo with tuna tartare, braised lamb neck, bouef bourguignon, milk and honey dessert, among others.
Chef Jorge Rauch owns other restaurants in Colombia, such as La Apuesta, Local, and Giratorio Octavo.
Awards:
- Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants (2013-2016)
- Best Restaurant in Colombia (2013-2015).
- Star Diamond Award from The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences (2008-2011).
Average price per person:160.000 COP.
Location: Cl. 69a # 5 – 75
Website: https://criterion-1.cluvi.co/
Castanyoles
Castanyoles is a restaurant and bar belonging to the Four Seasons hotel. This place is characterized by offering its diners an authentic Spanish gastronomic experience. Therefore, you can taste delicious dishes belonging to this Mediterranean cuisine, such as mussels, potato croquettes, bravas potatoes, Spanish omelet, paella, and Basque dessert.
Due to its style and decoration, this site is perfect for a romantic evening.
Average price per person: 135.000 COP.
Location: Cl. 69a #6-24.
Website: https://www.fourseasons.com/es/casamedina/dining/restaurants/castanyoles/
Seratta
Seratta is one of the 12 restaurants of the Seratta Group, created in 2017 and currently led by Spanish chef Rubén Trincado, winner of a Michelin Star.
In this place, the dishes are innovative and daring, combining local ingredients with international preparations, especially Spanish gastronomy. In addition to ordering à la carte, you can enjoy fun culinary experiences, including ham and cheese tasting, Spanish dishes, wine tasting, among others.
From its main menu, standout dishes include rice soup, mixed paella, lobster mac and cheese, Caesar salad, and cocktails. In fact, it is said that Seratta serves the most extravagant, innovative, and delicious cocktails in Bogotá.
Awards:
- Award of Excellence (2022).
- Chef Rubén Trincado has 1 Michelin Star.
Average price per person: 160.000 COP.
Location: Cra. 45 #114-44
Website: https://www.restauranteseratta.com/
El Cielo
El Cielo is a restaurant created in 2006 and led by chef Juan Manuel Barrientos, with branches in Bogotá, Medellín, Washington, and Miami. In fact, each of its branches in the United States has 1 of the 3 Michelin Stars. In this restaurant, Colombian signature cuisine made with modern cooking techniques is the star.
Likewise, something that stands out about El Cielo is its fascinating and welcoming architecture that creates the perfect atmosphere to try its various tasting menus. And, although its menu changes every 4 months, its most outstanding and praised dishes are truffled changua, fake oysters, and arepa crème brûlée.
Awards:
- 1 Michelin Star at its Washington and Miami branches (2022).
- The Latin Business Organization (2011).
- Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Average price for the tasting menu per person: 445.000 COP.
Location: Cl. 70 #4-47.
Website: https://elcielorestaurant.com/
Leo
Leo is an innovative restaurant created by chef Leonor Espinoza, considered in 2022 as the best female chef in the world. In this place, you will experience a gastronomic journey through the ethnobotany and nature of the cultures that inhabit the different Colombian ecosystems, reflected in dishes made with modern cooking techniques.
At Leo, there are two tasting menus, one of 12 courses with pairing and another of 8 without pairing. In both, you can taste fascinating dishes, such as big-headed ants, lobster, quail, and chirimoya dessert.
It is worth noting that the pairing of these dishes is extraordinary and meticulously prepared by sommelier Laura Hernández. So, you can taste wines from various origins and made with various techniques, such as Viejas Tinajas de Martino, which is a Chilean wine made in the traditional way, i.e., fermented in tinajas. Like this one, there will be other interesting spirits.
Awards:
- Basque Culinary World Prize (2020).
- Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants (2022).
- Premio Dickes Castro Duque (2023).
Average price for the tasting menu per person (12 courses): 1.100.000 COP
Location: Cl. 65 Bis #4-23.
Website: https://restauranteleo.com/
Harry Sasson
The Harry Sasson restaurant was created by the chef of the same name and is listed among the 50 best restaurants in Latin America.
This place offers its diners an extensive menu of Colombian, European, and Asian-influenced dishes, including pastas, fish, pizzas, duck, and meats. Some of the highlights are crab ravioli, octopus, New York Angus cut, Valluna chop, and almojábana dessert.
The unforgettable architecture and design make this place very modern and cozy, perfect for a family dinner or to celebrate a special event.
Awards:
- Best Restaurants in Colombia (2013).
- La Barra Makro (2012).
- Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants (2022).
Average price per person: 330.000 COP.
Location: Cra. 9 #75-70.
Website: https://www.harrysasson.com/harry-sasson-bogota/
El Chato
El Chato is a restaurant created in 2010 and led by chef Álvaro Clavijo, who, through his contemporary bistro-style dishes, pays tribute to Colombian preparations and ingredients.
You can choose an incredible 11-course tasting menu or select à la carte dishes. Highlighted dishes include trout arepas, pork cheek, T-bone, lamb rice, blood sausage pork, keffir cheese dessert, among others.
Besides delicious dishes, their cocktails and liquors have original ingredients and are the perfect pairing for different menu items. This restaurant is considered the best in Colombia according to the list of the 50 Best in Latin America.
Awards:
- Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants (2018, 2022 y 2023).
Average price per person: 250.000 COP.
Location: Cl. 65 #4-76.
Website: https://elchato.co/
Salvaje
Salvaje is a restaurant created in 2019 by Carlos González Curé and other partners with the desire to sell dishes inspired by Asian gastronomy. This restaurant is led by chef Fermín Azkue, who mixes Asian, Colombian, and Spanish ingredients to create exclusive high-quality products.
Their most popular dishes are sushi, nigiri, noodles, mushroom dumplings, lobster dumplings, fine beef loin, among others.
In addition to an interesting savory menu, their desserts are spectacular, with options featuring ingredients like chocolate, matcha tea, and passion fruit. For example, volcanoes, mousses, and cakes.
Average price per person: 200.000 COP.
Location: Cl. 83 #9-48.
Website: https://bogota.salvaje.world/es
Mesa Franca
Created in 2016 by chefs and partners Iván Cadena, Tom Hydzik, and María Paula Amador, Mesa Franca seeks to spread Creole and mestizo cuisine using local products in an interesting way. Their concept is to serve shareable dishes, hence their name. All the ingredients that reach the plate have been planted and harvested sustainably and responsibly.
Another notable aspect is their cozy space and live music that you can enjoy while tasting incredible dishes such as tucupí butter focaccia, Caesar salad, corn tamale, grilled rice, lamb burger, and mambe meringue.
Also, their liquors and cocktails are spectacular, for example, the emboldened pineapple cocktail and plum old fashioned rum.
Awards:
- Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants (2022).
Average price per person: 120.000 COP.
Location: Cl. 61 #5-56.
Website: https://www.restaurantemesafranca.com/nuestra-mesa
Luxurious Restaurants in Medellín
Don Diablo
Don Diablo is a restaurant led by chef Jonny Alejandro Patiño, who seeks to celebrate traditional Colombian beef through his preparations. Therefore, they use Creole breeds of cattle and pigs raised by Colombian producers.
Something I love about this restaurant is that they don’t sell “premium foreign meat” but demonstrate that in Colombia, we also produce quality meat.
In this way, you will find numerous cuts of meat and even house-aged meats on their à la carte and tasting menu. Their menu is very varied; not only beef and pork, but you can also eat seafood and chicken. Among their most attractive options are aged suckling pig, grilled chicken, grilled ribs, grilled octopus, steak tartare, sirloin, and rib-eye, etc.
Average price per person: 300.000 COP.
Location: Cra. 36 #10A-45
Website: https://moshimedellin.co/don-diablo/
La Cafetiere de Anita
La Cafetiere de Anita is a restaurant conceived by chef Anita Botero in 1997. This place is inspired by the techniques and preparations of French cuisine. However, its dishes include Colombian and Peruvian recipes. Chef Anita is one of the most qualified chefs in Colombia, having graduated from the Cordon Bleu School in London, and since then, her career has developed in different parts of the world.
In her menu, fish and meats predominate, although among the chef’s suggestions are dishes such as duck foie gras, acorn-fed Iberian ham, mushroom ravioli, beef bourguignon, and tomato soup. Regarding desserts, there are about 12 options, such as the classic crème brûlée, profiteroles, and date pudding.
Average price per person: 180.000 COP.
Location: Calle 6 sur No. 43A – 92
Website: https://lacafetieredeanita.com/
Carmen
The Carmen restaurant, created by Carmen Ángel and Rob Pevitts, is currently led by chef Juan José Cárdenas. It offers food and preparations inspired by Colombian biodiversity made with contemporary techniques. The aim is to celebrate Colombian gastronomic traditions through dishes and drinks.
Some of their best dishes are Carmen salad, ceviche, octopus, desgranado, duck, sirloin, and seafood casserole.
It has a location in El Poblado in Medellín and another in Cartagena. In both locations, the facilities are warm, elegant, and intimate.
Average price per person: 200.000 COP.
Location: Cra. 36 #10 A-27.
Website: https://www.carmenmedellin.com/
Luxurious Restaurants in Cartagena
Alma
Alma is a restaurant led by Chef Heberto Eljach, rated by TripAdvisor as the best restaurant for dining while traveling in Colombia. This is not surprising as Alma represents Colombian culinary traditions and highlights the flavors of the Colombian Caribbean.
Since fish is the star in this place, you will find preparations such as seafood casserole, tuna fillet, ceviches, octopus carpaccio, and Lebanese chicken, among other dishes. They also offer various vegetarian options.
Awards:
- Travellers’ Choice by TripAdvisor – Best of the Best (2023).
Average price per person: 150.000 COP.
Location: Cl. de la universidad # 36-44.
Website: https://www.almacolombia.com/
1621
The 1621 restaurant is one of the restaurants at the famous Hotel Santa Clara, named after the year the Clarisas sisters began to inhabit that cloister, which is now a hotel—one of the country’s main luxury hotels, by the way. The current restaurant was the sisters’ dining room at that time. So, this place has a luxurious and subtle atmosphere that evokes art and its historical importance.
Here, you can try a tasting menu or à la carte Colombian dishes with European influences, including fish tartare, crab salad, fine loin, beef morrillo, and langostino rice.
Awards:
- Best Luxury Restaurant and Best Gourmet Cuisine (2019).
Average price per person: 300.000 COP.
Location: Cra. 8 #39-36
Website: https://www.sofitellegendsantaclara.com/es/restaurantes-bares/restaurante-1621/#the-restaurant
Erre de Ramón Freixa
Located in the Hotel Las Américas Torre del Mar, the Erre de Ramón Freixa restaurant is led by the chef of the same name, who holds two Michelin stars and has created Spanish delights behind this place.
The menu of dishes and drinks is really extensive, and in each dish, we can see the great use of modern techniques and the highest quality ingredients. For example, Spanish tapas, Iberian ham croquettes, cheese boards, octopus crackling, duck meatballs, oxtail stew, creamy rice, mac and cheese, among other preparations.
Awards: Chef Ramón Freixa has two Michelin stars.
Average price per person: 200.000 COP.
Location: Anillo vial, sector Cielo Mar.
Website: https://www.hotellasamericas.com.co/restaurantes/erre-de-ramon-freixa/
Celele
Celele is a restaurant of contemporary Caribbean cuisine that uses local ingredients belonging to the culture and biodiversity of the Colombian Caribbean, cultivated by small local producers. Created in 2017 by chefs Jaime Rodríguez, current head chef, and Sebastián Pinzón, its main goal is to show the world the importance and great variety of ingredients in the Colombian Caribbean region. T
his restaurant is considered one of the best in Latin America, and for good reason—its fascinating dishes speak for themselves. Among them, you will find buffalo burrata with grilled watermelon, crab fritters, crab with sweet chili, confit pork celele, goat kebab, and Caribbean red flower meringue. The flavors of their dishes are indescribable!
Awards:
- Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants (2019-2023).
- Miele One To Watch (2019).
- Art of Hospitality Award (2021).
Average price per person: 180.000 COP.
Location: Cra. 10c # 29 -200.
Website: https://celelerestaurante.com/
Luxurious Restaurants in Santa Marta
Restaurante Carmesí
Carmesí Restaurant, inaugurated in 2019, is led by Chef Mayra Zea, offering diners Colombian dishes from the Caribbean coast and preparations from Mediterranean cuisine.
Some of their dishes include serrano ham croquettes, coastal-French onion soup, pumpkin ravioli, grilled salmon, blue cheese sauce sirloin, yam gnocchi with octopus sauce, and three-milk pana cotta.
Average price per person: 120.000 COP.
Location: Cl. 17 #2-73.
Website: https://50mejoresrestaurantes.com/restaurante-carmesi-cocina-fusion/
Luxurious Restaurants in Barranquilla
Okra Restaurante
Considered one of the best, Okra is a restaurant that specializes in high cuisine from Mediterranean and Colombian Caribbean gastronomy. Its menu is very extensive and includes dishes such as lamb stew, grilled octopus, cured salmon bruschetta, steak tartare, pork arancini, shiitake mushroom risotto, salmon fillet, Greek paella, pizza, among others.
Awards:
- Commis Bocuse D’Or Americas (2018).
- Copa Culinaria de las Americas, Medalla de Plata (2017).
Average price per person: 150.000 COP.
Location: Cra. 55 #75-67.
Website: https://okra.cluvi.co/
Manuel
Manuel restaurant was created in 2021 by Chef Manuel Mendoza and is headed by Chef Rafael Pedraza. Its cuisine aims to highlight the typical ingredients and flavors of Caribbean cuisine. However, they use creative and avant-garde techniques to prepare them.
Among their best dishes, I could mention tuna tartare, lobster pizzetas, rib-eye mini Burger, fried rice with beef loin, blue cheese shrimp, and New York steak.
Regarding their desserts, although simple, they are captivating, such as caramel flan, chocolate cake with banana, and campari strawberries.
Awards:
- Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants (2023).
Average price per person: 150.000 COP.
Location: Cra. 55 #74-125.
Website: https://manuelcocina.cluvi.co/
El Celler
The El Celler restaurant focuses on creating signature dishes using Colombian and Spanish ingredients and preparations. The kitchen at this place is led by Chef Rodrigo Díaz, and his dishes are sensational.
Among them, you will find Spanish tapas, grilled octopus, Spanish omelet, punta de anca, morcilla de Burgos, blue cheese tortelloni, wood-fired suckling pig, and charcoal-grilled chicken.
Regarding desserts and beverages, you can enjoy churros, tarta tatin, profiteroles, merengón, margaritas, and mojitos.
Average price per person: 100.000 COP.
Location: Cra. 54 #75-119
Website: http://elceller.com.co/
Luxurious Restaurants in Barichara
Elvia
Elvia is a restaurant developed by chefs Rafael Andrés Buitrago and Natalia Velásquez, who aim to dignify and pay homage to local and regional products through intuitive and delicious preparations.
Their menu features dishes that could be worthy of a Michelin Star due to their innovative blends of ingredients and unforgettable flavors. For example, rye bread with ant butter, air-dried meat croquettes, goat cheese cestini, trout toasts, and chocolate-covered treats.
Average price per person: 150.000 COP.
Location: Cra. 10.
Website: https://www.elviacocina.co/
Recommendations When Dining in Colombian Luxurious Restaurants
Keep these tips in mind to avoid setbacks and have a perfect gastronomic experience.
- Book in advance: Luxurious restaurants often have high demand, so make your reservation to ensure you have a spot.
- Research the menu in advance: Before going, check the online menu to get an idea of the available options.
- Know the tipping protocol: In some places, the service is already included, typically around 10% of the total bill, while in others, an additional tip is expected. It is generally considered “rude” not to leave a tip.
- Ask about wine pairings: Consult the sommelier for recommendations on wine pairings with your food, especially if you’re trying a tasting menu.
- Be patient: High-end or signature dishes often have a somewhat longer wait time than common dishes. Therefore, inquire about the timing and practice patience.
- Inform the waiter of any allergies or dietary preferences: If you have food allergies or dietary preferences, communicate this when making the reservation or inform the waiter upon arrival.
- Remember that portions may be smaller: In many cases, the main complaint about luxury restaurants is that the portion sizes are small. However, these restaurants sell culinary experiences beyond just filling you up. Try various dishes from the menu or opt for the tasting menu.
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