Tips on Dining

You won't be hungry in Colombia. Though every region has its own specialties, you're never far from a plate of beans, beef, plantains, and rice. Food is good, hearty, and generally cheap, if not particularly varied. For gourmands, major cities such as Bogotá, Medellín, and Cartagena also offer a huge range of upscale, gourmet, and international options. Some typical dishes to look for on your menu include ajiaco (chicken soup with potatoes, avocado, corn, and capers), bandeja paisa (rice, avocado, salad), chicharrón (minced meat, egg, plantain, and yuca), sancocho (plantain, yuca, potato, and beef, chicken, or fish soup), lechona (stuffed baked pig), arepa (flat cornbread, often topped with cheese or butter), and tamales (corn dough, chicken, and vegetables cooked and served in plantain leaves).

Tinto, black coffee, is Colombia's most popular beverage and can be enjoyed at anytime, just about anywhere. Other popular drinks are beer, aguardiente (the licorice-flavored national liquor), hot chocolate, and soda products. Bottled water (or bagged) water can usually be found at most stores and street stands. Thanks to its tropical climate and fertile soil, Colombia has countless exotic fruit juices such as guanábana (soursop), lulo, maracuyá (passion fruit), and tomate de árbol (tree tomato). Wine is not particularly popular in Colombia, and Colombian wines on the whole leave a lot to be desired. However, upscale restaurants and grocery stores generally offer high-quality Argentine and Chilean varieties.

Dining categories are as follows: Very Expensive, main courses from COL$30,000; Expensive from COL$22,000 to COL$29,000; Moderate, from COL$12,000 to COL$21,000; and Inexpensive, below COL$12,000.