Restaurants in Popayán
Popayán is one of Colombia’s gastronomic capitals, with countless traditional dishes originating here and still prepared in much the same way they were decades ago. Keep an eye out for empanadas de pipián, fried potato turnovers filled with a mildly spicy peanut sauce; salpicón payanese, a refreshing snack of blended ice and blackberries; and champus, a corn-based drink flavored with fruits like lulo and pineapple.
The city is host to the Congreso Nacional Gastronómico (www.gastronomicopopayan.org), a culinary event held each year in early September. Many of the country’s premier chefs descend on the city to cook at special dinners held during the festival. Tastings of traditional dishes, gastronomy themed lectures and forums, and cooking competitions also take place.
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7 Results
- Colombian
Camino Real
The closest thing to what you might call fine dining in Popayán is this classic restaurant at the Camino Real hotel, which is heavily involved in the annual Congreso Nacional Gastronómico. The colonial-style dining room and bar have a clubby feel, with wood floors, lots of dark wood…$ - Colombian
Doña Chepa
Directly beside Mora Castilla is this simple sweet shop in the corner of the house of Josefina Muñoz, better known as Doña Chepa, an iconic cook who has been serving her aplanchados more or less the same for some seventy years. Now in her 90s, her kids and grandchildren have taken…$ - Steakhouse
La Cosecha Parrillada
This straightforward Colombian parrillada is one of the most popular dining destinations in town. There’s nothing particularly Popayán-esque about it, though they have good beef, including a few cuts from Argentina, and serve lots of national plates like bandeja paisa and cazuelas.…$ - Colombian
La Fresa
One of Popayán’s must-do experiences is coming to this no-frills corner spot and ordering a plate of empanadas de pipián. These fried turnovers are made from corn and potatoes and are dipped into a mildly spicy peanut sauce. They’re tiny, so ordering at least a half dozen is…$ - Colombian
Mora Castilla
This small, second-level cafe specializes in traditional Popayán recipes and does them well. At Mora Castilla you’ll find salpicón payanese (an icy blackberry drink), champus (a corn, fruit, and panela drink), tamales de pipián (steamed corn dough with a peanut sauce), and…$ - Colombian
Taller de Cocina la Escuela
Part of a school (with locations all over the country) designed to rescue Colombian patrimony, this student-run restaurant serves regional dishes in a lovely colonial building in the same plaza as Iglesia San Francisco. The quality of the food and service is surprisingly great. Set…$ - Peruvian/International
Terra Inca
Most of the food in Popayán comes from very classic, old-school recipes, so this modern Peruvian restaurant offers a nice change of pace. The menu has a few ceviches and seafood dishes, but it’s not overwhelming, as many Peruvian restaurants tend to be. Instead they offer a more…$
