Nowadays, there are many awesome restaurants in Cartagena. Famous chefs have come to the city to delight you with their recipes. You can find almost any kind of food in the most romantic and unique locations. Here, we will recommend some restaurants that we consider are worth visiting while you are in Cartagena. We advise you make reservations, especially in the peak season (July, August, December, January and Easter)
DONJUÁN
Donjuán is our favorite restaurant in Cartagena. It is located near the Clock Tower in the Old city. Owned by fabulous chef Juan Felipe Camacho, who works only with the best fresh fish, local seafood and meat cuts. The great variety of fruits and vegetables in our country allow him to create the most unique dishes for you to enjoy. The place is impeccably decorated and is cozy and elegant.
Everything here is as good as it gets! For example, you can start with a nice cocktail from the bar and take it from there. In case that you like seafood you should definitely try the lobster tails, grilled octopus and shrimp risotto. If on the other hand you prefer meats, you cannot miss the ribeye certified angus beef or wellington beef. When vegetarian, you should go for the hearts of palm. For a local dessert you must try the Almojábana Calada, which is a typical baked good with fresh local cheese and homemade syrup.
Address: Av. Carlos Escallón Cra 8 # 34 – 01 Centro Histórico, Cartagena de Indias
Phone: +57 317 501 1415 or send an email to reservas@donjuancartagena.com
Reservations: +57 317 501 1415 or reservas@donjuancartagena.com
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 12:30 – 15:00 and 19:00 – 23:00
Saturday 19:00 – 23:00
Sunday closed
Website: www.restaurantedonjuan.co
CANDÉ
You can find Candé restaurant next to La Serrezuela shopping Mall in the Old City. This is 100% “Cartagenian” food and ambience. There is live music and shows, the atmospehre is really cheerful!
We recommend the typical dishes, as this is the whole point of visiting Candé. For starters you may order the fresh ceviches, carimañolas (yucca patties stuffed with ground beef) and the crispy pork belly. Then, if you like meat, you should definitely go for the Posta Cartagenera, which is a signature dish from Cartagena, or you can have any rice, they are totally worth trying. For dessert try the Banana cake with Kola ice cream, very Cartagenian!
They are very strict. No flip flops are allowed and reservations are only held for 10 minutes, so be punctual!
Address: Calle de La Serrezuela # 39 – 02 San Diego, Cartagena de Indias
Reservations: +57 605 668 5291
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday 7:00 to 23:00
Website: http://www.restaurantecande.com/menu/main/en/index.html
LA VITROLA
La Vitrola is probably the most traditional restaurant in the Old City. It is a typical colonial house. In this place you will have an amazing time and a fantastic dinner! Some days there is a band playing live cuban music, and the atmosphere is fantastic.
The food is amazing as well. We propose you start with a nice cocktail; then the Panko shrimps which are incredible or the Tuna tartare. Afterwards we suggest you try the fish and for dessert you MUST order the coconut pie. It will be without doubt the best in town!
This restaurant has a very strict dress code: Men in short pants or flip flops are not allowed. Also, no children under 15 years old are admitted.
Address: Calle del Baloco, Calle 33 # 2 – 01 Centro Histórico, Cartagena de Indias
Reservations: +57 605 664 8243
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday 12:00 – 15:00 and 19:00 – 00:00
Website: This restaurant has no official website
RESTAURANTE ÁRABE INTERNACIONAL
This wonderful restaurant was founded in 1965 by syrian couple Alfredo Farah and his wife Georgette. It is located in Bocagrande neighbourhood, 10 minutes away from the center.
There is a great variety of outstanding dishes but we will suggest a few for you to try:
You can start with a very eastern Special Chickpea Tahine, the Quibbe Naye accompanied by some pita bread and a few stuffed wine or cabagge leaves. The pastries are also mouthwatering.
This is already a lot of food, but on the assumption that you are sharing, it is perfect. This way you can also try the main dishes, especially the Tahine steak which is absolutely fantastic. You have to taste the rice with almonds too. If you still have room for it please don’t miss it.
In case that you are travelling alone or you don’t have much of an appetite, you can order the mixed platters so you can have a bit of everything. And at last but not least, the desserts are also exquisite. The Bechlawa (fillo dough filled with walnuts) is our favorite.
On weekends there is a belly dancing show in the evening.
Address: Carrera 3 # 8 – 83 Bocagrande, Cartagena de Indias
Reservations: +57 605 665 4365
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 12 :00 – 15:30 and 19:00 – 22:30
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 12:00 – 22:00
Website: https://www.restaurantearabeinternacional.com/index.htm
HARRY´S CARTAGENA
Harry Sasson is a very popular chef here in Colombia. He had several restaurants in Bogotá and Cartagena but since the pandemic he kept only a few; one in Bogotá and this spectacular one in Cartagena.
Located in the main patio of the Charleston Santa Teresa Hotel, this is one of the most fashionable restaurants in the city. The food is mediterranean style but with some local flavors mixed in. It is fabulous! They offer also the best Dry Martinis in town, and their bar is spectacular.
Regarding the food, the Morcilla de Burgos with fried eggs makes a nice starter. The crab nachos are an all time favorite and the huevos estrellados with chorizo Iberico and potatoes too. Following, the New York Steak with french fries or a nice rice with crab or shrimp will be the perfect combination. For dessert, the chocolate banana bread pudding is our favorite!
Address: Carrera 3 # 31A – 23 Hotel Charleston Santa Teresa, Centro Histórico, Cartagena de Indias
Reservations: +57 605 664 9446 or https://harryscartagena.precompro.com/select/
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday 7:00 – 23:00
Website: https://www.harrysasson.com/harrys-ctg/
FRITOMAR
If you like streetfood and want to taste the typical food of the people in Cartagena, you can come to this little diner and safely enjoy the best of the fried specialties they prepare. The winner for us is the Arepa de huevo. This is a fried corn dough filled with fried egg and minced meat, topped with tabasco and sour cream. This is heaven on earth! Carimañolas are fried yuca pastries filled with cheese or minced meat, you have to try them!
They also offer empanadas and arab style fillo pastries which are also very nice. Nothing here is bad, you can order whatever you crave for and for sure you will like it.
The place is very informal and this shop in particular doesn´t have air conditioning. No reservations.
Address: Calle 4 # 3 – 35 Locales 3 y 4 Bocagrande, Cartagena de Indias
Phone: +57 317 715 2426
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday 7:00 – 21:30
We hope you find this post useful. If you need any further information don’t hesitate to contact us!
Want to check our hotel recommendations? Visit our post on hotels!
