Colombia Food and Drink

Food

The cuisine of Colombia varies greatly depending on the region and incorporates Spanish and European influences with aspects of African and indigenous cuisine. Typical dishes tend to include a lot of meat as well as rice and green plantains and arepa - a bread made from cornmeal. Areas along the coast, like Cartagena, offer a great deal of fresh seafood including fish and lobster that is often prepared in coconut milk. Colombia is also home to countless tropical fruits, many of which are not found anywhere else.

Popular dishes include:

Band eja Paisa: This is considered the national dish of Colombia and contains a large mixture of food that tends to be served on a platter. There is grilled steak, fried pork rind and chorizo sausages which are served over rice and red beans. A fried egg is put on top and the dish is served with slices of avocado and banana chips.

Tamales: A popular street food, tamales consist of cooked corn dough that has been filled with meat, potatoes, rice or vegetables. The tamale is then wrapped in plantain leaves.

Sancocho: This dish is a thick soup or stew flavoured with meat, plantains, potatoes, yucca and vegetables and is usually accompanied by rice.

Ajiaco: This chicken stew is flavoured with herbs and different types of potatoes and corn.  Cream and capers are usually available on the side as an accompaniment.

Empanadas: This dish consists of bread or pastry that has been stuffed with meat, cheese, vegetables or sometimes sweet fillings. The bread or pastry is then baked or fried.

Drink

Colombia is world renowned for its coffee which is celebrated for its incredibly unique flavour.  Tinto is a small, black coffee that is popular throughout the country. Aguapanela is a drink found throughout South America but is particularly popular in Colombia. It is a sweet, nonalcoholic drink that is often offered as an alternative to coffee. Lime juice and/or cheese may be added for extra flavour. In Colombia, there are a variety of breweries ranging from small microbreweries to large-scale brands with the most popular being Aguila while Aguardiente is a well-known aniseed-flavoured spirit that comes from fermented sugar cane. 

Things to know:

Tipping 10% is standard in most restaurants when the customer has received good service.

Drinking age:

18

Colombia Travel Information

At Goway we believe that a well-informed traveller is a safer traveller. With this in mind, we have compiled an easy-to-navigate travel information section dedicated to Colombia.

Learn about the history and culture of Colombia, the must-try food and drink, and what to pack in your suitcase. Read about Colombia's nature and wildlife, weather and geography, along with 'Country Quickfacts' compiled by our travel experts. Our globetrotting tips, as well as our visa and health information, will help ensure you're properly prepared for a safe and enjoyable trip. The only way you could possibly learn more is by embarking on your journey and discovering Colombia for yourself. Start exploring… book one of our Colombia tours today!

Extend Your Trip

After your Colombia tours, why not consider another of Goway's Latin America tours. These include a large selection of other exciting countries in Central and South America. We offer Chile vacation packages and Easter Island tours, Ecuador vacation packages which include Galapagos cruises, Peru vacation packages which include Machu Picchu tours and Brazil tours including Iguassu Falls tours among many others.

Book your Colombia tour with Goway! 

LATIN AMERICA by Goway is an exclusive division that specializes in planning and organizing Colombia tours, vacations and experiences. Choose from a simple city stopover, enjoy a small group tour, an independent travel module and much more. We want to be your first choice when next you go globetrotting to Colombia.