Good to know
Good to Know
- Tourist zones (Walled City) mark up prices 40-50% vs. Getsemaní; dinner costs 60-80% more than lunch at the same restaurant.
- Menú del día (lunch special) offers excellent value for eating well affordably—ask for it rather than ordering à la carte at midday.
- Street food is authentic, cheap, and delicious; vendors operate throughout the day, especially for breakfast arepas.
- Getsemaní neighborhood delivers better local authenticity and value than the touristy Walled City.
- Fresh seafood ceviche and fish-based stews are signature offerings tied to the Caribbean coast.
- Delivery apps (Rappi, DiDi) commonly charge 3,000–9,000 COP before additional service/weather fees.
Supermarkets
Carulla Bocagrande
- Neighborhood
- Bocagrande
- Notes
- Large full-service supermarket; operates 24 hours at Castillogrande branch on Carrera 4. Well-stocked with fresh produce and deli sections.
Carulla Centro/Express
- Neighborhood
- Historic Center
- Notes
- Express convenience store in the Old City Centro area.
Olímpica
- Neighborhood
- Bocagrande
- Notes
- Caribbean coast supermarket chain with competitive pricing on regional items.
Budget
Cocina De Pepina
- Price Range
- COP 25,000
- Neighborhood
- Getsemaní
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Traditional Colombian cuisine
El Bololó Bowls Del Caribe
- Price Range
- COP 40,000
- Neighborhood
- Getsemaní
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Caribbean bowls with rice, vegetables, plantain, avocado, beans, fruit and proteins
High End
Celele
- Price Range
- COP 240,000
- Neighborhood
- Getsemaní
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Contemporary Caribbean Colombian cuisine with wild-harvested and locally-sourced ingredients
Carmen Restaurante Cartagena
- Price Range
- COP 220,000
- Neighborhood
- Historic Center
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Fine dining celebrating Colombia's biodiversity with refined cuisine
Mid Range
La Cevichería
- Price Range
- COP 55,000
- Neighborhood
- Historic Center (Centro)
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Fresh ceviche and Caribbean seafood
Manglar
- Price Range
- COP 50,000
- Neighborhood
- Historic Center / Walled City area
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Seafood and Caribbean-inspired dishes
Delivery Services
Rappi
- Notes
- Top-rated Colombian super-app operating in Cartagena. Delivers food, groceries, pharmacy items, and more. Rappi Turbo offers ultra-fast ~10 minute deliveries in central areas. International cards usually work; cash is also accepted.
DiDi Food
- Notes
- Secondary delivery option in Cartagena; often cheaper during promotions and new-user offers compared to Rappi.
TaDa Delivery
- Notes
- Operates in Cartagena with minimum purchase of 10,000 COP; specializes in beer kits and non-alcoholic beverages.
Local Must Try Dishes
Arepa De Huevo
- Description
- Fried corn cake stuffed with a whole egg, Cartagena's most iconic street food and breakfast staple.
Posta Negra Cartagenera
- Description
- Beef slow-cooked in a dark, slightly sweet sauce made with panela (unrefined cane sugar) and Worcestershire sauce, sometimes with Coca-Cola.
Sancocho De Pescado
- Description
- Hearty fish soup with plantains, yuca, and corn, seasoned with cilantro, lime, and local herbs. Popular for Sunday family lunches.
Ceviche Cartagenero
- Description
- Fresh local shrimp cocktail served in a glass with salsa rosada (tomato-mayo sauce with lime, cilantro, and Colombian hot sauce).
Pescado Frito Con Arroz Con Coco
- Description
- Whole fried fish served with coconut rice, representing the essence of coastal Colombian cooking.
Carimañolas
- Description
- Fried yucca rolls stuffed with cheese or ground beef.
Patacones
- Description
- Fried green plantain patties served as a traditional side.
Cocadas
- Description
- Coconut candies sold by street vendors, a quintessential Cartagena treat.
Vegan And Vegetarian Dining
- Overview
- Cartagena has limited dedicated vegan/vegetarian restaurants but offers scattered options across casual and upscale venues. Plant-based dining exists but is not extensive; restaurants generally offer limited vegetarian selections rather than fully plant-based menus.
Venues
Restaurante Vegetariano Girasoles
- Price Range
- COP 12,900
- Neighborhood
- Historic Center, near Plaza San Diego
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Vegetarian and vegan breakfast, lunch, and health food; vegetarian versions of traditional Colombian dishes
Samudra Govindas
- Price Range
- COP 20,000
- Neighborhood
- Historic Center / Centro
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Vegan and vegetarian cuisine with creative meat substitutes and set lunches; focuses on cruelty-free dining
Michelin Restaurants
Cartagena does not have Michelin-starred restaurants. However, internationally recognized ambitious dining includes: Celele (ranked #48 on World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025, #5 Latin America 50 Best 2025; Sustainable Restaurant Award 2025); Carmen Cartagena (tasting menus inspired by Colombia's biodiversity); and Restaurante 1621 (Colombian-French fusion, Wine Spectator Award of Excellence 2025).
International And Nonlocal Cuisine
The Walled City has extensive Italian dining options catering to tourists. Getsemaní offers more diverse international fare. Mid-range restaurants feature fusion dishes and international options alongside local Colombian specialties.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed September 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this food & dining research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
- 1.roamandthrive.com
- 2.two.travel
- 3.qeepl.com
- 4.courtneymuro.com
- 5.getyourguide.com
- 6.bucketlistjourney.net
- 7.royalcaribbean.com
- 8.baconismagic.ca
- 9.cartagenaexplorer.com
- 10.secretflying.com
- 11.colombiamove.com
- 12.wheeladventure.com
- 13.cartagenainsider.com
- 14.bento.travel
- 15.colombiamove.com
- 16.theculturetrip.com
- 17.myveggietravels.com
- 18.wanderlog.com
- 19.aglobewelltravelled.com
- 20.theveggiekey.com
- 21.blackvegabond.com
More About Cartagena
Data last updated September 2026 · Verify anything important.