Cartagena de Indias is having a culinary moment. This walled Caribbean city has always seduced visitors with its coral-stone streets, bougainvillea-draped balconies and warm Atlantic light — but in the last few years its food has caught up with its scenery. In 2025, Getsemaní's Celele climbed to No. 5 on Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants and made its debut on The World's 50 Best at No. 48, planting Cartagena firmly on the global gastronomic map alongside Lima, Bogotá and Mexico City.
Yet the pleasure of eating here isn't only about tasting menus. It's about a whole spectrum: a paper cone of tart ceviche in the shade of a colonial plaza, a whole snapper in coconut milk on a rooftop at sunset, a candlelit dinner in a 17th-century convent cloister. Cartagena's cuisine is distinctly Caribbean-Colombian — built on seafood, coconut, plantain and tropical fruit, with African and Indigenous roots — and it rewards the curious traveler at every price point.
Below is our fully updated 2026 selection of where to eat in Cartagena, organized by the kind of evening you're after. If you're staying in one of our villas, our concierge team can secure tables at the hardest-to-book rooms below — or arrange a private chef to cook a Caribbean feast in your own courtyard.
What food is Cartagena known for?
Cartagena's kitchen is coastal and tropical, quite different from the Andean cooking of Colombia's interior. Seek out ceviche (fresh fish or shrimp cured in citrus, often with a creamy coconut or tomato twist); arroz con coco, the region's caramelized coconut rice; cazuela de mariscos, a rich seafood stew in coconut broth; pescado frito, whole fried snapper with plantains; and posta cartagenera, beef slow-braised in a dark, sweet glaze of panela cane sugar. On every street corner you'll find the arepa de huevo — a fried corn patty with a whole egg cooked inside — and the colorful palenqueras selling cut tropical fruit.
The best fine dining in Cartagena
1. Celele
Getsemaní · Contemporary Caribbean tasting menu · $$$$
Cartagena's most celebrated restaurant and the reason the city is now a fine-dining destination. Chef Jaime David Rodríguez Camacho built Celele out of "Proyecto Caribe Lab," a years-long project cataloguing the ingredients and techniques of Colombia's Caribbean coast. The result is a fermentation-driven, deeply regional tasting menu that ranked No. 5 in Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 — the highest of any Colombian restaurant — and No. 48 in The World's 50 Best 2025. This is the table to plan your trip around. Don't miss: the seasonal tasting menu with wine pairing. Reservations essential.
2. Carmen
Centro Histórico (Calle del Santísimo) · Contemporary Colombian · $$$$
Set in a serene colonial house in the heart of the walled city, Carmen serves inventive, produce-driven cuisine inspired by Colombian biodiversity and Caribbean flavor. Expect artful tasting menus, meticulous local sourcing and one of the best cocktail programs in town — a polished, romantic choice that has held its place among Cartagena's very best for over a decade. Don't miss: the chef's tasting menu with craft-cocktail pairings. Dinner-focused; reserve ahead.
3. Alma
Centro Histórico (Casa San Agustín) · Contemporary Colombian coastal · $$$$
Inside the exquisite Casa San Agustín, a Leading Hotels of the World property, Alma sets its tables around a candlelit colonial courtyard shaded by a centuries-old wall. Chef Herberto Eljach cooks refined land-and-sea dishes from local, seasonal ingredients — one of the city's most romantic rooms, open to non-guests. Don't miss: the signature Ceviche Eljach. Reserve for a courtyard table.
4. Restaurante 1621
San Diego (Sofitel Legend Santa Clara) · French–Caribbean · $$$$
For a grand-occasion dinner, 1621 is Cartagena's benchmark. Housed in the cloister of a restored 17th-century convent, it marries French technique with Caribbean and Andean ingredients under Executive Chef Dominique Oudin, with a candlelit terrace and a serious wine cellar. Formal, hushed and genuinely special — dress the part. Don't miss: the prawn risotto and the French-Caribbean tasting plates. Reservations and smart dress recommended.
5. El Gobernador by Rausch
San Diego (Bastión Luxury Hotel) · Author's Caribbean cuisine · $$$$
The Cartagena outpost of Colombia's most famous fine-dining name — the Rausch brothers — reinterprets traditional Cartagena cooking with native, sustainable products in an elegant hotel setting. Reliable, refined and a favorite of discerning travelers who want haute cuisine rooted firmly in the local coast. Don't miss: the Gruyère-crusted sea bass. Reserve ahead.
The best seafood & ceviche in Cartagena
6. La Cevichería
San Diego · Ceviche & seafood · $$$
The little corner spot that Anthony Bourdain made world-famous on No Reservations. Its ceviches — from the classic Colombiano to Un Peruano en el Caribe — remain excellent, alongside garlic shrimp and squid-ink black rice. Fame has raised both prices and the queue, so come early or off-peak; it's small and doesn't take reservations. Don't miss: the mixed ceviche and the black rice paella.
7. Cuzco Cocina Peruana
Centro Histórico · Peruvian · $$$
One of the prettiest dining courtyards in the walled city — colonial arches around a small pool — and a kitchen that brings refined Peruvian cooking and an impressive wine list to Cartagena. A lovely change of pace when you've had your fill of Caribbean flavors. Don't miss: the tiradito, ceviche causas and lobster risotto. Reserve for a courtyard table.
8. Salón Tropical
Getsemaní · Caribbean seafood lounge · $$$
A stylish, design-forward arrival that bills itself as "the most tropical lounge in Colombia": lush greenery, live music and Colombian haute-Caribbean seafood built around the day's catch from local fishermen. Equal parts dinner and destination — ideal when you want great food with atmosphere and a scene. Don't miss: the catch of the day and the tropical cocktails.
9. Doña Lola
Getsemaní · Caribbean-Creole seafood · $$$
Set in a beautifully restored colonial mansion with a leafy courtyard, Doña Lola turns out soulful coastal cooking with Spanish and Peruvian accents — a more polished, less crowded alternative to the city's most famous ceviche houses. Don't miss: the sea bass–passion fruit tiradito and grilled octopus in coconut milk.
The best rooftops & scene restaurants
10. Mar y Zielo
Centro Histórico (Calle del Arzobispado) · Contemporary gastro-bar · $$$
A modern gastro-bar in the walled city with a rooftop terrace made for skyline views and sunset cocktails. Downstairs, regional ingredients get a contemporary treatment; upstairs is one of the more relaxed rooftop perches in Centro. Don't miss: the Ceviche Baronía and a cocktail on the roof.
11. Buena Vida Marisquería
Centro Histórico (Plaza de los Estudiantes) · Seafood & rooftop bar · $$$
A multi-floor seafood house crowned by a rooftop cocktail bar with prime old-town views. The kitchen is better than the average rooftop — creative Caribbean seafood — making it a rare spot that delivers on both the plate and the panorama. Don't miss: whole red snapper in coconut milk and the crab nachos.
12. Baruco by Cuzco
Walled City · Nikkei-Latin seafood · $$$
From the well-regarded Cuzco group, Baruco is one of the most talked-about newer openings — Nikkei-Latin seafood that slides from dinner into Cartagena's late-night tardeo culture. Come for stylish plates and stay for the crowd. Don't miss: the ceviches and Nikkei-style raw seafood.
13. Lobo de Mar
Centro Histórico (Calle del Arzobispado) · Seafood, "sea meets land" · $$$
A convivial spot for seafood-forward sharing plates that stays open late — a good option when you want dinner to drift into the small hours. Fresh, local and seasonal, with an easy walled-city buzz. Don't miss: the sharing plates; good for groups. Book on weekends.
Iconic & traditional Cartagena
14. La Vitrola
Centro Histórico · Cuban-Caribbean · $$$
A near-30-year institution and the city's great see-and-be-seen classic, dressed like a 1950s Havana salon — white jackets, ceiling fans and live son cubano most nights. The Cuban-Caribbean menu (yellowfin tuna, prawns) is very good, but the atmosphere is the main event. One of the hardest tables in Cartagena. Don't miss: dinner timed to the live music around 8 pm. Reservations strongly required.
15. Candé
Walled City · Traditional Cartagenera · $$$
A love letter to Cartagena's own cooking — "100% Cartagenera" — served with folkloric music and cultural performances that lean festive rather than staged. The place to try regional soups, fresh seafood and typical rices in a warm, tablecloth setting. Don't miss: the mote de queso (yam-and-cheese soup). Reserve ahead.
16. La Cocina de Pepina
Getsemaní · Home-style Caribbean · $$
A tiny, tucked-away favorite serving the real, unfussy home cooking of the coast — the antidote to polished tasting menus. Expect coconut seafood stews, tiered ceviche and slow-cooked classics at gentle prices. Don't miss: the "sísísí" tiered ceviche cup. No reservations and very small — arrive early; dinner Tuesday–Saturday only.
17. Harry's (by Harry Sasson)
Centro Histórico (Hotel Charleston Santa Teresa) · International grill · $$$
Star Bogotá chef Harry Sasson's Cartagena dining room brings a confident, grill-forward international menu to a beautiful republican patio inside one of the walled city's grand hotels. A dependable choice for a polished dinner and expertly cooked steaks and seafood. Don't miss: the grilled meats. Reserve, especially in high season.
Where to eat, by neighborhood
Centro Histórico (the Walled City). The postcard heart of the city and its main luxury dining zone — colonial courtyards, brick arches and most of the fine dining and rooftop bars (Carmen, Alma, La Cevichería, La Vitrola).
San Diego. The quieter, more residential corner of the walled city, with charming plazas, boutique hotels and excellent, less-crowded restaurants (1621, El Gobernador). A refined, intimate alternative to the busier Centro.
Getsemaní. Centro's bohemian sibling just beyond the walls: street art, cobbled lanes and a lively mix of the innovative (Celele, Salón Tropical) and the homespun (La Cocina de Pepina). Creative and buzzy rather than polished.
Bocagrande. The modern beachfront strip of high-rises — hotel restaurants and seafood spots, more resort than atmosphere, but handy if you're staying on the beach.
What to know before you dine
Prices. Cartagena is Colombia's priciest dining city but still strong value by North American or European standards. Budget roughly $5–8 per person for a casual local meal, $11–18 mid-range, and $20–35+ for fine dining — with the top tasting menus and wine pairings running $50–100+ per person.
Tipping. Most sit-down restaurants add a 10% servicio voluntario (voluntary service charge); the server will usually ask if you'd like to include it, and paying it is standard. An extra 5–10% for exceptional service is appreciated. Tip in pesos when you can.
Reservations. For the flagship rooms — Celele, Carmen, Alma, 1621, La Vitrola — booking ahead is essential, especially in high season (mid-December to January, Semana Santa and long weekends). Casual and local spots like La Cocina de Pepina and La Cevichería don't take reservations, so arrive early to beat the queue. Our concierge can secure tables that are otherwise fully booked.
Frequently Asked Questions
What food is Cartagena known for?
Caribbean-Colombian cuisine built on seafood and tropical ingredients: ceviche, coconut rice (arroz con coco), seafood stew (cazuela de mariscos), whole fried fish with plantains, slow-braised posta cartagenera beef, and the street-corner arepa de huevo.
What is the best area to eat in Cartagena?
The Centro Histórico (Walled City) has the greatest concentration of top restaurants and rooftop bars, with adjoining San Diego offering more intimate, less-crowded rooms. Getsemaní is the place for the city's most creative kitchens, including Celele, alongside authentic local eateries.
Are there Michelin-star restaurants in Cartagena?
No — the Michelin Guide does not currently cover Colombia, so there are no Michelin-starred restaurants in Cartagena. The equivalent benchmark is Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants, where Cartagena's Celele ranked No. 5 in 2025 (and No. 48 in The World's 50 Best).
How expensive is dining in Cartagena?
Anywhere from a few dollars for street food and set lunches to $20–35 or more per person at fine-dining restaurants, with the top tasting menus running $50–100+. It remains excellent value compared with fine dining in North America or Europe.
Do you need reservations for restaurants in Cartagena?
For the flagship fine-dining rooms, yes — book several days to a week ahead, especially in high season. Casual and local spots are walk-in.
What is the best seafood to eat in Cartagena?
Look for ceviche, cazuela de mariscos (coconut seafood stew), garlic shrimp (camarones al ajillo) and whole fried snapper with coconut rice. La Cevichería, Salón Tropical and Cuzco are all strong choices.
