Here’s our list of the best restaurants in Cartagena de Indias, in the historic center and in Getsemani! We also give you our best addresses for bars where you can have a drink in Cartagena. Places we liked, places you liked, places our friends recommend..
A post to give you plenty of ideas for eating, drinking and partying in Cartagena, where anything’s possible!
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Disclaimer: we apologize in advance for any grammatical or syntactic errors, as our native language is not English (we're a Colombian-French couple), so we hope you'll forgive us and still enjoy the information we share with you! Please note that all the information on our blog is based on our own experience, and is checked and updated regularly.
Best restaurants in Cartagena’s historic center
Best places to eat in Cartagena de indias
Interno
Type of cuisine: Colombian, gourmet
Address: San Diego Women’s Prison, Calle 39
How about eating well and at the same time contributing to a worthwhile social integration project? You can do just that at Interno, the restaurant in Cartagena’s women’s prison. Now one of the city’s top restaurants, you can sample authentic local cuisine while helping these women prepare for their reintegration. The high prices are justified by the financial contribution to the women’s reintegration project. Reservations essential!
Totopo
Type of cuisine: Latino, seafood and fish
Address: Calle Primera de Badillo | Plaza Jose Fernandez de Madrid
A simple but friendly restaurant in a corner of Plaza Fernandez de Madrid. It was recommended to us by the people at our hostal. It serves local cuisine. The food is good and the prices are reasonable for the location.
Montmartre
Type of cuisine: French, fusion
Address: Calle Del Santisimo #8-08
Restaurant opened in 2015 by Valérie, a Franco-Colombian chef who took it upon herself to bring together the best of Colombian and French cuisine. We really enjoyed this little change from the local cuisine. It’s very good, different and the service is great.
Mistura
Type of cuisine: Latino, Seafood and fish, Sushi
Address: Centro Historico, Plaza Fernandez Madrid #36-151
Another of Cartagena’s best restaurants, Mistura offers fusion and gourmet cuisine in a place as full of soul as Cartagena itself.
La Mulata
Type of cuisine: Caribbean, Latino, Seafood and Fish
Address: Calle Quero 9 58
A very nice, very good restaurant that Sam already knew about and that seems to be in all the guidebooks. We like the refined seafood cuisine.
Cevicheria
Type of cuisine: Ceviches, Caribbean, Peruvian, Latino
Address: Calle Stuart 7
Well-known, also in all the guidebooks, but a sure bet when it comes to tasting the famous ceviches!
Bonus
Don Juan and Maria are also well known for their South American fish and seafood dishes
Bonus for Bocagrande: El Kiosco del Bony
Type of cuisine: Fish and seafood
Address: Playa, frente al Hotel Caribe | Laguito
This is the best place to eat fish in Bocagrande, on Hollywood Beach, opposite the Hotel Caribe. Another good tip from my cousin, who often travels to Cartagena.
Best restaurants in Getsemani
Best places to eat in Cartagena
Stepping Stone
Type of cuisine: brunch, modern
Address: Calle San Andres 30 – 40 | Getsemaní
A social initiative allied with the FEM foundation. Here, employees come from Cartagena’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods, most of whom are unemployed. They are trained, taught English and, once they have completed their training, the restaurant helps them to find another job, prepare their CVs, etc.
As for the place itself, it’s nice, the food is good and rather in the “healthy and vegan” trend, the atmosphere is nice and so is the setting.
Café Lunatico
Type of cuisine: Tapas
Address: | Getsemaní
Our friends from Cartagena Grafica recommended this nice restaurant to us, and we weren’t disappointed. The specialty is tapas, both classic and different, with a fusion of Spanish and Caribbean cuisine. A relaxed place with good service in the heart of Getsemani that we recommend without hesitation.
Arrabal Gastrobar
Type of cuisine: Internacional, Fusión, Peruana, Sudamericana
Address: Calle San Juan #25-56 | Getsemaní
Very good restaurant renowned for its menu and service, in one of Getsmani’s typical streets.
Di Silvio Trattoria
Type of cuisine: Italian, Pizza, Vegetarians welcome
Address: Calle de la Sierpe # 9A-08 | Getsemaní
A highly reputed Italian restaurant, remember to book in advance if you don’t want to queue at night, especially at weekends.
La casa de Socorro
Type of cuisine: Caribbean, Latino, Seafood and Fish
Address: Calle Larga, No. 8B-112 | Getsemaní
This is a very popular Colombian restaurant, recommended to us by my cousin. Local cuisine in a lovely setting. Excellent service. Although it’s good, we found it a little expensive for the quality of the dishes.
The best typical and cheap restaurants in Cartagena
Some ideas on where to eat cheap in Cartagena
If you’re on a tight budget and looking for cheap options to eat in Cartagena, here are a few restaurants that have been recommended to us by locals and are good options for small budgets with dishes between $8,000 and $15,000 pesos
Coroncoro
Type of cuisine: Caribbean, Colombian
Address: Calle Tripita y Media No 31-28 | Getsemani
Vive
Type of cuisine: Caribbean, Seafood and Fish
Address: Calle Tripita y Media, Carrera 10 32 58 | Getsemani
Las vainas de mi pueblo
Type of cuisine: Colombian
Address: Calle Tripita y Media | Getsemani
El Mejor Sitio
Type of cuisine: Colombian
Address: Calle laerga, 9a-23
Best bars and cafés in Cartagena
WHERE TO HAVE A DRINK IN CARTAGENA
Appropriate dress required
Before starting our list of bars and cafés where to go for a drink in Cartagena, please note that in many bars at night, proper dress is required: no flip-flops, no bathing suits, and no tank tops for the gentlemen.
Demente
Type: Bar, Brasserie
Address: Plaza de la Trinidad, # 10-19 | Getsemani
A bar/restaurant right in the heart of festive Getsemani, on the Plaza de la Trinidad, with its surprising inner courtyard (a house with the roof removed). Tapas and more.
Habana
Type: Bars and salsa clubs
Address: Calle Media Luna and Calle del Guerrero | Getsemaní
A club that, as its name suggests, is all about… Cuba! Live concerts to keep you dancing all night long. Admission charged.
El Baron
Type: Snack and cocktail bar
Address: Carrera 4 # 31-7 | Plaza de San Pedro Claver
A restaurant offering refined snacks and delicious cocktails, literally on the Plaza de San Pedro Claver, with outdoor terrace.
Alquimico
Type: Bar and club
Address: Calle del Colegio #34-24
Cartagena’s most famous cocktail bar and rooftop!
Cafe del mar
Type: Outdoor bar
Address: Baluarte de Santo Domingo
Touristy indeed, but a must for sipping a beer or a cocktail on Cartagena’s ramparts while enjoying a sublime sunset..
Abaco Libros y Cafe
Type: Coffee, tea, juice bar, bookshop
Address: Calles de la Iglesia yy Mantilla 3 – 86, Cartagena 130001, Colombia
A great café and bookshop in the heart of Cartagena, where we went for a juice with our graphic designer friends from Cartagena Grafica.
