Cartagena Cuisine: What to Eat When in Cartagena

Cartagena cuisine is a mesmerizing mix of multi-cultural influences, homegrown ingredients, and age-old recipes that have crossed oceans to land on the costeño culinary palate.

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Here are my top three local Cartagena dishes you just can’t miss during your visit to the Colombian Caribbean coast. For three more beloved Cartagena local dishes, check out the more extensive costeño cuisine-focused article I wrote for Kuoda Travel.

1. Sancocho Costeño

You’ll find sancocho on tables all over Colombia, but Cartagena gives this classic Colombian dish a costeño twist. On the Colombian Caribbean coast, this steamy stew is prepared with slowly-cooked fresh fish, yucca, ñame (tubers), sweet plantains, and tomatoes served in a creamy coconut milk broth. It’s a must at family gatherings and during special occasions.

2. Arepa de Huevo

I still dream of sinking my teeth into a fresh-out-of-the-fryer arepa de huevo. This classic costeño breakfast item is the result of Cartagena’s blend of cultures. The corn base is from the region’s indigenous people, the fried egg center was the bright idea of the Spanish, and the double-fried final step is thanks to Cartagena’s African culinary influences. The best way to give it a try is with a dollop of suero costeño, a popular local sauce that tastes very similar to sour cream. Bathe every bite in the stuff!

3. Enyucado

Enyucado is what’s for dessert on this Cartagena food list. This dense and delectable local sweet is cake-like, made from cassava, coconut, sugar, butter, anise, and queso costeño, plus a pinch of salt for good measure. It’s sweet and savory. Just ask any costeño where to find enyucado and you’ll get them salivating at the mere mention of it. Enyucado is the stuff of childhood memories in Cartagena.

For three more Cartagena cuisine must-trys, head over to Kuoda Travel’s blog and my article, “What to Eat When Traveling Colombia’s Coast.”

Ready to sample Costeño cuisine for yourself?

Of course, you could always follow your nose and follow the lines and full tables through town, but when it comes to sniffing out the best local Cartagena food, I have to point you to Foodies. This local tour operator offers a range of food-focused tours that not only give you a delicious and behind-the-scenes bite out of Cartagena cuisine, but include surprising amounts of history and creativity in their sharing of it. Costumes included.

Of the bunch, my favorite tours were their street food tour with a local chef, their gastronomic multi-stop restaurant tour, and their cooking class called arepas and dancing.

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