At Donde Callo Daza, start your morning with crispy pork belly served alongside cassava and suero. If possible, ask for a table near the Guatapurí River, whose waters flow through the property and make the setting especially inviting. It is the perfect way to begin your journey through Valledupar.

Their mondongo soup, served with arroz de fideo (also known as arroz de palito) and agua de panela, is simply priceless. Enjoy!

If you’re looking to reconnect with nature, head to Finca Hostal La Helenita, located on Las Flores Street in Pueblo Bello. Víctor Manuel Montaño explains that his parents bought the property fifty years ago after moving from Medellín in search of new opportunities. Today he manages the estate and firmly believes that good food should also be healthy. That philosophy inspired the restaurant, where meals are homemade and as organic as possible.

When you wake up, order the traditional Pueblo Bello breakfast: boiled squash drizzled with honey and served with eggs.

Because the squash has a flavor somewhat similar to chontaduro, a fruit from Colombia’s Pacific region, they sweeten it with honey. One more detail: the farm also keeps its own beehives.

Another excellent option is the Pueblo Bello patacón, prepared with guineo serrano, a local variety of cooking banana, and topped with costeño cheese, ripe tomatoes, and a drizzle of herb-infused oil. It works beautifully either as a starter or as part of breakfast for those looking for fresh, garden-inspired dishes.

Back in Valledupar, take the opportunity to explore the kitchens of this land of accordions and leafy trees. Chabuco, the singer-songwriter born here, says that Callo Daza is the very best—and that the food there is beyond words. Their signature is traditional Creole cuisine. One of the highlights is the Matilde platter: pork rice accompanied by your choice of hen, crispy pork belly, ground beef, shredded beef, or stewed goat, together with cassava, sweet fried plantain, and a slice of cheese. What a feast!

In Chimichagua, make sure to visit Jadis Garrido. Besides enjoying the artisan experience she offers, touring her workshop, and learning how traditional reed mats are woven, she will surprise you with an extraordinary wood-fired duck sancocho prepared with cassava, squash, mafufo plantain, green banana, potatoes, carrots, and cilantro. It is served with white rice, agua de panela with lime, or freshly squeezed orange juice from her own orchard.

She says that the ducks she raises at home are richer in protein and are widely eaten for their health benefits, providing energy and nutrients such as iron. According to her, they are especially good during recovery from illness because everything is completely natural. And if you’re lucky, dessert may include homemade sweets made from mango, papaya, or whatever fruit happens to be in season.

Returning to Pueblo Bello, Finca Hostal La Helenita also prepares an outstanding Caribbean-style mondongo, made with beef trotters and always served with rice, avocado, patacones, and a tall glass of iced agua de panela with lime.

Another local specialty is stewed hen served with machucho—a tomato, onion, and scallion sauté—which pairs beautifully with rice, malanga, and a fresh salad, usually including avocado. Another excellent version can be found at Montacargas de la 12, in the San Joaquín neighborhood, or at its Cañaguate branch.

Finally, stop by El Totumazo de la Ceiba for a hearty bowl of sancocho, good friends, and live music played the old-fashioned way. Ay, ombe!

In Pueblo Bello, around four in the afternoon—what people along the Caribbean coast affectionately call la hora de la brisa, when the temperature begins to cool—head to Jochelo for some traditional fried snacks. They serve carimañolas stuffed with beef, cheese, or chicken. Regina, the matriarch who keeps the family business moving forward, explains that after years of hard work they built a kiosk at their home and now have a fully equipped industrial kitchen with a three-burner stove. When asked about the ingredients, she proudly says that every three months they harvest corn from her husband’s farm. Whenever supplies run low, they buy more from Don Héctor Mestre to keep production going. That corn becomes their arepas and empanadas. The arepas come with egg, egg and beef, or egg and chicken. Regina also says that the Hawaiian empanadas have become especially popular—they disappear almost as soon as they’re made.

Stuffed potatoes are another classic among local fried foods, and this is definitely a good place to try one. The family business opens every day from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., and again from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., before the tropical sun becomes too intense. Pair your snack with a fresh juice made from lulo, blackberry, passion fruit, or whichever seasonal beverage happens to be available.

If you’ve heard about stewed goat in Valledupar, Hotel Mama and Wayuunaiki both prepare excellent versions.

There is still much to discover in El Valle, as locals affectionately call Valledupar. Walk beneath blooming cañaguate trees, whose yellow blossoms carpet the streets when they flower, and enjoy the fragrance of the matarratón tree, whose tiny blossoms provide welcome shade from the Caribbean heat. While you’re exploring these aromas and flavors, don’t miss the traditional cheese arepa, made from freshly ground corn, wrapped in banana leaves, and cooked over charcoal. Some of the finest can be found at Estrato 6.

Liver steak is one of those dishes people either love or avoid. We recommend giving it a try and deciding for yourself. Rich in vitamins A and B12, it is considered excellent for preventing anemia and is usually served with white rice, avocado, arepa, or floury cassava. In Valledupar, simply ask for María Namén—someone will surely point you in the right direction. Asking for directions through personal references is still common here. She is located in the historic district. Another excellent option is Montacarga del Norte.

Many Caribbean towns are rich in myths and legends, and Tamalameque is no exception. According to local tradition, La Llorona roams its streets, the spirit of a woman forever searching for her lost child. It was during a lively night of music and celebration that the renowned composer José Barros found inspiration for his celebrated porro (a rhythm form Bolívar, Sucre and Córdoba), La Llorona Loca, a playful musical retelling of the legend from this Magdalena River town.

To recover from the fright and enjoy something refreshing, stop by Juepaaaa! for an exceptional fresh fruit juice. Local musicians insist these natural fruit drinks are among the best in the world.

At Finca Hostal La Helenita in Pueblo Bello, they prepare a cocktail using a local sugarcane spirit infused with herbs to soften its flavor. The Indigenous peoples of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta call this liquor Churro. Here, they have created their own version, the Churro Sour, mixing it with whichever fruit is in season, whether tree tomato, passion fruit, or blackberry. What a fantastic drink!

Homemade sweets are always easy to find. At Cecy Dangond‘s in Valledupar, you’ll discover traditional candies made from milk, ripe plantain, or grapefruit. If she doesn’t immediately offer her queques—soft cakes made with wheat flour, costeño cheese, butter, and eggs—ask to try one, preferably alongside a cup of Colombian black coffee while relaxing in a rocking chair.